Photo: Textron
Unlike in the auto industry, where premieres of new models take place on a constant and predictable basis, in the aviation industry such events are much rarer and abrupt. That's why most of us with interest in this field of human activity get all hyped whenever a new winged machine surfaces.
And there's reason for that this week, as just before the start of the European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (EBACE) in Geneva, Switzerland, one of the world's largest airplane makers announced a new entry in perhaps the most successful aircraft family of its kind.
It's Textron we're talking about, and the newest addition to the mighty Cessna 560XL line, the brand-new Citation Ascend.
At the time of writing, the Citation breed comprises five distinct models, the Longitude, Latitude, CJ4 Gen2, CJ3+, and M2 Gen2. The Ascend will join the range in 2025 as a business jet meant for charter services, personal transportation and, of course, corporate flights.
Being part of an existing family does mean the plane has been designed along the existing lines, but it does come with a series of novelties, in the form of an entirely new cockpit, more luxury inside, and a new type of Pratt & Whitney engine that should bring better performance and lower fuel consumption.
As far as the cockpit and aircraft operations are concerned, the Cessna will run the Garmin G5000 avionics suite, backed by Autothrottle. The pilot can rely on three 14-inch screens to get information on what the airplane is doing and how it's doing it, while a synthetic vision system is on deck to "render obstacles like mountains or terrain." Satellite calls are possible from the cockpit.
The interior will, of course, be subject to the customer's own taste. Generally, it comes with a flat floor for more legroom and more room to swivel the seat – something that can be done electronically. This feature is described by Textron execs as being a game changer, but the fact travelers will be able to wirelessly control lighting, temperature, window shades and onboard entertainment is not something to be easily discarded either. The windows of the new Cessna are now 15 percent larger than before.
Charging of phones and other electronics can be done with the help of a staggering 19 USB ports spread throughout the cabin, or through three outlets of the standard variety.
As for engine, the plane will use a new piece of hardware developed by Pratt & Whitney Canada, and capable of partially running on Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). Called PW545D, it should be capable of pushing the Ascend to cruise speeds of up to 507 mph (141 kph). Set to climb to a max altitude of 45,000 feet (almost 14,000 meters), the Ascend will keep flying for as much as 2,186 miles (3.518 km) with four passengers on board (the maximum it can seat is twelve people).
From outside, the Ascend will look a bit different than other Citations available, thanks to a redesign of the wingtips, LED lights all around, and a larger cockpit window.
There's still some time left until the new Cessna Citation Ascend hits the skies, so the only way to experience it at the moment is as a mock-up in Geneva. That also means pricing for it is not yet known.
It's Textron we're talking about, and the newest addition to the mighty Cessna 560XL line, the brand-new Citation Ascend.
At the time of writing, the Citation breed comprises five distinct models, the Longitude, Latitude, CJ4 Gen2, CJ3+, and M2 Gen2. The Ascend will join the range in 2025 as a business jet meant for charter services, personal transportation and, of course, corporate flights.
Being part of an existing family does mean the plane has been designed along the existing lines, but it does come with a series of novelties, in the form of an entirely new cockpit, more luxury inside, and a new type of Pratt & Whitney engine that should bring better performance and lower fuel consumption.
As far as the cockpit and aircraft operations are concerned, the Cessna will run the Garmin G5000 avionics suite, backed by Autothrottle. The pilot can rely on three 14-inch screens to get information on what the airplane is doing and how it's doing it, while a synthetic vision system is on deck to "render obstacles like mountains or terrain." Satellite calls are possible from the cockpit.
The interior will, of course, be subject to the customer's own taste. Generally, it comes with a flat floor for more legroom and more room to swivel the seat – something that can be done electronically. This feature is described by Textron execs as being a game changer, but the fact travelers will be able to wirelessly control lighting, temperature, window shades and onboard entertainment is not something to be easily discarded either. The windows of the new Cessna are now 15 percent larger than before.
Charging of phones and other electronics can be done with the help of a staggering 19 USB ports spread throughout the cabin, or through three outlets of the standard variety.
As for engine, the plane will use a new piece of hardware developed by Pratt & Whitney Canada, and capable of partially running on Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). Called PW545D, it should be capable of pushing the Ascend to cruise speeds of up to 507 mph (141 kph). Set to climb to a max altitude of 45,000 feet (almost 14,000 meters), the Ascend will keep flying for as much as 2,186 miles (3.518 km) with four passengers on board (the maximum it can seat is twelve people).
From outside, the Ascend will look a bit different than other Citations available, thanks to a redesign of the wingtips, LED lights all around, and a larger cockpit window.
There's still some time left until the new Cessna Citation Ascend hits the skies, so the only way to experience it at the moment is as a mock-up in Geneva. That also means pricing for it is not yet known.
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