Cessna announced the first retail delivery of its recently certified Citation XLS+ business jet to an undisclosed customer on the U.S. East Coast. The XLS+ traces its roots to the Excel, introduced in 1998. The updated XLS came out in 2004 and the XLS+ was certified by the FAA in May of 2008. Among the updates are a Rockwell Pro Line 21 avionics suite, FADEC-controlled Pratt and Whitney Canada engines and an improved diagnostic system. There are some styling and comfort changes, too. European certification is expected in 2009. Meanwhile, Cessna is celebrating a milestone in Europe with its 1,000th Citation delivery there.
CEO Jack Pelton said the sale of the Citation XLS to BONAIR, of Florya, Istanbul, Turkey, makes Cessna the first company to achieve a fleet size of 1,000 jets in Europe. “This delivery marks a significant milestone both for Cessna and our industry. It underlines that European companies increasingly value business aviation as a tool when time is of the essence and further demonstrates how well suited the Citation product family is for the travel requirements of the region. We are proud of the strong relationships we enjoy with European customers and look forward to the continued growth of our fleet,” Pelton said.
