FAA OKs Garmin G5000 Retrofit for Citation Excel/XLS

Garmin’s integrated flight deck upgrade for the Cessna Citation Excel/XLS is now FAA approved and available from Garmin dealers qualified to install the package, along with Textron Aviation service centers.

The upgrade replaces the original avionics with three landscape-oriented split-screen displays and touchscreen-control pilot interfaces, as well as a new digital automatic flight control system with standard emergency descent mode. Garmin’s underspeed protection is optional and it also enables fully coupled go-arounds. ADS-B Out is standard, as is PBN/RNP 0.3 and LPV/APV approach capability.

Controller-pilot datalink communication-departure clearance is available with additional optional equipment, enabling pilots to use wireless clearance delivery receipt at more than 60 airports in the U.S., along with automatic loading of the clearance into the G5000 avionics. Upcoming FAA Data Comm capabilities will allow pilots to communicate via text-like messaging with FAA air route traffic control centers by year-end. This option will also allow European operators to meet Link 2000+ requirements.

Optional G5000 features for the Excel/XLS include synthetic vision, Garmin SurfaceWatch runway safety features, datalink weather via Iridium, Doppler weather radar, and Garmin’s Flight Stream 510 providing Connext wireless connectivity in the flight deck. Connext enables wireless flight plan transfer and sharing of traffic, weather, GPS, and other information among multiple mobile devices, as well as Database Concierge for wireless database updates from the Garmin Pilot app.