Jeff is an entrepreneur, pilot and aviation writer. He's the Founder of wikiWings.
He’s enjoyed flying for over 20 years and has more than 1,700 hours of flight time in piston engine aircraft; including 500 hours in the Turbo Cirrus SR22TN-G3 Perspective, Cessna 152, 172, 182; Piper Warrior, Archer, Arrow and Aztec.
He has been a member of Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association since 1992 and a member in several aviation type clubs.
The author’s current home base is Houston, Texas.
In 2018, Cirrus Aircraft delivered 443 airplanes. That’s an 18% increase over the previous year.
Cirrus Design Corp. dba Cirrus Aircraft has been manufacturing planes since 1999. As of December 31, 2018 total customer shipments stand at 7,349. Details by the numbers are in the table below:
Total Cirrus Aircraft Shipments
Year
SF50 Jet
SR22 Turbo
SR22
SR20
SRV
Total
2018
63
180
135
65
–
443
2017
22
174
135
46
–
377
2016
3
149
133
35
–
320
2015
–
142
128
31
–
301
2014
–
160
117
31
–
308
2013
–
132
112
32
–
276
2012
–
88
81
84
–
253
2011
–
102
105
48
–
255
2010
–
107
115
42
–
264
2009
–
150
88
28
–
266
2008
–
250
177
115
7
549
2007
–
300
288
112
10
710
2006
–
30
535
150
6
721
2005
–
–
475
116
9
600
2004
–
–
459
91
3
553
2003
–
–
355
112
2
469
2002
–
–
292
105
–
397
2001
–
–
124
59
–
183
2000
–
–
–
95
–
95
1999
–
–
–
9
–
9
Total
88
1,964
3,854
1,406
37
7,349
Copyright 2019 wikiWings LLC, All rights reserved Connecting Aviators® and related marks and logos are property of wikiWings®
This week I’m taking a break from general aviation to join up on a different flight slope – The ski slopes in Vail Colorado. It’s “high altitude” but my feet are still on the ground. We hope you can take some time off this season to rest and enjoy fellowship with family and friends.
2008 Cirrus Perspective SR22TN Turbo with TKS inadvertent de-icing system, photo by wikiWings
In 2018, Cirrus Aircraft delivered 63 Vision Personal Jets. That’s a 186% increase over the previous year. Total customer shipments stand at 88. Production is ramping up, but it will take years for supply to get ahead of demand.
The Cirrus Personal Jet was certified for customer delivers in October 2016.
Cirrus Vision SF50 Jet Shipments
Year
Cirrus SF50 Vision Jet
2018
63
2017
22
2016
3
2015
–
Total
88
Source: GAMA.aero
Copyright 2019 wikiWings LLC, All rights reserved
Connecting Aviators® and related marks and logos are property of wikiWings®
GAMA Chairman and Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. President Mark Burns and GAMA President and CEO Pete Bunce will present the GAMA 2019 State of the Industry press conference on Wednesday February 20, 2019. They will also unveil the 2018 year-end aircraft shipment and billings numbers and discuss industry priorities for the year ahead.
We’ll summarize the general aviation shipments for piston engine planes, single prop turbines and light jets in future posts.
We really need electronic ignition for piston engine airplanes. Magnetos are an archaic mechanical device from a by-gone era. Magnetos drift and fail. The FAA knows this and requires mandatory 500 hour inspections and repairs.
At least two companies are working on electronic ignition replacements for piston engine airplanes: Surefly Electronic Ignition and Electroair Electronic Ignition Systems.
Surefly began operations in 2015 and have offices in Granbury Texas and Terre Haute Indiana. Their objective is an affordable drop-in solid state replacement magneto. As of January 2019, they have an engine STC but still need an airframe STC. The fly out price for their solution may be around $2,000.
Electroair is based in Howell Michigan and began operations in 1992. Several COPA members have installed Electroair’s electronic ignition system in their Cirrus airplanes. Fly out price is about $10,000.
Join Cirrus Owners and Pilots Association to see the complete member discussions of both products in the COPA online forum.
Copyright 2019 wikiWings LLC, All rights reserved Connecting Aviators® and related marks and logos are property of wikiWings®
Magnetos are an archaic mechanical device from a by-gone era. Prone to drift and fail. The FAA knows this. That’s why the FAA requires mandatory 500 hour magneto inspections and repairs (IRANs).
Do you realize – to get 2,000 hours from a Cirrus piston engine airplane you’ll spend between $6,000 to $10,000 on magnetos alone. Piston engine manufacturers and airplane companies don’t seem to care.
It reminds me of Admiral David Farragut’s famous quote from 1864 in the battle of Mobile Bay “Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!” It’s from the 19th century. The same century in which the first magneto was invented – 1832.
Admiral Farragut’s shout out was on Mobile Bay in Alabama, which is the same bay that the Continental Motors factory sits across from. Here’s our shout out.
Deliver us piston electronic ignition! Come on – we’re in the 21st century! For aviation safety, reliability, and operating cost this should become a GA priority.
Copyright 2019 wikiWings LLC, All rights reserved Connecting Aviators® and related marks and logos are property of wikiWings®
“A 17-year tradition continues in New Orleans, LA, with hundreds of Cirrus aircraft arriving to attend the annual COPA meeting, trade show, educational seminars, and social events.” It’s called COPA Migration 17 (M17).
The Hilton New Orleans Riverside will serve as the M17 base of ops for meetings, including trade show and seminars. On Friday morning, COPA will hold its annual meeting and safety stand down. There will be an M17 social banquet on Saturday night.
The annual COPA Migrations host the largest gathering of COPA members each year. If you’re interested in Cirrus airplanes you should plan on attending. Early registration begins soon.
Here are a few of the benefits to joining Cirrus Owners and Pilots Association (COPA). Many pilots become members before purchasing a Cirrus Aircraft.
With a membership, you’ll receive a subscription to the Cirrus Pilot Magazine and the annual safety edition.
Do you have a question about Cirrus airplanes? Odds are it’s already been answered. If not, join into the conversation and ask a question. You’ll have access to an expansive list of COPA Forum topics online.
Interested in flight safety? You’ll have access to Cirrus Aircraft Safety Information. You can review the specific history of 83 Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS) saves, Cirrus accident rates, Cirrus Pilot Proficiency Program (CPPP) and more.
Membership gives you easy reference to local, regional and national Cirrus Seminars, Social Events, and Aviation Discounts.
On January 8, 2019, from Duluth MN and in Knoxville TN, Cirrus Aircraft announced the next generation Vision Jet with bigger headlines – Higher, Faster and Farther.
Woe to the pilot naysayers that said, Cirrus would never get a single engine jet certified. But in 2016, the Vision Jet did receive FAA certification. Then for years, we’ve heard skeptics claim operating altitude would always be limited below 29,000 feet because Cirrus didn’t have Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum (RVSM) capability and other necessities for flight into higher altitudes. Wrong.
Higher, Faster and Farther
Cirrus has received certification for an expanded flight envelope to Flight Level 310 (31,000 feet), which raises the performance capabilities of the Vision Jet. Access to RVSM increases the Jet’s range to more than 1,200 nautical miles. Second, the Generation 2 added the flexibility to carry an additional 150 pounds, which significantly improves upon its typical 800 NM missions. And third, the G2 Jet pushes cruise speed even further above 300 knots. Cirrus worked with Williams International to slightly increase the FJ33-5A engine thrust.
The ability to carry more came from a decrease in airframe weight. Most of the pickup came from replacing the heavy dual lead acid batteries with lighter True Blue Power lithium ion batteries, which also deliver improved cold start capabilities.
Advanced Avionics
The Generation 2 Vision Jet has advanced avionics typically only found on high-end business jets and commercial transport aircraft. The G2 jet has Perspective Touch+ by Garmin advanced flight deck, which includes new hardware, faster processing speeds and even better screen resolution. The jet was already equipped with FADEC but Autothrottle is now available. Cirrus says, “this game-changing technology integrates with the autopilot and can automatically adjust the aircraft’s speed for each phase of flight, reducing workload and giving the pilot more time to focus on other tasks.”
The Vision flight deck includes 3D synthetic vision, SurfaceWatch, integrated crew alerts, datalink weather, active weather radar, ADS-B, satellite communications, system synoptics and more.
Cabin Experience is First Class
Cirrus has stepped up the personal travel experience with a focus on comfort and productivity. The improvements add to the spaciousness and panoramic views that are already a hallmark of the Vision Jet design.
New executive seating adds “two luxurious, artisan-crafted second row seats and an all-new center console with stow-away tables for a more productive in-flight experience. Each cabin seat is modular and can be quickly repositioned or removed by the pilot offering the flexibility of more than 25 possible seating configurations. Passengers have access to USB and 110V power outlets. An expansive flush mounted overhead monitor can be extended down to deliver best-in-class display or entertainment from your favorite device.
The Generation 2 Personal Jet has windows with UV and IR protection. The UV window protection installation started around serial number twenty (20). It’s a safety feature GA pilots and passengers should have had years ago. UV light is known to damage collagen fibers, destroys vitamin A in skin and can accelerate the aging process of skin. The new windows also keep interior temperatures more comfortable.
You can also find the UV window protection on the Cirrus G6 piston-engine airplanes. Look for a slight oil sheen appearance to the windows – that’s the UV protection.
Newly-developed noise reduction architecture further enhances the passenger environment. The G2 jet cabin is about 10 decibels quieter. Cirrus Aircraft understands the continuous spark and the grind of creativity.
Pat Waddick, president, Innovation & Operations, said,
“Much like the last twenty years of re-imagining the SR Series with constant improvements to performance, safety and comfort, the G2 Vision Jet is the culmination of that same spirit of innovation . . . .”
Everyone expects no less from the Cirrus Aircraft Team going forward, except the naysayers.
The Generation 2 Vision Jet deliveries began in January 2019 (after serial number 94). The G2 planes start at $2.38 million with a fully loaded model ramping out at $2.75 million.
Copyright 2019 wikiWings LLC, All rights reserved Connecting Aviators® and related marks and logos are property of wikiWings®
You should join Cirrus Owners and Pilots Association (COPA) if you’re interested in Cirrus Aircraft. The organization has thousands of members and a comprehensive informational website.
We’ll review some of the benefits and topics of COPA over the next several weeks.
