Cessna Citation Ascend test program soars ahead

Textron Aviation announced the successful flight of its second Cessna Citation Ascend flight test article (P1) as certification momentum builds for the newest Citation business jet. The milestone flight follows the Ascend prototype, which completed its first flight in 2023 marking the P1 aircraft the first conforming production flight test aircraft. The Citation Ascend business jet was unveiled during the 2023 European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE), and the aircraft is expected to enter into service in 2025.

The Cessna Citation Ascend is designed and manufactured by Textron Aviation Inc., a Textron Inc. company. 

The initial flight of P1, piloted by Michael Bradfield and Maurice Girard, lasted 1 hour and 24 minutes, reaching a max altitude of 13,500 feet with a max speed of 308 knots. The aircraft will be used for the flight test program, primarily for systems testing, including propulsion, human factors, environmental control and avionics. 

“Today’s successful flight of the second Citation Ascend test article marks another achievement for the program, and that’s a testament to the many great employees involved with this project,” said Chris Hearne, senior vice president of engineering. “The aircraft has continued to perform well through the phases of testing, and I continue to be confident in the program’s momentum and in our skilled team members who make it possible.”

The Citation Ascend flight test certification program is expected to complete certification testing with the two test articles – the prototype and P1. To date, the program has accumulated more than 400 flight hours. 

About the Cessna Citation Ascend 

Textron Aviation designed the Citation Ascend based on customer feedback for ultimate performance and comfort. 

With sleek and modern features, customers will enjoy many of the luxuries found in the bestselling Citation Latitude and Citation Longitude, including a flat floor to provide generous legroom and flexibility for passengers. The aircraft will offer Pratt & Whitney Canada PW545D engines designed to deliver fuel efficiency and increased thrust, as well as state-of-the-art Garmin G5000 avionics that feature the latest software and hardware, including autothrottle technology. The Ascend also features a Honeywell RE100 [XL] Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) approved for unattended operations. 

With 19 standard USB charging ports and three universal outlets throughout the aircraft, all crew and passengers will enjoy access to at least one charging port in the Citation Ascend. The aircraft has a standard seating configuration of nine passengers.