Aircraft Overview: Textron Aviation Cessna Citation 560XL Series

The Cessna Citation Excel, XLS, XLS+, XLS Gen2 and Ascend are business jets produced by Textron Aviation that are commercial designations of the company’s Model 560XL type. 

Those commercial designations distinguished by serial number, equipped avionics and engines, maximum weights and other changes made since the type was first certified. 

The Citation Excel was the first version of the Model 560XL to be certified by the FAA—certification took place on April 22, 1998—with the XLS and XLS+ subsequently receiving approval on March 22, 2004, and May 30, 2008, respectively. 

Textron announced a further update to the Model 560XL—the Citation XLS Gen2—on Oct. 11, 2021, a commercial designation that was certified on April 22, 2022. 

Textron launched another improved version of the airframe, the Citation Ascend, on May 22, 2023, with certification of that airframe occurring on Nov. 5, 2025.

Regardless of serial number or commercial designation, all Model 560XL airframes are certified to carry 12 passengers. 

On the Citation Ascend, passengers are accommodated in a cabin that has a length of 18 ft. 6 in., height of 5 ft. or 5 ft. 8 in.—the latter height being an option—and width of 5 ft. 6 in. 
 

Additionally, the respective baggage capacity volume and weight are 90.2 ft.³ and 800 lb.  

One distinction between the Citation XLS Gen2 and Ascend are the equipped avionics, with the XLS Gen2 featuring Collins Aerospace’s Pro Line 21 integrated avionics system and the Ascend incorporating Garmin’s G5000 integrated flight deck. 

The XLS Gen2’s Pro Line 21 installation includes, as standard, four 8 X 10-in. displays: two of which serve as primary flight displays and two as multifunction displays. 

Also standard are dual air data computers and attitude heading reference systems, a crew-alerting system, electronic charts and an electronic flight information system, an emergency-descent mode, a flight management system (FMS) and GPS, electronic checklists that are integrated and a terrain awareness and warning system (TAWS) and traffic alert and collision avoidance system (TCAS II).

Comparatively, the Citation Ascend’s G5000 installation has three ultra-high-resolution displays that measure 14 in. and which have “split-screen capabilities.” 

Other Garmin components included in the Ascend’s avionics are the avionics manufacturer’s Synthetic Vision Technology (SVT), GWX 8000 StormOptix radar and four touchscreen controllers, with the SVT also incorporating 3D SafeTaxi. 

Dual FMS and full-flight-regime autothrottles—the latter of which provides flight-envelope protection and lowers the workload of pilots—are also standard. 

A Synthetic Vision Guidance System (SVGS) that Textron describes as enabling “lower minimums,” GDL 60 “with automatic database updating” and Runway Occupancy Awareness are additional standard features of the Ascend’s G5000 avionics. 

Beyond those standard features, Category II approach and Future Air Navigation (FANS) 1/A+ controller-pilot datalink communications (CPDLC) capabilities are available as options, as are dual Honeywell Laseref VI inertial reference systems (IRS) that have required navigation performance (RNP) less than 0.3 nm. 

The Model 560XL is limited to a maximum operating limit Mach (M_MO) of 0.752 Mach above 26,515 ft. and a maximum operating altitude of 45,000 ft., with the Citation Ascend also promoted as having the ability to climb to flight level (FL) 430 in 26 min. and achieve a maximum cruise speed of 441-kt. true airspeed (KTAS). 

The takeoff field length and landing distance of the Citation Ascend are 3,800 ft. and 3,180 ft, respectively, the former of which is based on the maximum takeoff weight (MTOW); no wind, standard conditions and sea-level altitude; and a dry and level paved runway. 

Assuming an airframe carrying four passengers and National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) instrument flight rules (IFR) reserves “(100 nm alternate),” operating at a high-speed cruise and with no wind and in standard conditions, the Citation Ascend is capable of a range of 1,940 nm.

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Four variants of Pratt & Whitney Canada’s PW545 engine have been certified to power the Model 560XL, the PW545A, PW545B, PW545C and PW545D. 

The latest model Ascend comes with both improved fuel efficiency and higher thrust.  The latest PW545D engine increases the takeoff static thrust limit to 4,218 lbs and the upgrade increases range versus older models.

When compared to the XLS Gen2, the Citation Ascend has a higher basic operating weight (13,060 lb.), MTOW (20,700 lb.), useful load (7,640 lb.), maximum payload (2,740 lb.) and full-fuel payload (900 lb.) 

Although several of the Ascend’s weights are increased, the usable fuel capacity of the Model 560XL—regardless of the commercial designation—is 1,006 gal. (6,740 lb.), fuel that is carried in two wing tanks.