The Cessna Citation Ascend, designed and manufactured by Textron, has achieved a major milestone as the FAA awards type certification for the aircraft, with entry into service expected later this year. The aircraft, the latest iteration of the Citation 560XL series, boasts an entirely new cockpit, improved performance and luxurious flat floor cabin, giving customers versatility and flexibility to accomplish their mission. Two flight test articles have completed more than 1,000 flight hours and numerous certification tests to achieve FAA certification.

“The Citation Ascend's successful flight test programme reflects our teams' expertise in obtaining FAA certification while designing and delivering the best aviation experience for our customers,” says Chris Hearne, senior vice president, engineering and programmes. “We sought our customers' feedback, and the result is a business jet that offers customers the latest innovations in performance, productivity and efficiency.”

With more than 1,000 Cessna Citation 560XL series aircraft delivered since 2000, owners and operators appreciate the aircraft for its unparalleled combination of performance, comfort, ease of operation, range of mission capabilities and favourable operating efficiencies.

Equipping customers with Garmin G5000 avionics featuring the latest software, the cockpit includes: autothrottle technology to reduce pilot workload and provide flight-envelope protection; three large, 14-inch ultra high-resolution displays with split-screen capabilities; standard dual flight management systems; synthetic vision tech to render obstacles like mountains or terrain; cockpit voice and data satellite transceiver to make satellite calls from the cockpit; Garmin advanced weather detection and avoidance technology; and a second Iridium data radio and controller-pilot data link communications (CPDLC) to support customers with more direct routing between North America and Europe.

Two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW545D engines deliver fuel efficiency and increased thrust to the aircraft. The Ascend gives customers a maximum speed of 441 kts , a maximum range of 1,940 nm and a 900 lb full fuel payload.

An unattended Honeywell RE100 APU with self-management and added bleed leak detection allows pilots to prepare for every flight efficiently, including heating and cooling the cabin with less fuel and less noise.

The Citation Ascend lets customers do more in the cabin, allowing them to enjoy many luxuries found in the bestselling Cessna Citation Latitude and flagship Cessna Citation Longitude such as a flat floor to provide a new level of generous legroom and flexibility for passengers. The aircraft can be configured for up to 12 passengers.

With an advanced acoustic treatment system, passengers can engage in conversations, work or relax in an environment free of distractions, as cabin sound levels are similar to that of driving a car down the highway. The aircraft boasts all-new cabin windows that are approximately 15 per cent larger and offer more natural light into the cabin with translucent and opaque shade settings and optional lighted window rings.

All crew and passengers have access to at least one charging port with 19 standard USB charging ports and three universal outlets throughout the aircraft, in addition to first-in-class wireless phone charging. Customers can wirelessly control the cabin lighting, temperature, window shades and onboard entertainment, and the Bongiovi immersive sound system is another option to further enhance the onboard experience.

To keep customers connected at all times, the Ascend includes standard GoGo US Avance L3 Max wi-fi and optional US Avance L5 Wi-Fi. Customers can also select Gogo Galileo HDX for wi-fi and worldwide calling.