The first flight of the Citation XLS+, completed this week at Rockwell Collins' Cedar Rapids, Iowa facility, "was a great success," according to Cessna Citation XLS+ program manager Kevin Steinert. The flight progressed as planned, he said, and the aircraft performed as expected with the new modifications. A Cessna spokeswoman told AIN that in addition to new Pratt & Whitney Canada PW545C FADEC-equipped engines (the XLS has PW545B engines, each rated at 128 pounds less thrust than the C) and a new Collins Pro Line 21 avionics system, the airplane also has a slight change to the nose section. "It's going to be the same performance numbers even though the engines and nose section have changed," she said. After completing the flight, the aircraft returned to the Cessna design and manufacturing facilities in Wichita, where it will undergo further evaluation and testing. Type certification is expected in the first quarter of next year, with deliveries to follow in the middle of the year. The XLS+ is priced at $11.59 million.
| Contact details from our directory: | |
| Textron Aviation Inc. | Airframer |
| Pratt & Whitney Canada | Turboshaft Engines, Electric Motors, Turboprop Engines, Auxiliary Power Units, Turbofan Engines, Compressors, Engine Parts, Piston Engines |
| Collins Aerospace, Avionics Division | Head-Up Displays, Radio Communications Equipment, Moving Maps, Enhanced Vision Systems (EVS), LCD Displays, Engine Indicator Instruments, Cabin Management Systems, Automatic Flight Control Systems, Inflight Entertainment, Automatic Direction Finders, Cabin Address Systems, Autopilots, Radar/Radio Altimeters, Distance Measuring Equipment, VOR (Omnirange) Receivers, Avionics Management Systems, Air-to-Ground Data Links, Multi-Mode Receivers (MMR), Engine Control Quadrants, Control Panels, Aircraft & Helicopter Controllers, Collision Avoidance Systems/TCAS, Helmet-Mounted Displays (HMD), Weather Mapping Radar, Inertial Components & Systems, Attitude and Heading Reference Systems, Navigation Antennas, Transceivers, Flight Recorders, Cockpit Printers, Flight Directors, Flight Management Systems, Electronic Flight Instrument Systems, Air Data Computers, Onboard Computers, UAV Control Software, GPS, Simulation Systems, Surveillance/Air Defense Radar, Engine Controls, Terrain Awareness and Warning Systems, Horizontal Situation Indicator, Instrument Landing Systems, Command, Control & Intelligence Systems, Airborne Communication Systems, Cockpit Video Displays, Onboard Intercom Systems |
| Related aircraft programs: |
| Cessna Citation 560XL |
| Related directory sectors: |
| Flight and Data Management |
| Engines |
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