Textron Aviation announced on Thursday that its Cessna Citation XLS Gen2 business jet has received its type certificate from the FAA. The Citation XLS Gen2 is the latest model in the Citation 560XL midsize business jet series, which was introduced in 1998 with the Citation Excel. According to Textron, it has delivered more than 1,000 560XL-series aircraft in the past 25 years. The company delivered the first XLS Gen2 this week.
“Loyal Citation customers inspire us to continually invest in bringing the latest design and technology to our product line,” said Lannie O’Bannion, Textron Aviation senior vice president for sales and flight ops. “This fresh approach to our popular 560XL series includes comfort and productivity upgrades requested by our customers, yet retains the model’s combination of performance and efficiencies that offers midsize jet features at a smaller jet operating cost.”
The Citation XLS Gen2 offers a 2,100-NM range, top cruise speed of 441 knots and full fuel payload of 800 pounds. Powered by Pratt & Whitney Canada PW545C engines, it can seat up to 12 passengers and comes equipped with the Collins Aerospace Pro Line 21 avionics suite. Additional upgrades include a new lighted airstair door and entry curtain, redesigned cabin seating and wireless cabin management system along with USB charging ports at each cabin seat and an optional Bongiovi Immersive speaker-less sound system. As previously reported by AVweb, Textron introduced the Citation XLS Gen2 at the 2021 NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition.
Remind me to specify this particular model next time I charter a jet.
I would hate to be the pilot that try’s to explain to the boss that even though there are 12 seats, that on long flights, they can only carry 4 people.
As a former corporate pilot, I’ll just insert a comment here: if “the boss” didn’t do his homework on the jet’s capabilities he picked out, then that “boss” is one of those who will more than likely eventually send thousands of employees to the unemployment lines from incompetence. Corporate history is rife with a long list of them too (yeah, I worked for one of them).