Cessna sold three Citation business jets here at Asian Aerospace yesterday.

First, Japan Aerospace Corp. (JAC) inked a deal to buy its second CJ2+. Then Taneja Aerospace and Aviation of Bangalore, India, bought a CJ2+ and an XLS.

“We’ve found the CJ2+ is well suited for the Japanese market,” said JAC president and CEO Kazuyuki Tamura. “It is ideal to replace the large, but outdated twin turboprops in Japan.”

Weighing just under 5.7 tons, the CJ2 falls into the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau’s general aviation category and so benefits from advantageous operating costs, including lower maintenance expenses. JAC bought its first CJ2 last year.

According to Robert Hollander, Cessna Citation regional sales representative for the Asia/Pacific region. The U.S. manufacturer achieved “robust” sales in this part of the world, and especially in China and Australia. “The CJ2+ and CJ3 may see growing demand in Australia as customers decide to upgrade from Cessna 500 series aircraft. Japan and India are close behind Australia,” he explained.

“We very clearly have a good mix of aircraft for the region,” Mark Paolucci, Cessna vice president for Cessna sales, told Aviation International News. He said he wasn’t sure whether Clyde Cessna’s original concept would apply in Asia, that is, starting fledgling pilots out in small, single-engine aircraft based on the premise they will maintain brand loyalty as they mature in their career. Nonetheless, Cessna has established connections with flying schools around the region.