Founders Alan and Dale Klapmeier inevitably draw comparisons to another pair of aerospace pioneers, the Wright brothers. Delays in getting its production lines up to speed, however, have made profits elusive. Even at these prices, the company has a long waiting list for its SR20 and SR22 models. Once a maker of kit planes for home assembly by hobbyists, the company now produces sleek, fast planes selling for as much as $280,000 each. They’re not always rushing off to catch a plane.NAIC: 54171 Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences 336411 Aircraft ManufacturingĬirrus Design Corporation makes advanced piston engine aircraft for the general aviation market. If you’re an attorney billing $250, $500, $800 per hour, think of the lost earnings! It’s not hard to learn to fly–in 40 hours a 16-year-old can solo, when he can’t even borrow the car yet! People with access to an airplane have a better quality of family life, and they’re better in business. No one likes to go to O’Hare, take off their shoes, and not be allowed to carry their water bottle. On the weekend, you can use it for personal travel–family, friends or sports. If you learn to fly, you can use that to go see customers and visit other business locations. “People have an idea that personal aviation is for the rich and famous,” Nielsen said. In addition to its strong safety focus, the goal of Cirrus is to democratize private flight. “Based on fuel, terrain, and weather, with full autonomy, it will notify FAA Air Traffic Control, fly to the best location, land the airplane, and come to a complete stop on the runway.” “Following activation in an emergency, in just an eighth of a second, the system will scan all suitable runways nearby,” said Nielsen. The Vision Jet also offers yet another safety innovation, the Safe Return Emergency Autoland system. Collier Trophy, the world’s most prestigious aviation award, for its integration of CAPS into the V-tail single-engine Vision Jet. In 2017, Cirrus won the coveted Robert J. And in 2016, Cirrus rolled out the Vision Jet, the world’s first personal jet. Along the way in 2008 Cirrus incorporated exclusive Garmin avionics improvements. In 2006 Cirrus added a turbocharged engine, later updating this configuration in 2010 becoming the SR22T. In 2000 they unveiled the aforementioned SR22, a more powerful composite piston airplane with greater fuel capacity, which became the world’s best-selling general aviation airplane. But it’s saved more than 200 people so far, and has worked even when deployed at just under 400 feet above the ground. That’s about a quarter of the height of the top of the Willis Tower.”Ĭirrus has continued with the innovative ways the Klapmeier brothers set out with 37 years ago. The industry at the time frowned on the idea, because the chute weighs about 75 pounds, which means a sacrifice of fuel and cargo capacity. And there are trees and telephone poles to deal with too. Everything might look flat from the air, but it isn’t really. Our idea is that even in the unlikely event of an off-airport landing, you should never try to land in a field. “They developed the parachute, which is standard on all our aircraft, including the Vision Jet. “Alan had a mid-air collision that he walked away from,” Nielsen explained. The strong focus on safety came in those early days as well. “But they quickly decided that was too complex, and moved on to the SR20.” That was an innovative single-piston engine composite production airplane that debuted in the late-1990s. It was an all composite, pusher-propeller five-passenger kit that first flew in 1988. “Their first product was the VK-30,” said Nielsen. Rebuilding that old Cessna got them started on the mechanical side of things, which eventually led them to start their company. Image courtesy Cirrus Aircraft - Photo by Ed Hicks
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