Business was good, and Cirrus rode this high, increasing sales and operations each year until 2008 when the global sales slump in piston engine aircraft hit. In 2006, Cirrus celebrated rolling their 3,000th aircraft off the production line after only 7 years. By 2004, the Cirrus SR22 had become a huge hit, propelling Cirrus to a record-breaking 69% increase in sales over the previous year. The following year, they began delivering the SR22s and sold a controlling stake in the company to an international investment group for $100 million. In November of 2000, they received a type certificate for their next model, the Cirrus SR22. The SR20 was type certified in October 1998, and they began delivering the aircraft in July of 1999. Around this same time, the company discontinued production of the VK-30 and began developing the Cirrus SR20. In 1994, Cirrus relocated to a much larger facility in Duluth, Minnesota, and in 1996, announced plans to build a new factory at the Grand Forks International Airport in Grand Forks, North Dakota. After completing the design 3, the first test flight of the VK-30 took place on February 11th, 1988 and Cirrus began delivering kits a short time later. This engine, through an extension shaft, drove a three-bladed pusher propeller that was mounted behind the tail of the aircraft.Ī few years into the design phase, the Klapmeier brothers were able to borrow some money and move the project to their own factory located at the Baraboo airport. It featured an all composite construction, had a low drag design, and mid-engine placement for a 300 hp Continental IO-550-G engine. The VK-30 was designed as a five-seat aircraft from the beginning, making it significantly larger than most home and kit built aircraft at the time. They formed Cirrus Design in 1984 and started building a prototype of the Cirrus VK-30 in the basement of the Klapmeiers’ parent’s barn in Baraboo, Wisconsin. In the early 1980s, the VK-30 1 was conceived as a kit plane project by three college students: brothers Alan and Dale Klapmeier and Jeff Viken 2. So without further delay, grab your favorite beverage, park yourself in a comfy chair, and let’s get to it! A Brief History of Cirrus Aircraft Corporation Though if you do skip any of this article, just know you will make me sad, and I will shed one tear for each section you skip. So if you aren’t as interested in the history of the company or the aircraft, then skip those sections. So, how did the SR22 come about? What features make it stand out from other aircraft? How exactly does its CAPS (Cirrus Airframe Parachute System) work? Does its safety record hold up? What does a seasoned, veteran mechanic think of the Cirrus SR22? I’m going to tackle these questions and more, and to make it easier for you, I’ve broken the information up into sections. By 2004, the Cirrus SR22 was the world’s best selling single engine aircraft, a title it has retained every year since, and currently holds. With the first SR-22s rolling off the line in 2001, it very quickly became a wildly popular aircraft. In 2001, they released the aircraft that they are most recognized for, the Cirrus SR22. During the tough times, however, Cirrus never stopped refining their designs and pushing forward in their quest to produce the safest airplanes possible. Over the years, Cirrus has transitioned from being a kit building company to a full fledged aircraft manufacturer, all the while navigating some serious business turbulence. – Dale Klapmeier, Co-Founder and CEO, Cirrus Aircraft AndersĬirrus Aircraft Corporation, originally Cirrus Design, was founded in 1984 by brothers Alan and Dale Klapmeier to produce the VK-30 kit aircraft. That’s why we design them, that’s how we design them.” We want our airplanes to be the safest airplanes. “What we’re after is making aviation safer. All About the Cirrus SR22, from the history to a mechanic’s perspective on how the aircraft stacks up.
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