Garmin Flies First Citation XLS Retrofitted with G5000

The first Cessna Citation XLS retrofitted with the Garmin G5000 integrated flight deck made its maiden flight recently, Garmin has announced. During the 116-minute flight from Garmin’s Olathe, Kansas flight test facility at the New Century AirCenter Airport, the crew performed an initial checkout of the G5000 system, including engagement and evaluation of the aircraft’s all-new flight control system.

In its configuration for the Citation Excel/XLS the G5000 flight deck features three 14-inch flight displays with multi-pane capability, allowing pilots to simultaneously view maps, charts, checklists, flight plan information, and weather. Since the crew alerting system is integrated into the G5000, Garmin was able to relocate the autopilot control to the glareshield. The setup also includes two pedestal-mounted touchscreen display/controllers.

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Cessna Citation Excel

The idea for the Cessna Citation Excel was not new: Combine light jet economics and runway performance with a comfortable, stand-up cabin.

According to Garmin, the G5000 retrofit for the Excel/XLS will provide a weight savings of about 150 pounds. STC approval is targeted for early next year, and the retrofit will be available through Textron Aviation service centers and select Garmin dealers.

The first 25 Excel/XLS customers to sign up for the G5000 flight deck upgrade will also receive five years of database coverage and five years of warranty support at no additional cost, Garmin said. The avionics manufacturer has also partnered with several MRO providers to offer ADS-B solutions that are compatible with the G5000 flight deck, allowing these operators to meet mandate compliance deadlines today but still be positioned for upgrading to the G5000 in the future.