C ould this be a mini Citation Latitude? That was my first impression when I saw the Citation Ascend mock-up at the European Business Aviation Convention and Expo (EBACE) 2023 in Geneva. The $16.725 million Ascend will be the fifth-generation Citation 560XL when it arrives in 2025, and its refreshed appearance heralds dozens of improvements aimed at sustaining demand for the best-selling business jet in the last quarter century. Almost 1,100 Excel, XLS, XLS+, and XLS Gen2 Citations have been delivered since 1998. The Ascend has plenty of qualities aimed at extending the sales record. Most noticeably on the outside it sports new and larger flight deck and cabin windows, giving it a sleeker, more contemporary appearance. Under the cowls, Pratt & Whitney Canada’s 4,213 lb-thrust PW545D engines offer a modest 1 percent thrust increase, but they’ve been upgraded with more efficient, high-pressure cores that boost flow rate and improve durability, compared to the PW545C powerplants that propel the Ascend’s predecessor, the Citation XLS Gen2. PW545Ds also use enhanced deep-fluted mixer nozzles to mix hot core gas and cold bypass air flows in the exhaust section with less turbulence, resulting in better fuel efficiency and reduced noise. Midlife
inspection and overhaul intervals have been extended to 3,000 hours and 6,000 hours, respectively, for operators enrolled in either Textron Aviation’s pay-per- hour PowerAdvantage or PowerAdvantage+ programs or PWC’s private-label Eagle Service Plan tailored for Textron Aviation’s requirements. The turbofans’ full authority digital engine controls (FADECs) are specifically designed to link up with PWC’s Flight, Acquisition, Storage and Transmission (FAST) system that allows all engine parameters to be monitored and analyzed by the engine manufacturer to spot trends and identify maintenance actions before they become serious problems. Inside the Ascend, there’s a new flat floor made possible by filling in the 8-inch dropped center aisle. The new model features upgraded passenger chairs and beefier acoustical insulation to sop up more sound. Interior sound levels now approach those of Textron Aviation’s super-midsize jets. The inflight entertainment package features a Bongiovi Acoustics speakerless, surround-sound system and upgraded Wi-Fi connectivity package, including standard Iridium SATCOM and GoGo L3 air-to-ground communications. Dozens of other detail improvements are likely to be appreciated by passengers, including electrically actuated dual-mode translucent/opaque window shades, 19 USB-C
Cabin windows are nearly 15 percent larger than those of Citation XLS Gen2. Electric translucent/opaque dual-function window shades operate at the touch of buttons at the bottoms of the windows or by means of a cell phone cabin management system app. Optional lighted window reveals make the transparencies appear even larger.
22
Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator