Garmin launches G5000 flight deck avionics modernization for Cessna Citation Excel, Citation XLS aircraft

OLATHE, Kan. Garmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ:GRMN), is expanding its portfolio of integrated flight deck upgrades with a G5000 modernization program for the Citation Excel and Citation XLS, turbofan-powered, medium-sized business jets built by the Cessna Aircraft Company in Wichita, Kansas. The flight deck modernization adds feature-rich capabilities, solves parts obsolescence, and offers reduced cost of ownership, officials say.

The G5000 integrated flight deck modernization program for the Citation Excel and Citation XLS features three high-resolution, 14-inch flight displays situated alongside dual touchscreen controllers. Intuitive menu structures contribute to the ease of operation and straightforward user interface. The G5000 offers optimal situational awareness, which features landscape-oriented flight displays with multi-pane capability, allowing pilots to simultaneously view maps, charts, checklists, terrain awareness and warning system (TAWS), traffic collision avoidance system (TCAS), flight plan information, weather, and more.

Garmin G5000 integrated flight deck in the Cessna Citation XLS (Photo: Business Wire)

Geographical map overlay within the HSI is also available on the PFD. Charts can be viewed across all three displays and are geo-referenced, including Garmin FliteCharts terminal approach procedures or optional Garmin ChartView powered by Jeppesen, as well as Garmin SafeTaxi airport diagrams. The G5000 flight deck for the Citation Excel/XLS is estimated to provide a weight savings of 200 pounds or more compared to the current system, allowing additional baggage, passenger and/or fuel load flexibility.

“For over five years and across multiple airframes, the G5000 has received the enthusiastic praise from aircraft operators as it offers an unprecedented level of situational awareness, yields a significantly lower cost of operation, and delivers an exceptional in-flight experience,” says Carl Wolf, Garmin vice president of aviation sales and marketing. “With this, we’re excited to grow our integrated flight deck upgrade programs to include the ever-popular Citation Excel and XLS, providing these customers with an attractive path to achieve global airspace modernization initiatives with a state-of-the-art avionics suite.”

The G5000 installation on the Citation Excel/XLS will include a digital Automatic Flight Control System (AFCS), offering optimized performance throughout the aircraft’s flight envelope. The G5000 system supports a wide range of capabilities, including coupled wide-area augmentation system (WAAS/SBAS) approaches, vertical navigation and flight level change (FLC) modes.

New to the Citation Excel and available as a standard feature on both the Citation Excel/XLS, emergency descent mode is automatically enabled by the autopilot in the event of a loss in aircraft pressurization. Safety enhancing autopilot underspeed protection (USP) is an optional feature and allows the autopilot to assist with airspeed management. Fully coupled go-arounds are also enabled by this technology, reducing pilot workload and bringing sophisticated flight monitoring and performance capability to these aircraft.

The G5000 upgrade offers lower cost of operation, exceeds modern airspace initiatives and solves parts obsolescence among the Citation Excel/XLS with zero-time avionics. With the G5000 upgrade, these aircraft will receive an integrated Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) rule-compliant Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) Out solution.

Owners and operators have access to more airports throughout the world when incorporating the G5000 integrated flight deck into their Citation Excel/XLS aircraft, which features PBN/RNP 0.3 with LPV/APV approach capability. Pilots are provided an elevated level of situational awareness with optional synthetic vision technology (SVT), which presents a 3D virtual depiction of terrain, obstacles, traffic, and the runway environment so the image on the display replicates what the pilot would see outside the cockpit on a clear day. SVT works with Terrain Awareness and Warning System (TAWS) alert coloring and voice alerts to warn pilots of potential ground hazards by displaying obstacles and terrain that may pose a threat to the aircraft. The G5000 offers TAWS-A alerting as standard, providing alerts such as excessive closure rate and large glideslope deviations. This upgrade will also support Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum (RVSM) operations.

An option for this upgrade, Connext wireless cockpit connectivity can enable wireless flight plan transfer and more between the Garmin Pilot™ app on a mobile device and the G5000 integrated flight deck. Owners and operators can more easily manage flight plans with Flight Stream, while also receiving additional benefits such as the sharing of traffic, weather, GPS, and more across multiple mobile devices in the cockpit.

The G5000 flight deck modernization program will also support additional options, including:

Advanced weather radar capabilities, including turbulence detection and ground clutter suppression

Wind shear alerting

SiriusXM Aviation weather for the U.S. and Canada, providing comprehensive weather data such as NEXRAD radar imagery, METARs, TAFs, lightning, winds aloft, echo tops and more

Access to global weather products and text/voice communication through the Iridium satellite network

Active and passive traffic surveillance using TCAS II/ACAS II technology, featuring Garmin patented CLEAR CAS (Correlated Location Enhanced ADS-B Receiver Collision Avoidance System), which uses a blended surveillance method of active interrogation and passive reception of ADS-B data

SurfaceWatch, which supports visual and aural cues to help prevent pilots from taking off and landing on a taxiway, on a runway that is too short or on the wrong runway based on performance data entered during preflight

FAA Data Comm operational support, including Link 2000+ and CPDLC

The Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) is targeted for approval in late 2018 and will be available from select Garmin dealers, as well as Textron Aviation Service Centers.

Garmin’s aviation business segment is a provider of solutions to OEM, aftermarket, military, and government customers. Garmin’s portfolio includes navigation, communication, flight control, hazard avoidance, an expansive suite of ADS-B solutions, and other products and services.

Garmin International Inc. is a subsidiary of Garmin Ltd. (Nasdaq:GRMN). Garmin Ltd. is incorporated in Switzerland, and its principal subsidiaries are located in the United States, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom.

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