Cessna Citation Ascend Program Advances With Successful Certification Tests and Extensive Flight Testing
Textron Aviation announced the progress of the Cessna Citation Ascend program, with successful certification tests and over 350 flight test hours. The business jet is set to enter service in 2025, offering enhanced performance and luxury features. The prototype completed rigorous testing, including extreme weather, bird strike, and braking performance tests. The aircraft features Pratt & Whitney Canada PW545D engines for improved fuel efficiency and performance.
The successful completion of certification tests and extensive flight testing demonstrates the progress of the Citation Ascend program.
The new Citation Ascend business jet aims to provide customers with a new cockpit, improved performance, and a luxurious cabin, enhancing the midsize business jet market.
The state-of-the-art avionics, high payload capacity, and impressive range of the aircraft offer reduced pilot workload and increased capability for customers.
The delays in the certification process of the Pratt & Whitney Canada PW545D engines may impact the expected timeline for the aircraft's entry into service in 2025.
Any issues discovered during the extensive flight testing phase could potentially lead to further delays in the program's development.
Textron Aviation | Cessna Citation Ascend (Photo: Business Wire)
The Cessna Citation business jet family is designed and manufactured by Textron Aviation Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company.
The newest Citation is designed to bring a new cockpit, improved performance and a more luxurious cabin to the midsize business jet market. The aircraft’s state-of-the-art avionics including autothrottle, high payload capacity and impressive range offer customers reduced pilot workload and the ability to do more and go farther.
“With the prototype aircraft’s successful completion of rigorous certification tests and over 350 flight test hours, we are confident in the development progress of the Citation Ascend,” said Chris Hearne, senior vice president, Engineering & Programs. “The success of the program to date highlights the skill and commitment of our teams in designing and delivering the best aviation experience for customers.”
The Citation Ascend prototype aircraft has successfully completed testing that includes:
- Extreme hot and cold weather testing, ensuring aircraft systems are functional and operational at extreme temperatures
- Bird strike
- Braking performance
- Tire burst
- Cockpit and cabin window static and residual strength
The aircraft’s systems simulator test rig, known as an “Iron Bird,” continues to make strides in its development and support of the program advancement. Leveraging unique Textron Aviation engineering and manufacturing techniques, the test system incorporates the design of the aircraft’s avionics, electrical and engine control systems to support pilot familiarization and flight scenarios.
The Citation Ascend features Pratt & Whitney Canada PW545D engines, nearing certification by Transport Canada Civil Aviation, are designed to deliver improved fuel efficiency, increased thrust and longer time-on-wing for eligible customers. The engine uses new materials and technology – including a more efficient high-pressure compressor and an enhanced single stage high-pressure turbine module. The PW545D engines are also equipped with a Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC), enabling the new autothrottle technology and ensuring they operate at their maximum efficiency and with reduced pilot workload.
About the Cessna Citation Ascend
Textron Aviation designed the Citation Ascend based on customer feedback for ultimate performance and comfort.
With sleek and modern features, customers will enjoy many of the luxuries found in the bestselling Citation Latitude and Citation Longitude, including a flat floor to provide generous legroom and flexibility for passengers. The aircraft will offer Pratt & Whitney Canada PW545D engines designed to deliver fuel efficiency and increased thrust, as well as state-of-the-art Garmin G5000 avionics that feature the latest software and hardware, including autothrottle technology. The Ascend also features a Honeywell RE100 [XL] Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) approved for unattended operations.
With 19 standard USB charging ports and three universal outlets throughout the aircraft, all crew and passengers will enjoy access to at least one charging port in the Citation Ascend. The aircraft has a standard seating configuration of nine passengers.
For more information and aircraft specifics, visit cessna.com/ascend.
About Textron Aviation
We inspire the journey of flight. For more than 95 years, Textron Aviation Inc., a Textron Inc. company, has empowered our collective talent across the Beechcraft, Cessna and Hawker brands to design and deliver the best aviation experience for our customers. With a range that includes everything from business jets, turboprops, and high-performance pistons, to special mission, military trainer and defense products, Textron Aviation has the most versatile and comprehensive aviation product portfolio in the world and a workforce that has produced more than half of all general aviation aircraft worldwide. Customers in more than 170 countries rely on our legendary performance, reliability and versatility, along with our trusted global customer service network, for affordable and flexible flight. For more information, visit www.txtav.com| www.defense.txtav.com| www.scorpionjet.com.
About Textron Inc.
Textron Inc. is a multi-industry company that leverages its global network of aircraft, defense, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for its powerful brands such as Bell, Cessna, Beechcraft, Pipistrel, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Arctic Cat, Textron Systems, and TRU Simulation. For more information, visit: www.textron.com.
Certain statements in this press release may project revenues or describe strategies, goals, outlook or other non-historical matters; these forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update them. These statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the efficacy of research and development investments to develop new products or unanticipated expenses in connection with the launching of significant new products or programs; the timing of our new product launches or certifications of our new aircraft products; our ability to keep pace with our competitors in the introduction of new products and upgrades with features and technologies desired by our customers; changes in government regulations or policies on the export and import of our products; volatility in the global economy or changes in worldwide political conditions that adversely impact demand for our products; performance issues with key suppliers or subcontractors; and demand softness or volatility in the markets in which we do business.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240513164881/en/
Media:
Kevin Severin
+1.316.799.5488
kseverin@txtav.com
txtav.com
Source: Textron Aviation
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