What Type Of Aircraft Does Dale Earnhardt Jr. Fly?

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is one of the most prominent NASCAR drivers in the world. The racecar driver was born on October 10, 1974, and is the son of the seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, Dale Earnhardt Sr. Earnhardt Jr. began racing at an early age, and he even began his racing career at the age of 17.

By 2000, Earnhardt Jr. was preparing to race the number 8 Budweiser car full-time, which was owned by the racing team Dale Earnhardt Inc (DEI). He ended the 2000 season with several wins and top-10 finishes.

However, the 2001 season began with tragedy at the 2001 Daytona 500 in Florida. Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished in second place, but on the final lap, his father crashed into the wall at turn four.

He was pronounced dead shortly after. This shook the NASCAR world, with Earnhardt Sr. being one of the most popular figures in the racing world.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. had a successful racing career. He raced in the NASCAR Series from 1999 through 2017, most of the time as the primary driver of his dad’s team, DEI. He achieved 26 total wins, two NASCAR Busch Series Championships, and countless other racing awards. He has also become a popular color commentator for NASCAR and is the co-owner of JR Motorsports, meaning he is still active in the NASCAR world.

His prominence as a team owner and commentator means he travels frequently across the United States, going race to race during the NASCAR season. Because of this, it is no wonder that Earnhardt travels by private jet.

Operating a business jet provides Earnhardt with the ultimate flexibility, as he then has the ability to depart when he wants and fly directly to a wider variety of airports. Let’s take a closer look at Earnhardt Jr.’s private jet.

About the Earnhardt private jet

Currently, Dale Earnhardt Jr. flies a Cessna Citation XLS+, which is part of the Citation Excel family of aircraft. This aircraft, which is registered as N38AD, was first built in 2019 and has a serial number of 560-6282, per FlightAware.

The aircraft has an official owner registered as JRM Air LLC, per the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). JRM Air LLC is a subsidiary of Earnhardt’s racing team, JR Motorsports, per Aviation Pros.

Photo: Fasttailwind | Shutterstock

Earnhardt Jr. and his team fly this aircraft fairly frequently. According to JetSpy, N38AD has flown 93 flights, lasting 126 total flight hours. These flights have utilized over 25,000 gallons of jet fuel, contributing to just under 250 metric tons of carbon emissions.

According to JetSpy, the aircraft’s three most visited airports are:

1. Statesville Regional Airport (SVH) in Statesville, North Carolina
2. Charleston Air Force Base-International Airport (CHS) in Charleston, South Carolina
3. San Antonio International Airport (SAT) in San Antonio, Texas

History of the Cessna Citation XLS+

The Citation XLS aircraft is one of the most upgraded variants of the

Citation Excel

series. Cessna first developed this midsize business jet series in the early 1990s.

Cessna intended to create a Citation business jet that would fit the market in between the Citation VII and the famous

Citation X

. The midsize jet was developed with features of both aircraft series.

Photo: RHL Images | Shutterstock

Cessna officially introduced the Citation Excel in October 1994 at the annual National Business Aviation Administration (NBAA) convention. The first prototype of this aircraft conducted its maiden flight in February 1996, and the FAA certified the aircraft in April 1998. By the time Cessna began delivering the aircraft, it had already reached a backlog of over 200 orders.

The first upgraded variant of the Citation Excel was the Citation XLS, which was released in 2004. This variant featured a full glass cockpit and upgraded engines. The next upgrade was the Citation XLS+, which was released in 2008. Again, this variant featured newer engines that included FADEC engine controls.

This aircraft is currently in production, although Cessna is currently working on certifying the next upgrade, the

Citation Ascend

. This aircraft is expected to be certified next year, with deliveries beginning shortly after.

Photo: BlueBarronPhoto | Shutterstock

Design and performance of the Cessna Citation XLS+

Overall, the Citation Excel series features a fuselage that is about two feet shorter than the Citation X. However, the cabin was the roomiest in the midsize business jet industry, and it could hold a maximum of nine passengers. According to Liberty Jet, the Citation Excel series has the following cabin dimensions:

• Cabin length: 18.7 feet
• Cabin width: 5.5 feet
• Cabin height: 5.7 feet

Inside the cabin, the Citation XLS+ utilizes the Collins Pro Line 21 avionics suite. This features four LCD EFIS displays for the pilots. The Cessna Citation XLS+ utilizes two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW545C turbofan engines, which each provide over 4,000 pounds of thrust. This helps the aircraft achieve the following performance specifications: