Last thing I’ll say is these inspections have nothing to do with increasing safety and probably decrease it.

And the best part, since the OEM provides it, qualifies under 91.409(f)(3). No FSDO approval needed, just get the letter, file it with your records, and off you go.

Tarver told me about this program. One of the most valuable pieces of advice I ever got.

Textron provides this at their whim, however, so there are no assurances any particular operator can get it.

Mike C.

Is there a maximum number of hours that can be flown annually and still comply with the LUMP?

Is the LUMP available for 525 series aircraft?

Any idea if an eagle is doable?

Not sure.

My LUMP letter says "This LUMP is designed for annual operating flight hours less than 200 flight hours."

Not exactly clear what happens if you exceed that. I don't view that as absolutely prescriptive, that you have to get off program at 201 hours that year. It seems merely to be a statement of intent but not rule. This is a good question for Textron.

If you do fly 200 hours in a year, then phase 1-4 will be due in 2.25 years, so you are basically off the program just by hours for phase 1-4 which are normally due every 2 years. Phase 5 is 1200 hours or 6 years, so some relief still exists there.


Don't know. I suspect so, you can ask. 525 series are maintained under a very different program ("doc" inspections). Being new, they have a lot more prescribe inspections. The general trend is to impose more and more maintenance for newer aircraft. This often makes older aircraft less expensive to operate, paradoxically.

Mike C.

Indication I got from Textron is no, too heavily modified.

Worth asking about. These sort of things can change.

When I applied, they did ask questions about my usage, modifications, maintenance, etc. The programs are nominally designed for each individual.

Mike C.

I'm thinking of buying a Citation 501 at the end of this year. I was wondering if the Citation owners here have any advice. It seems that there are several active in this thread.

I had my sights set on a 501SP ended up with a 550 Citation II with a full Garmin package no steam gauges. Don’t let the extra training box you into a 501 .There are a lot more options with any of the Legacy Citations .

I don't mind extra training but I'm looking for a single pilot model. I don't have enough hours to qualify for the single pilot waiver.
I would consider a 551SP but there are very few available.

Make sure you understand the limits of the 551. They are limited to 12,500 and weigh quite a bit more than a 501. You can’t legally even fill them all the way up and stay below max gross.

Most of the 550/551 I’ve seen have a 13500 GVW . Three people ,luggage & full fuel puts you right there . Pretty good range at that roughly 1500 miles w/reserve . The 501 is lucky to do 1000 mile range.

550 series serial # 505 & down GVW 13500 506 & up 14300.

C551 Max Takeoff Wt - 12,500lbs.

That's the main bug with part 25 legacy Citations, the SPE. If you don't have the hours, they are effectively off limits.

The SPE requirements:

ATP or commercial
1000 total, 50 night, 75 instrument, 40 actual instrument
500 PIC or SIC in turbine


There is an SB to change a 550 into a 551, but the indications are that is no longer possible since Textron isn't providing it any more.

There are a few 551 out there.

I'd surmise the empty weights are around 8500 lbs. That leaves 4200 lbs useful load from the ramp weight of 12,700 lbs. It carries ~5000 lbs fuel, so you can use it all, obviously.

My belief is that 551s are operated consistent with 550 weights since they are really the same airplane. While technically illegal, the laws of physics won't care.

One of the things I wish I had the power to do is to create a CE-500S type rating and an STC to make part 25 Citations single pilot equipped. This would eliminate this hokey SPE thing. The SPE is simply an accident of history due to part 23 commuter category not existing at the time legacy Citations were certified.

Mike C.

My empty weight is 8063 with all the old boat anchor avionics gone .