Textron Aviation has decided to put its large cabin Cessna Citation Hemisphere jet programme on hold. The initial contract between Textron and Safran Aircraft Engines for the supply of the Silvercrest engine has also been terminated with no financial impact for either partner.

While the aircraft/engine combination does not currently meet all its objectives, the Silvercrest engine development has made the intended progress over the past 12 months, according to Safran. The new high pressure compressor shows performance for which ground tests results have exceeded expectations. Upcoming tests are planned to further confirm engine improvements and complete the overall engine performance and durability validation.

Safran Aircraft Engines will continue to work on the Silvercrest technology suite as a R&T platform and will update Textron on the product completion, thus providing it with an opportunity for a reassessment of the situation.

In December 2017, Dassault Aviation terminated its Silvercrest contract, leading to the end of the Falcon 5X programme, following major technical issues with the engines over the two previous years. Dassault had planned to postpone the entry into service of the Falcon 5X from 2017 to 2020, but the slippage caused customers to cancel orders.