Kerry Lynch stepped into the role of editor of the&nbsp;Aviation International News&nbsp;monthly magazine in May 2022 after serving with&nbsp;AIN&nbsp;for eight years. She joined&nbsp;AIN&nbsp;in December 2014 as a senior editor covering Washington and business aviation news. She has also served on Convention News teams, including as editor of&nbsp;HAI Convention News. Lynch previously spent 25 years with Aviation Week. During her time there, she reported for and later steered&nbsp;The Weekly of Business Aviation, oversaw business aviation content on the&nbsp;Aviation Week Intelligence Network, served on the&nbsp;Show News&nbsp;staff, and held roles as the Washington columnist for&nbsp;Business &amp; Commercial Aviation&nbsp;and&nbsp;Overhaul &amp; Maintenance&nbsp;monthly magazines. In 2021 she was honored with the National Business Aviation Association Platinum Wing Award for lifetime achievement in journalism and was the 2004 recipient of the National Air Transportation Association’s Aviation Journalism Excellence Award. She also has been a recipient of an Aerospace Media Award for business aviation (2022) and NBAA Gold Wing Award (2003, 2024). Lynch graduated from The Ohio State University with a bachelor of arts in journalism.

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Cessna Citation 560XL, Excel, XL, XLS, and Ascend

Kerry Lynch

Textron Aviation has handed over the first batch of Cessna Citation Ascends to fleet launch customer NetJets, the Wichita airframer announced this morning. Delivery of a trio of the twinjets to the fractional provider comes six months after the newest member of the Citation family secured&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2025-11-05/textron-aviations-citation-ascend-gets-faa-nod">FAA certification</a>. The latest in the venerable Citation XLS line, the Ascend <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2026-01-05/textron-aviation-hands-over-first-citation-ascend">entered service</a> with an unidentified retail customer earlier this year.
NetJets, a long-time Textron Aviation customer, has operated a dozen different Citation models, including Ascend predecessors, over the past 40 years. In fact, the Citation S/II launched the service in 1986. The order for the Ascend came through a multiyear agreement placed in 2023 for up to 1,500 Citation Longitudes, Latitudes, and Ascends.
Additional deliveries are expected in the coming months as the NetJets fleet continues to expand, according to Textron Aviation. Noting that NetJets customers have shown a preference for midsize jets, NetJets Aviation president Patrick Gallagher said, “The Citation Ascend represents the next evolution in midsize jet travel, delivering the latest in exceptional design and comfort.”
The Ascend brings factory-standard Garmin G5000 avionics with autothrottle to the XLS line as well as a flat floor, a range of cabin upgrades, and other enhancements. Sporting two Pratt &amp; Whitney Canada PW545D engines, the Ascend has increased thrust, improved fuel efficiency, and a 1,940-nm range with four passengers. The cabin has a seating configuration for eight passengers, is equipped with a full refreshment center, and has a large baggage compartment. &nbsp;
“The Citation Ascend represents our continued investment in supporting NetJets customers well into the future,” said Lannie O’Bannion, senior v-p of sales and marketing for Textron Aviation. “Building on the proven performance the Citation family is known for, the Ascend introduces new technology and comfort enhancements that matter to fleet customers.”

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Fractional Provider NetJets Adds Its First Citation Ascends to Fleet

Fleet launch customer NetJets is initially taking delivery of three

Textron Aviation handed over the first of the initial three Cessna Citation Ascends to the twinjet’s fleet launch customer, NetJets.

NetJets Adds Its First Citation Ascends to Fleet

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In this article

Cessna Citation 560XL, Excel, XL, XLS, and Ascend

NetJets

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