Textron Aviation took the wraps off the latest iteration of its popular 560XL family—the Cessna Citation Ascend—this morning at EBACE 2023, announcing major upgrades to extend the midsize twinjet’s production run well into the future. Key features of the $16.725 million airplane include Garmin G5000 avionics, autothrottles, more powerful Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) PW545D engines, a higher maximum takeoff weight (mtow) and payload, increased range, flat cabin floor, and other cabin amenities. The Ascend is expected to enter service in early 2025.
According to Textron Aviation president and CEO Ron Draper, the 560XL “is the most successful business jet family in history.”
Gulfstream’s ultra-long range G800 is making its Continental debut this week at EBACE 2023. The twinjet is part of the Savannah, Georgia-based company’s static display featuring every aircraft in its current lineup: the super-midsize G280 and large-cabin G500, G600, G650ER, and G700.
The first G800 flight-test article that’s on display arrived from Gulfstream headquarters in Savannah fueled by a blend of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from the company’s dedicated supply. To date, all G800 test flights from its headquarters have flown on a SAF blend, the company said.
Discussions about achieving aviation’s commitment to delivering net-zero carbon operations by 2050 are often shrouded in chicken-and-egg circular arguments. How can operators increase their use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) if sufficient supplies aren't available worldwide? How can SAF supplies increase if sufficient demand doesn't exist to justify significant investments in production and distribution infrastructure?
At the Sustainable Skies conference in Farnborough, UK, last month, some air transport industry leaders pointed fingers at energy companies and governments for talking the talk on SAF while failing to walk the walk regarding the change they say they want to see. Several commentators pointed to unprecedented oil company profits bloated over the past 15 months courtesy of Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, asking why the lion’s share of these aren’t being diverted into green aviation initiatives.
Embraer arrives at EBACE this week with a fresh deal from NetJets potentially worth more than $5 billion, a focus on sustainability, and a drive to build on its technologies such as fly-by-wire flight controls.
In the weeks leading up to EBACE, Embraer announced an order from NetJets for up to 250 of its midsize Praetor 500s, with deliveries slated to begin in 2025. This paved new ground for Embraer with NetJets, moving its midsize jets into the fractional operator’s fleet after supplying more than 120 Phenom 300/300E light jets thus far to NetJets under orders originally placed in 2010 and followed on in 2021 that are valued at more than $1.2 billion. Fractional operator Flexjet is also an operator of Praetor 500s and 600s.
The bus stop to reach the EBACE 2023 aircraft display had to be moved to another area because Ukrainian refugees are being hosted in Geneva Palexpo's Hall 7. In previous years, this hall has been used as an indoor loading/unloading area for static display buses.
Like other European countries, Switzerland has been receiving Ukrainian refugees since the beginning of the war, according to a Geneva Palexpo spokesperson. “In Geneva, the ‘Hospice General’ is in charge of the care and reception of refugees,” the spokesperson added. “A large number arrive in Hall 7 and are housed temporarily before finding more suitable accommodation in the city. About 1,000 places are available. Unfortunately, this war is still going on and Palexpo remains a privileged place to allow those who have fled the war to find a safe and welcoming place before being able to return home."
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