The Cessna Citation Excel and its updated XLS and XLS+ versions are midsize business jets seating seven to nine passengers. They are among the most common bizjets in the US, flown by NetJets, charter companies and corporate flight departments.
Citation Excel at a glance
- First flight
- 1996
- Length
- 52 ft 6 in (16.0 m)
- Wingspan
- 56 ft 4 in (17.2 m)
- Engines
- 2 × Pratt & Whitney Canada PW545 turbofans
- Seats
- 7–9 passengers
- Cruise speed
- ~430–440 kt (495–506 mph)
- Service ceiling
- 45,000 ft
- Range
- ~1,850–2,100 nmi
How to recognize the Citation Excel
The Citation Excel has a classic Citation look: a straight, unswept wing and two engines on the rear fuselage.
- Wing: a straight, unswept wing, a hallmark of many Citations. Most other jets this size have swept wings.
- Engines: two PW545 turbofans in pods on either side of the rear fuselage.
- Tail: the horizontal stabilizer sits partway up the fin, not on top.
- Fuselage: stand-up cabin with oval windows, and a door on the left side forward of the wing.
- Nose: pointed with a long, slim profile.
- Landing gear: trailing-link main gear that gives soft landings.
- Sound: a typical bizjet whine, quieter than an airliner.
- Altitude: often FL390 to FL450, well above airline traffic on short trips.
Compared with the Citation Latitude, the Excel has a straight wing and a lower tail. Compared with the Phenom 300, the Phenom has swept wings with winglets and a T-tail.
From below, the Excel's straight wing and fuselage-mounted engines give it a distinctive, slightly old-school look among modern swept-wing bizjets. Its cabin windows run in a long, even row, and the nose is long and slim. At altitude it often flies above airline traffic, and its approach speed is low for a jet, thanks to that straight wing.
Where and when you'll see it
NetJets (callsign EJA) flies a large fleet of XLS-family jets, and charter companies, corporate flight departments and private owners fly many more. They fly short and medium trips such as New York to Florida, Chicago to the Midwest, or Dallas to Houston, often from smaller business airports near big cities.
Typical cruise is FL390 to FL450. On ADS-B the type code is C56X; callsigns can be an operator code like EJA or the registration (N-number), and some owners use the FAA's privacy programs; see LADD. Expect busy traffic around South Florida airports in winter and around events like the Super Bowl.
Many Citation Excels fly short trips between business airports and leisure destinations, often carrying corporate travelers or private owners.
Easily confused with
- Cessna Citation Latitude: The Latitude has a swept wing, a T-tail and a wider cabin.
- Embraer Phenom 300: The Phenom 300 has a swept wing, winglets and a T-tail.
- Bombardier Challenger 300 / 350: The Challenger 350 is larger, with a swept wing and T-tail.
Quick facts
- The Excel combined a shortened Citation X fuselage with a straight wing derived from the Citation V family.
- Around 1,000 Excel-family jets have been delivered, making it one of the most popular midsize bizjets ever.
- Its trailing-link landing gear absorbs bumps for unusually smooth landings.
Citation Excel questions
What is the difference between the Citation Excel and the XLS?
The XLS and XLS+ are updated Excels with more efficient engines and better avionics. All share the type code C56X.
Why do business jets fly so high?
Business jets cruise efficiently at FL410 to FL450, above most airline traffic and weather.
Cities where it's a regular
Dallas–Fort Worth · Denver · St. Louis · Portland · Austin · Cincinnati · Kansas City · Indianapolis · Cleveland · Nashville · Raleigh · Birmingham
Spot one live
Open the live sky tool and look for C56X in the type column, or browse the live map on airplanes.live.