N145TA1974 Cessna Citation I

Overview

This article describes airframe N145TA, a Cessna Citation I built in 1974 with manufacturer serial number 500-0145. The airframe is a member of the Cessna (Textron Aviation) production run and is registered in the US to the corporate owner Bon Air Brokerage Company LLC of Lynchburg, VA, US. Maintenance and valuation notes reflect its age, refurbishment history, and continued use as a fixed-wing multi-engine executive transport.

Operations & Cabin

The cabin is completed in an executive layout described as a mid-cabin four-place club with a forward jumpseat and a belted aft lavatory; the configuration is listed as a seven-passenger executive interior following the 1999 refurbishment. Avionics fitted to this airframe include a Garmin GNS-530 (GPS/COM/NAV), Bendix/King FGS-70 autopilot, Garmin GTX-335 transponder, and Bendix/King RDR-2000 weather radar, supporting standard IFR charter and corporate mission profiles. Typical operations for this model and fitment would cover short- to medium-range executive flights up to the published range, with cruise performance enabling fast point-to-point trips and high-altitude enroute capability to its service ceiling of 41,000 ft. Corporate ownership based in Lynchburg, VA suggests regional business use and positioning consistent with brokerage ownership and asset management.

Model & Market Context

The airframe belongs to the early-generation Cessna Citation I (Model 500), a light business jet family positioned for light corporate and charter missions with modest operating costs and straightforward systems compared with later Citations. Competing types historically include light twins from other manufacturers that target short-to-medium ranges and similar seating counts.