The Citation Excel while being a mid-sized jet – with cabin length of 18.7 feet and capable of flying up to 1,961 miles (1,704 nautical miles), able to take off in 3,500 feet and climb to cruise altitude in just 18 minutes, has the flight characteristics of a light private jets. It boasts excellent handling capabilities, reliable systems, and consistent delivery of smooth, quick flights.

The Citation Excel’s cabin holds 8 passengers in a quiet and draft-free cabin due to the triple-sealed entry door and triple-pane windows. It is 5.7 feet high and 5.5 feet wide, about average for a midsized private jet. Details like fold-out tables and sliding headrests make the interior comfortable with a number of different seating arrangements including one with a 3-person divan. An external compartment provides 80 cubic feet of storage space, with additional space in an internal closet.

It can climb to its cruise level in just 18 minutes and cruise at 423 ktas, while having a range of 1,907 miles (1,657 nautical miles) with 4 passengers. It can take off on runways as short as 3,500 feet – the shortest of any midsized jet.

The Excel outperforms competing private jets due largely to its 2 Pratt & Whitney PW545 engines designed with a high-pressure core to increase thrust to 3,804 pounds apiece. Increased air flow through the engine’s core allows the engines to operate at higher temperatures, using a Teflon seal to prevent oil leaks, and a single-channel electronic control engine allowing the pilot to configure fuel flow at the beginning of flight and leave the system to do the rest. Manual fuel control remains available for emergencies. The engines can reach .80 Mach uninstalled and burn, on average, 250 gallons of fuel per hour (some other light jets burn as much as 346 gallons per hour).

The Citation Excel comes standard with 2 air conditioning systems to keep the cabin comfortable, even in the most extreme outside temperatures. A long-travel trailing link landing gear ensures smooth landings and taxiing. High-capacity carbon brakes provide powerful braking capabilities other jets of its size don’t have. With minimal brake wear and other solid systems the Excel is extremely reliable.

Cessna’s attention to details results in a simple, high-performance jets. The frame is made from riveted, hot-bonded aluminum alloy, reducing assembly costs, while only slightly increasing drag. Lessened aerodynamic capabilities are overcome by the unusually low position of the wing, greatly reducing drag.

The Citation Excel was designed with the pilot in mind making preflight checks easy and most flight systems only have to be set once after takeoff, then automatically adjust in flight.

The avionics system is likely the most pilot-friendly feature of the Excel. The engineers of the Honeywell Primus 1000 avionics suite realized the importance of things like consolidating multiple displays into a few, easy-to-interpret ones and placing screens close to the related controls. All information needed is displayed on 4 sleek screens, with relevant controls located directly on the screens’ faceplates to improve pilot hand-eye coordination and flight performance.

The Citation Excel is a solid, reliable private jet that can take you anywhere a mid-sized jet can go at the cost of light-jet travel and its comfort, performance, and reliability match Cessna’s high standards in light jet design.