Textron Aviation has handed over its 1,000th Cessna Citation 560XL-series business jet, the Wichita airframer announced today. The milestone Citation XLS+ was delivered to a customer located in the northeastern U.S. and will be managed and operated by Custom Jet Charters, a Part 135 operator with locations at Palm Beach (Florida) International and Westchester County (New York) airports.
Comprising three variants—Excel, XLS, and XLS+—the 560XL has accumulated more than five million flight hours since receiving FAA type certification in April 1998. “Every two minutes, a 560XL jet takes off or lands somewhere in the world,” said Textron Aviation senior v-p of global sales and flight operations Lannie O’Bannion. “This milestone delivery is a direct reflection of our customers’ trust and the dedication of our employees who continue to build and support the Citation 560XL family of aircraft.”
Additionally, the company’s joint venture in China, Cessna-AVIC Aircraft (Zhuhai), is expected to deliver its 300th XLS+ this year, which will go to the Civil Aviation Administration of China’s flight inspection center. It will be the sixth of eight XLS+s acquired through a purchase agreement signed in December 2018, according to the company.
