Story ID: 483
IS&S Expands Autothrottle Tech to CitationJets
By: Matt Thurber
Caption: IS&S is expanding development of autothrottles to the Cessna CitationJet family.
Word Count: 377
Innovative Solutions & Support (IS&S, Booth 3853) is expanding its ThrustSense autothrottle system with LifeGuard Protection to the Cessna CitationJet series, with deliveries set to begin in early 2022.

The ThrustSense autothrottle is currently available on Pilatus PC-12s and with LifeGuard Protection is standard equipment on new Beechcraft King Air 260s and 360s and retrofittable to King Air 200 and 300 series turboprops. IS&S also developed the world’s first Part 23 autothrottle system—for the Eclipse 500 very light jet. The company was the first to certify an autothrottle for a turboprop when it received the supplemental type certificate for the PC-12.

ThrustSense will be available for CJ’s equipped with Collins Pro Line 21 and Fusion and Garmin avionics. A configuration adapter enables ThrustSense to work with the current flight deck, according to IS&S, and then allows ThrustSense to work seamlessly when upgrading to a new flight deck.

For the CitationJets, IS&S is targeting the M2, CJ2, CJ3/3+, and CJ4 models. This will not be IS&S’s first autothrottle for a Fadec-equipped engine as the Eclipse’s PW600 engines are Fadec controlled.

The CitationJet autothrottle will include LifeGuard Protection, which automatically sets engine power on the good engine following an engine failure to prevent loss of control due to slow airspeed combined with too much power on one engine. The technology and functionality are the same as the King Air installation, according to IS&S president Shahram Askarpour.

However, the CitationJet autothrottle doesn’t need the King Air’s overtorque and overtemp protection features. The autothrottle will control thrust, engine speed, and will feature electronic detents, in addition to providing the LifeGuard Protection, over- and underspeed protection, and go-around capability.

Askarpour said the pricing for the CitationJet autothrottle will be in line with the King Air system, which costs less than $100,000, depending on the configuration of the airplane. The upgrade does require installation of IS&S’s standby display, which controls the autothrottle.

Installations will be available at IS&S’s Exton, Pennsylvania headquarters and at third-party facilities, although IS&S will train installers to ensure the work is done efficiently.