Cessna Citation Excel

The Citation Excel (XL) was designed using the airframe of the world's fastest private jet at the time, the Citation X (Ten). Smaller engines and a straight-edged wing allows for substantial production savings and lower flying costs.

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The aircraft comfortably fits eight people, however, in some configurations, there is an additional seat available to allow for an extra passenger if required.

Its takeoff and landing capabilities allow the aircraft to access airports with small runways, including Cannes Airport, Lugano Airport and Bern Airport, and airports that require steep approaches like London City Airport. The aircraft took its first official flight on February 29, 1996, and received FAA certification in April 1998. The aircraft provides excellent value for money in relation to its cabin space, baggage hold and operational costs.

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The Cessna Citation Excel is a turbofan-powered, medium-sized business jet built by the Cessna Aircraft Company. By 2004, a total of 308 Excel aircraft had been built and delivered. It continues to be one of the most popular mid-sized aircraft on the market - especially in Europe and in the US - due to its safety record, long-term performance, low operational costs and spacious interior. Over 1000 Citation Excels have been delivered to date with over 99% of them still in operation.

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Interior design

The standard Cessna Citation 560XL is one of the roomiest mid-range jets on the market with eight seats in the main cabin, a separate enclosed toilet and, upon request, an additional side-facing seat in the rear of the cabin. The six large reclining seats in the middle of the cabin provide plenty of legroom and views through the 11 side windows. The two seats at the front face a contemporary minibar area adjacent to the cockpit. Exceptional leathers and fabrics, hand-finished wood veneer cabinet surfaces, modern silver finishes, and a set of CD/DVD players with individual screens complete the fit and finish of the aircraft.

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Technological features

The Citation Excel was designed with the pilot in mind. The Honeywell Primus 1000 avionics suite allows pilots to simply consolidate multiple displays into a few easy-to-interpret ones spread across three sleek screens. This pilot-conscious design also allows pilots to observe relevant information close to the controls to which they apply. This information is also located directly on the screens faceplates to improve pilot hand-eye coordination and flight performance. A Garmin G5000 system is available as a state-of-the-art upgrade to replace the existing Honeywell Primus 1000 avionics.

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History

With the success of the Citation VII and Citation X, world-renowned manufacturer Cessna saw a market for a mid-range private aircraft to compete with the traditional twin-turboprop aircraft that didn’t require the record-breaking performance specifications of the Citation X. The project was announced at the NBAA convention in October 1994, with the prototype taking its first official flight two years later in February 1996. Such was the anticipation around this aircraft, when the Federal Aviation Administration certified the Citation 560XL in 1998, Cessna already had over 200 orders. The manufacturer produced a total of 308 Citation Excels before attention switched to the Citation XLS, which it made its first delivery of in early 2004. Over 1000 Citation Excels have been delivered to date.

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Manufacturer

The Cessna Aircraft Company was founded in 1927 when Clyde Cessna and Victor Roos became partners in the Cessna-Roos Aircraft Company. Roos resigned just one month into the partnership, selling back his interest to Cessna, and his name was subsequently dropped from the company name. Headquartered in Wichita, Kansas, the Cessna Aircraft Company became an American general aviation aircraft manufacturing corporation, best known for small, piston-powered aircraft. Cessna also produced business jets and, for many years, the company was one of the highest-volume producers of general aviation aircraft in the world. It was purchased by General Dynamics in 1985, by Textron, Inc. in 1992 and in March 2014, when Textron purchased the Beechcraft and Hawker Aircraft businesses, Cessna ceased operations as a subsidiary company and joined the others as one of the three distinct brands produced by Textron Aviation.

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Interesting facts

Cessna created the Citation Excel after a comprehensive customer survey. With a cabin measuring 18.7 long by 5.5 wide by 5.7 tall (461 cubic feet in total) the Citation Excel is one of the largest mid-range jets on the market. The Citation Excel has a cruise speed of 422 knots, a range of 1,839 nautical miles, a climb rate of 3,790 feet per minute, and requires approximately 3,959 feet of runway to take off and 3,755 to land. The aircrafts ability to land on short runways, its spacious interior, large baggage hold, overall range and comparatively low operational costs have made it one of the most popular private jets on the market for over 20 years.

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Cost

The acquisition cost for this jet depends on the production year but, typically, a new one ranges from $10 million USD (pre-owned can be within $4-5 million USD). Although this is relatively high compared to other medium-sized jets, the economical performance and lower overall running costs means the operational cost savings often significantly outweigh the higher purchase price in a very short period of time.

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Charter rates

Charter rates for the Cessna Citation Excel can vary greatly depending on the length of the journey you have planned, as well as the airports you decide to fly in and out of.

If you would like to book a private charter flight on the Cessna Citation Excel then why not contact our offices? For information on other private jets available for charter, browse our list of available private aircraft.

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Wet-Lease rates

ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, Insurance) Wet-Lease rates for the Cessna Citation Excel can vary depending on the age of the aircraft, length of the lease term, the number of block hours being guaranteed and the average cycle ratio.