N489HC

This entry covers airframe N489HC, a 2001-built Cessna 525 Citation CJ1 bearing serial number 525-0437. The aircraft is owned and operated by J C CHEEK CONTRACTORS INC, a corporate operator based in Kosciusko, MS, US. The airframe is FAA-registered in the United States and is noted in registry records as an eight-seat configuration; FAA-registered as 8 seats is an explicit registry datum for this hull. Valuation records list the airframe at approximately $1,600,000, reflecting its age and equipment baseline.

The airframe is FAA-documented with 8 cabin seats; typical executive installations for the CJ1 platform are four- to six-place executive club arrangements with an optional belted lavatory, and this hull is commonly operated in such light executive or corporate transport roles. Avionics equipment is listed with the OEM Collins Pro Line 21 fit, while many CJ1 examples receive aftermarket navigation and display upgrades such as Garmin GTN units — a common modernization path for aircraft of this vintage. Based in Kosciusko, Mississippi under corporate ownership, the aircraft’s mission profile under its current operator is consistent with short to mid-range executive transport and company shuttle duties, benefiting from the CJ1’s relatively high cruise speed and single-pilot operation capability in typical configurations. Routine maintenance considerations center on time-between-overhaul schedules for the Williams FJ44-1A engines and avionics upgrade paths that preserve utility and resale value.

The Cessna 525 Citation CJ1 occupies the light business jet niche within Textron Aviation’s Citation family, offering transcontinental hop capability in the short to mid-range category with low operating costs relative to larger midsize jets. With a cruise speed near 381 kts and a service ceiling of 41,000 ft, the CJ1 competes against light jets such as early-model Embraer Phenom 100s and smaller Learjet variants in owner-operator and charter markets. For a 2001 airframe like 525-0437, resale and charter demand is influenced by engine TBO status, avionics configuration (Collins Pro Line 21 versus upgraded Garmin GTN suites), and the aircraft’s documented eight-seat certification; these factors also underpin the listed valuation of $1,600,000.