How do I fly the Citation CJ4 in MSFS 2020?

To fly the Citation CJ4 in MSFS 2020, start and configure the aircraft, programme or verify the FMS route, set take-off speeds and trim, then manage thrust manually through climb, cruise, descent and landing. The autopilot controls pitch and navigation, but the CJ4 has no autothrottle.

How should I set up the CJ4 before take-off?

Set the route, performance data, flight instruments and take-off configuration before the Citation CJ4 moves. A runway start skips the engine-start work, but you should still verify the FMS, selected altitude, trim and V speeds.

Use a fully updated copy of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020. If an old standalone Working Title CJ4 package remains in the Community folder, remove it before troubleshooting because its avionics were integrated into the updated stock aircraft.

1. Plan the flight. Select the departure and arrival runways, an appropriate IFR route and a cruise altitude. A World Map plan can be loaded into the aircraft, but runway changes, duplicate waypoints and unwanted approach transitions still need checking. For the wider planning and ATC sequence, use our route-to-shutdown MSFS 2020 workflow.
2. Start the engines. Switch on the battery and beacon, start each engine in turn, and move its thrust lever from cutoff to idle only after the starter indications show rotation. Monitor N2, temperature, oil pressure and generator indications. Our cold-and-dark CJ4 cockpit sequence covers the switches in greater detail.
3. Verify the FMS route. Check the origin, departure, en-route legs, arrival and approach. Make sure the first required leg is active. Do not blindly remove every discontinuity: a manual-sequence or vectors leg can be intentional.
4. Enter performance data. Confirm that fuel, payload, runway and departure data match the loaded aircraft. Set or confirm V1, Vr and V2 on the take-off reference page rather than copying speeds from another flight; they vary with weight and conditions.
5. Configure the panel. Set the local altimeter, flight director, initial cleared altitude and heading. Select FMS1 as the navigation source when following the programmed route, and check the yaw damper and autopilot panel.
6. Set take-off configuration. Flaps 15 is the normal take-off setting. Put pitch trim in the indicated take-off range, test the controls, release the parking brake and taxi at low thrust.

Take-off and initial climb

1. Line up and stabilise. Centre the aircraft, confirm the runway and check that the flight director shows the intended take-off guidance.
2. Set take-off thrust. Advance both thrust levers to the take-off setting and verify balanced engine indications. Do not assume pushing a hardware lever fully forward gives the correct setting.
3. Rotate at Vr. Raise the nose smoothly towards the flight-director command. When the vertical speed is positive, retract the landing gear.
4. Establish the climb. Follow the runway heading or use heading mode until the aircraft can intercept the programmed track. Engage the autopilot only after the CJ4 is airborne, trimmed and stable.
5. Clean up. Retract the flaps after accelerating beyond the relevant minimum speed, select climb thrust and use FLC with an appropriate selected airspeed. The autopilot changes pitch to hold that speed; you still control thrust.

Which CJ4 autopilot mode should I use?

Use NAV for lateral FMS tracking, FLC for most climbs and straightforward descents, and ALT to hold the selected altitude. VS is useful for small vertical adjustments, while VNAV is best reserved for a complete, checked vertical flight plan.

Read the flight-mode annunciator at the top of the primary flight display. Green modes are active and white modes are armed; an illuminated button alone does not prove that NAV, VNAV or the glideslope has captured.

At cruise altitude, ALT should capture automatically from FLC. Reduce to cruise thrust as the aircraft levels, because the CJ4 will otherwise accelerate towards an overspeed.

How do I descend and land the Citation CJ4?

Begin the descent early, manage thrust yourself and configure using the aircraft's calculated approach speeds. The CJ4 can follow a vertical path, but it will not reduce power, lower the gear or extend the flaps for you.

1. Estimate the descent point. Use roughly 3 NM for every 1,000 feet to lose, then add distance for slowing down. Descending from FL300 to 3,000 feet needs about 80 NM before allowing for deceleration and route shape.
2. Set the cleared altitude. Selecting a lower altitude does not start the descent by itself. Choose VNAV if the FMS has a valid vertical path, or select FLC and reduce thrust for a simpler speed-controlled descent.
3. Control the speed. Adjust thrust throughout the descent. Use speed brakes only within their indicated limits if idle thrust and pitch are not producing enough deceleration.
4. Prepare the approach. Load and check the arrival and approach before reaching the terminal area. Activate a leg or use direct-to only when appropriate, as doing so too early can bypass part of the arrival.
5. Set the navigation source. For an ILS, confirm the localiser frequency and course, select LOC1 and arm APPR while established on a suitable intercept below the glideslope. For an RNAV approach, retain FMS1 and verify that the approach supports the displayed guidance. Our detailed localiser and glideslope procedure explains the complete ILS sequence.
6. Configure for landing. Extend flaps 15 and the landing gear within their placarded speeds, then use flaps 35 for the normal landing configuration. Stabilise at the calculated Vref with corrections required for the conditions.
7. Land manually. Disconnect the autopilot no later than required by the approach, keep making small manual thrust changes, and close the thrust levers during the flare. Lower the nose gently after the main wheels touch.
8. Slow and clear. Use the ground-spoiler system and wheel brakes. The CJ4 has no conventional thrust reversers, so do not wait for reverse thrust before braking.

At the stand, set the parking brake, move both thrust levers to cutoff, switch off unneeded lights and avionics, then turn off the battery after the engines and displays have shut down.

Why will the CJ4 autopilot not follow the flight plan?

Most CJ4 navigation failures come from the wrong navigation source, an inactive FMS leg, a route discontinuity or an armed mode that never captured.

• The aircraft stays in heading mode: use HDG to intercept the magenta course, confirm FMS1 is selected, then arm NAV. Check the annunciator for a green NAV indication.
• The aircraft turns towards the wrong waypoint: inspect the LEGS page and activate the intended leg or use direct-to. Confirm the change before executing it.
• The aircraft will not descend: set a lower permitted altitude and activate VNAV, FLC or VS. Turning the altitude knob alone only changes the capture limit.
• VNAV will not arm or capture: check for missing performance data, route discontinuities and absent altitude constraints. Use FLC if the vertical plan is incomplete.
• The CJ4 overspeeds: reduce thrust before level-off and during descent. FADEC manages the engines at the lever setting, but there is no autothrottle holding the selected airspeed.
• The throttles jump or an engine remains at cutoff: look for duplicate throttle-axis bindings, noisy controller inputs or AI assistance overriding the cockpit controls. Test with the on-screen levers if necessary.
• The FMS or displays behave unexpectedly: update MSFS 2020 and remove the obsolete standalone CJ4 avionics mod before testing with other Community add-ons disabled.