Buying guide
RVSM: what it means when you buy an older jet
Published November 13, 2026.
Many business jets cruise between 29,000 and 41,000 ft, and that band is RVSM airspace. An aircraft that is not approved for it has to fly below or around it, which costs time and fuel. On older Citations, RVSM eligibility depends on the serial number and on a service bulletin, so it is one of the first things to check before an offer. Below is what the official rules say and how to check it.
What RVSM is
In RVSM airspace, air traffic control separates aircraft by 1,000 ft vertically between flight levels 290 and 410 inclusive. Under FAA rules, no one may fly a civil aircraft in that airspace unless the aircraft meets the standards of Appendix G of Part 91 and the operator is authorized by the FAA or by the country of registry.12
Two things are approved, not one: the aircraft and the operator. An aircraft that meets the technical standards still needs an operator with the authorization to use it in RVSM airspace.2
What the aircraft needs
Appendix G lists the minimum equipment. For types whose certification was applied for on or before April 9, 1997, which includes the Citation 500, II, Bravo, V and Ultra, the figures are these:2
| Requirement | FAA Part 91, Appendix G |
|---|---|
| Altitude measurement | Two operational, independent systems |
| Automatic altitude control | At least one, holding within ±65 ft (±130 ft for these older types when coupled to a flight management system) |
| Altitude alert | Alerts when the aircraft deviates more than ±300 ft from the selected altitude |
| TCAS II, if installed | Version 7.0 (TSO C-119b) or later |
Appendix G also sets limits for altimetry system error, which is why a static system or altimeter defect can take an aircraft out of RVSM. In the United States, Section 9 of the appendix allows an aircraft with this equipment and an ADS-B Out system meeting § 91.227 to operate in RVSM airspace, provided its height-keeping performance is monitored and its altimetry system error does not exceed 200 ft.2
RVSM on the Citations we cover
The EASA data sheet for the Cessna 500, 550 and 560 lists which serials meet the initial airworthiness requirements for RVSM, and with which service bulletin.3
| Model | Serials eligible according to the data sheet |
|---|---|
| Citation 500 / Citation I | 500-0275 to 500-0689, with service bulletin SB500-34-65 |
| Citation II | 550-0002 to 550-0800, with service bulletin SB550-34-79 |
| Citation Bravo | 550-0801 to 550-0872 with SB550-34-70; 550-0873 and on |
| Citation V | 560-0001 to 560-0259, with service bulletin SB560-34-97 |
| Citation Ultra | 560-0260 to 560-0525 with SB560-34-97; 560-0526 to 560-0538 |
Eligibility on the data sheet is the starting point, not the approval: the aircraft still has to be approved and the operator authorized.23 Citation 500s below serial 500-0275 do not appear in the list.
What to check before an offer
- The service bulletin. Ask for the record showing that the bulletin for that serial was done, with the date and the shop.3
- The approval documents. Ask for the RVSM approval of the aircraft and, on the current operator, the authorization. The authorization belongs to the operator, so after the purchase the new operator needs its own.12
- Maintenance of the altimetry system. This part is our reading. Ask for the records of the static system and altimeter checks. A recent repair to the nose or the static ports deserves a question about the RVSM checks done afterwards.
- Height-keeping monitoring. Appendix G requires height-keeping performance to be monitored for the ADS-B route, and requires operators to report large altitude-keeping errors.2 Ask whether the aircraft has a recent monitoring result.
- TCAS and ADS-B. If the aircraft has TCAS II, check that it is version 7.0 or later, and check the ADS-B Out installation if the United States route is planned.2
- A change of registry. This is also our reading. On an imported aircraft, check with the authority of the new country what it accepts from the previous approval before counting on RVSM from day one.
Related guides
The serial-by-serial details for each model are in our guides to the Citation 500, the Citation II, the Citation Bravo and the Citation V and Ultra.
Sources
- FAA, 14 CFR § 91.180, Operations within airspace designated as Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum airspace (CFR edition of Jan. 1, 2025): govinfo.gov
- FAA, 14 CFR Part 91, Appendix G, Operations in Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum (RVSM) Airspace (CFR edition of Jan. 1, 2025): govinfo.gov
- EASA, type certificate data sheet IM.A.207, Cessna 500, 550, S550, 560 and 560XL, issue 10, July 6, 2022: easa.europa.eu