CitationPartners, a company founded by Russ Meyer, long-time chairman of Cessna; Gary Hay, who succeeded Meyer as CEO; and Russ Meyer III, programme manager for the Citation CJ3 and Citation Mustang, intends to transform a fleet of pre-owned Citation Excels into like-new business jets. The Citation Excel Eagle is designed to offer an affordable solution with an attractive return on investment for corporate, charter and individual operators.

The Citation Excel was one of the first midsize business jets to offer a balance of mission versatility, performance, reliability, low cost of operation and a spacious, stand-up cabin. The Citation Excel Eagle takes the aircraft through a comprehensive nose-to-tail transformation that goes beyond the typical, garden-variety paint and interior refurbishment. Meyer says: “The result is a like-new aircraft unequalled in the marketplace.”

Each Eagle will include an extensive list of inspections as well as numerous new parts and systems by the Citation service centre, the installation of Garmin G5000 avionics and a new interior along with a complete strip and paint. The Eagle will also be delivered with Pratt & Whitney ESP Gold Engine coverage that is exclusive to the Eagle, with no buy-in fee and which will cover life-limited components; and with Textron's ProParts programme with no enrolment fee.

The Citation service centre is an essential participant in this transformation process. All required inspections will be up-to-date, and each Citation Excel Eagle will be converted to the MSG-3 extended-interval maintenance schedule. The remaining elements of the Citation Excel Eagle transformation process will be completed by the experienced team at Yingling Aviation, including the addition of a totally new interior, exterior strip and paint and installation of the Garmin G5000 avionics suite.

CitationPartners has teamed up with JetAviva as its sales representative for the Excel Eagle. “With the pre-owned available inventory at the lowest levels it has been in more than 20 years, the introduction of the Excel Eagle couldn't have been timed more perfectly,” says Tim White, JetAviva CEO. “Our team of specialists in pre-owned aircraft acquisitions can assist buyers in understanding how this solution can go to work for them.”

CitationPartners will deliver the first of its transformed fleet of Excel Eagles in April of 2021 and will produce one per month for the remainder of the year. Certified to Part 25, the aircraft can seat up to nine passengers and is steep approach certified. With a maximum speed of 430 kts, a 3,650-foot MGTOW takeoff field length and a maximum range of more than 1,800 nm with NBAA reserves, the Citation Excel Eagle offers a mix of performance and operational flexibility.