Elliott Aviation’s brokerage arm Elliott Jets sold the first available Cessna Citation 560XL equipped with the Garmin G5000 integrated avionics suite. Because the avionics upgrade retained about 85 percent of its retail price, the aircraft had a higher level of value retention than expected, according to estimates from aviation appraisal and valuation firm VREF Aircraft Value Reference & Appraisal Services. The sale also occurred in less than half the time of industry average, VREF said.

Elliott Aviation installed the Garmin G5000 system, replacing the existing Honeywell Primus 1000 avionics on the 560XL. The avionics suite includes a new autopilot, ADS-B, WAAS/LPV, electronic charts, engine monitor data, SafeTaxi, XM weather, and emergency descent mode. It comes with a number of options, including synthetic vision, underspeed protection, Chartview, turbulence detection, controller pilot datalink communications, and lighting and hail prediction. A three-year warranty is included.

More than 150 Citation Excels and XLSs are equipped with Elliott Aviation's ADS-B STC, which qualifies them for a $50,000 credit toward the equipped aircraft's G5000 system.

“The Garmin full-cockpit retrofits, like the Garmin G5000 for the Citation Excel and XLS, Beechjet 400A and Hawker 400XP, and the Garmin G1000 NXi upgrade for the King Air offer tremendous added value as well as longevity for resale," said Jason Zilberbrand, president and CTO of VREF.

"We were confident that the Garmin G5000 system would retain significant retail value and be a highly attractive option for a customer looking for a Citation 560XL,” added Elliott Aviation chairman and CEO Wynne Elliott. “The aircraft is truly one of the most popular Citation models Cessna has ever built because of its unique combination of cabin size, operating economics, performance, and short-field capabilities.”