Garmin expects “imminent” approval of the G5000 for the Citation Excel/XLS in Europe. (Photo: Garmin)
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency’s (EASA) regulatory approval of the G5000 flight deck for the Cessna Citation Excel and XLS is “imminent,” according to an Oct. 11 announcement from Garmin.
EASA’s approval will provide European Cessna Citation Excel and XLS operators access to Localizer Performance With Vertical Guidance (LPV) and Future Air Navigation System (FANS) 1/A capabilities. Installation of the G5000 on the Citation Excel/XLS includes a fully digital Automatic Flight Control System (AFCS) and an Emergency Descent Mode (EDM) that can be enabled by the autopilot in the event of a loss of aircraft pressurization.
“Working alongside EASA, we are thrilled to bring this complete flight deck solution to the European market and further expand the G5000 upgrade program for the Citation Excel and Citation XLS fleet,” Carl Wolf, Garmin’s vice president of sales and marketing, said in a statement.
In March 2021, the company also introduced access Future Air Navigation System (FANS-1/A+) and Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) support. With that upgrade, European Citation Excel/XLS will be equipped with avionics that are approved to fly the new updated requirements for operating within the North Atlantic Track System (NATS) airspace.
More than 100 Excel and XLS aircraft have been upgraded or committed to upgrading their cockpit setup to the G5000, according to Garmin’s Wolf.