Wanted to put a face to the voice that provides endless help to myself and other legacy Citation owners and the timing worked out today. Hopped in the Citation and blasted up to Williston.

Met Mike and his business partner Jay; super hospitable and first class guys. They showed me about half a dozen new things on my bird just while we were shooting the breeze.

The hangar is spotless and the inventory of parts is to die for.

Mike is always and will continue to be my first phone call for all things Citation.

I couldn't agree more! I wouldn't be in my citation right now if it weren't for him. And many of us would be paying absurd new textron prices if it weren't for his graveyards of gently used parts. He's a great guy as well as a friend!

Did a long cross country in the 501 this weekend, people always seem interested what it costs to run a legacy jet so here's the breakdown. This a good trip to discuss since I got the worst of both worlds...summer temps and winter winds. Certainly not cherry picking a trip to talk about costs.

https://www.flightaware.com/live/flight ... Z/2IS/KTYR

Started the day in Central Florida; already heading for 90 degrees. Got good clearances and pretty well unrestricted up to FL360...that's all I planned for since the winds went from bad to worse as you climbed. Got the trifecta on this leg....ISA +20, headwinds approaching 80kts and they started my descent almost on hour from destination...I can only assume trying get me under Dallas arrivals?? I topped off for 457 gallons/3000lbs so still had 800lbs remaining even with the temps/winds/early descent.

https://www.flightaware.com/live/flight ... /KTYR/KTUS

Next leg was Tyler, TX to Tucson. Temps and winds managed to get slightly worse. Didn't crack 300kts GS until just before top of descent. Topped off for 441 gallons/2900lbs, so an easy 900lbs remaining on another day VMC arrival.

https://www.flightaware.com/live/flight ... /KTUS/KSBD

Final leg was a quick hop from Tucson over to San Bernardino. I didn't bother fueling when I got home but I'm quite confident I burned 1500lbs/225 gallons or less.

Engine start to engine shutdown was 9.0 hours, flight time was 7hrs, 45 minutes. Pretty decent for a straight wing airplane in these temps and winds; my block fuel burn was 125gph.

My ride was quite, comfortable and squawk free. It defies being 46 years old and REALLY blows my mind as someone coming up from a p-twin. I absolutely love this plane and the value if offers. I cannot underscore the safety and confidence I have in a jet.

Here's the pics. Yes, I have 2 iPads; don't judge me.

All things considered, the legacy straight wings are bargain jets.

Are the 500s faster than the 550s?

So we need Mike Tarver to step in, but that's a yes/no but mostly no I believe. I have a fairly light 501 and no reversers. It's clean, well rigged and an aft limit CG when I'm single pilot...so mine works well; it will do book or better all the time. I recall that Mike had an early (super light) 500 that was dummy fast.

The 550's and 551's are more thrust and a longer wing. They climb faster and apples to apples they cruise faster and land slower. It's a perverse function of Citations that the higher and fast they go, the slower they land since the wings just keep getting longer.