A Comprehensive Review of the Citation XLS

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In typical Cessna product development, the original Excel was created by combining designs from different aircraft models to create a new aircraft. The fuselage was based on the Citation VI, VII, and X with the wings and tail coming from the Citation V/Ultra. The engines on the original Citation Excel came from Pratt & Whitney are a part of the PW500 series, the PW545A.

The Citation XLS came out in 2004 with upgraded engines, the PW545B, which provided more thrust. It also had upgraded avionics, the Honeywell Primus 1000 EFIS, and a refined interior. The current version of the 560XL, which directly succeeded the XLS, is the XLS+ which had its first deliveries in 2008. The XLS+ has FADEC controlled engines, which is a computer-controlled system for ease of operation and increased fuel efficiency. The XLS+ also has a Collins Pro Line 21 Avionics system, and a revised fuselage nose design.

If you are looking for a great-performing aircraft, the Citation XLS, or anything in the 560XL family, could be a great option for you. Most buyers of this class of aircraft typically consider a Hawker 850XP or 900XP, a Lear 45XR or 60XR, or something within the Citation 560XL family. While a 560XL doesn’t have the range of a Hawker or the speed of a Lear, what it does have is lower operating costs and versatility.

For aircraft operators looking at flying into smaller airports, it has strong short field runway performance with 3,650 feet of runway needed for a takeoff at Sea Level. This can be really convenient to ensure you get closer to your final destination no matter where you go. It has excellent range and payload performance with 1,850 nm of range with 4 passengers and baggage. From a maintenance perspective, it has very reliable PW545 engines that can go 5,000 hours before overhaul.

The Citation model we are looking at today is the Citation XLS which was produced from 2004 to 2009. In total, there were 330 airplanes produced. Of the three 560XL models the XLS currently has the most demand in the resale market.

The exterior of the Citation XLS features Heated wing leading edges, trailing link landing gear, a large Airstair door for cabin entrance, and an easily accessible aft baggage door. The other notable design with the Citation XLS is the ease of access to the aircraft systems on the exterior of the aircraft. This simplifies the ability to check and work on different aircraft systems, making routine maintenance easier.

The standard Citation XLS interior has seating capacity for up to 9 passengers with a forward club arrangement, two forward facing aft seats, a two-place forward side facing divan, and a belted seat across from the aft lav.

The support for the Citation XLS is top notch from Textron with factory service centers located across the country. Textron has mobile service trucks located in other larger cities for additional support. There are also a number of well-known independent aircraft maintenance facilities that are very capable of servicing the Citation XLS. Textron did put the Citation XLS on an MSG maintenance program a number of years ago that did reduce the frequency and time needed to complete maintenance inspection thus reducing the owner’s maintenance cost.

One popular upgrade for the Citation XLS is the Garmin G5000 avionics package, which our parent company, Elliott Aviation, has installed more systems than any other dealer. This integrated avionics system will give the owner the latest in satellite-based navigation capabilities, digital flight management tools, current and future NextGen operational support as well as graphical display technologies for enhanced situational awareness. With the G5000 avionics package your Citation XLS will be set for many years of continued operations and can save operators thousands of dollars per year in avionics maintenance costs. Garmin has also released their phase two upgrades which have enhanced hardware and software updates to the G5000 system.

The Citation XLS is not the fastest or largest Midsize jet in the market. What it does is provide a very attractive combination of cabin size, speed, range/payload, and operating costs for their operators. The typical buyers for a Citation XLS are either first time jet aircraft owners or previous Citation owners in the light jet category. When we have a Citation XLS aircraft for sale it does not last long on the market.