Tamarack Aerospace Group has obtained FAA certification of a performance upgrade of the Cessna Citation M2 Gen2 light twinjet featuring the company’s active winglet technology.

Replacing the jet’s standard winglets, active winglets dynamically respond to changing loads and conditions to optimize aerodynamic efficiency and stability. The upgrade of the 1,550-nm-range Citation M2 Gen2 improves takeoff, climb and stability performance, says Tamarack Aerospace, which announced the certification milestone on Sept. 13.

Textron Aviation announced the Gen2 upgrade of the Citation M2 in October 2021. The new generation jet comes with an upgraded cabin features, including enhanced cabin lighting and USB-A/C charging ports, and touchscreen-capable Garmin G3000 flight deck.

Performance Gains

Cessna first certified the Model 525 CitationJet variant in 2013. Tamarack Aerospace obtained FAA certification of the Active Winglet upgrade of the first generation M2 in 2015.

The winglet retrofit extends the length of the M2’s tapered, laminar-flow wing to 52 ft., 6 in. from 47 ft. 3 in., according to Tamarack Aerospace. The upgrade offers benefits including up to 200 mi. additional range at maximum continuous thrust, increased hot-and-high takeoff weight of up to 500 lb., direct climb to 41,000 ft. in 30 min. or less at maximum takeoff weight and increased useful load at maximum zero fuel weight, the company says.

Tamarack Aerospace provides upgrades for eight Citation models and reports a fleet of 160 upgraded jets, about 8% of the CitationJet fleet.

“We’re thrilled to work with the most recent Gen2, models as well going forward,” said Tamarack Aerospace President Jacob Klinginsmith. “We’re proud to serve our customers by adding some performance and offering another level of safety for their families or their charter operations.”

King Air Active Winglets

Tamarack Aerospace announced in June 2022 that it had completed the flight evaluation phase of its “Performance Smartwing” technology on a modified Beechcraft King Air 350 twin turboprop. The Performance Smartwing system differs from CitationJet active winglets by incorporating features to address the military and surveillance markets, the company said.

Early comparative analysis of the Performance Smartwing-equipped King Air 350 confirmed a 5% improved fuel flow in loiter mission cruise, 10% better climb gradients and a 500 lb. hot-and-high weight, altitude, temperature improvement that provides nearly two hours of added flight time endurance, the company said.  
 
As of the completion of the flight evaluation, Tamarack Aerospace expected to certify the King Air 350 winglets within 18-24 months. The company also plans to certify the system on the King Air 200.