Cirrus Pilot, Ken Griffey, Jr. Visits Cirrus Headquarters Last week Cirrus pilot and MLB All-Star, Ken Griffey, Jr. visited Cirrus Headquarters in Duluth, MN. Ken spent time with the entire Cirrus team and took the opportunity to thank them for building an airplane he absolutely loves. He tirelessly signed autographs for the Duluth team of over 400 people, talking to each of them and sharing stories of baseball and flying. You may know that Ken is an avid pilot who epitomizes the general aviation lifestyle. With a child away at college, he often flies to visit. Ken flies his Cirrus to many appearances and other events, citing the flexibility and convenience of flying on his own schedule. At times he will even "stop along the way" to play golf. We appreciate all our owners and in this special case, we are thankful that Ken took the time to spend with us.
Cirrus Aircraft has released its delivery results for Q2 of 2013 with 79 Cirrus aircraft delivered to customers worldwide, with an increase of 32% over the same period in 2012.
Cirrus Aircraft today announced a partnership with Lake Superior College to develop and implement an Aircraft Assembly Pre-employment Program. The program is part of a Minnesota Job Skills Program Grant for workforce development and is aimed at recruiting, training and preparing low income individuals for assembly jobs at Cirrus. The grant was awarded to Lake Superior College and Cirrus in June and will fund the program's curriculum development and enrollment for up to 60 participants. The first group to begin instruction will start October 14. "This project highlights how higher education, government and industry can work together to develop a workforce for the region's emerging aviation and manufacturing sector," said Patrick Johns, President of Lake Superior College. "It's great example of a local educational institution working to meet the needs of a regional employer by accessing a state-funded grant." "Through this partnership with Lake Superior College, candidates will receive the necessary training to prepare them for an assembly job at Cirrus," said Pat Waddick, President and COO of Cirrus Aircraft. "To keep up with production demands, we are projecting the addition of 60-80 new assemblers by the end of the year. We are proud to support Lake Superior College's mission to develop our local workforce." Eligible participants will be recruited and screened by SOAR Career Solutions and the Duluth Workforce Center. Upon enrollment in the program, participants will take part in classroom training delivered primarily at Lake Superior College. Cirrus personnel will instruct at least 20 percent of the courses as well as provide site visits and lab work, which will take place at the company's Duluth facility. The three-week curriculum comprises courses in Aircraft Structure and Terminology, Composite & Mechanical Assembly, Production Systems, Quality Systems and more. Participants will receive the opportunity to interview with Cirrus upon successful completion of the classroom component. If hired, they will begin paid on-site training followed by a job position completed under a trainer who assesses workmanship, knowledge and abilities. Upon verified proficiency, participants will receive their manufacturing stamp that qualifies them to perform an assembly job with Cirrus.
The pilot of a Cirrus SR22 who experienced an apparent engine failure in flight over Upshur County, West Virginia, on Saturday was uninjured after deploying the airplane's emergency parachute. According to local news reports, the Cirrus struck a truck being driven on a road as the airplane came to rest near a car dealership. The driver of the vehicle was startled but uninjured. The pilot and aircraft owner, identified as James Meadows of Hendersonville, Tennessee, told TV station WVNS he was enroute to Pennsylvania when he heard a bang and the engine quit. (FM)
Cirrus Aircraft announced it has become a Team Supporter of the Red Bull Air Race World Championship for the 2014 season. Cirrus will support Team Goulian, the Red Bull Air Race Championship team led by acclaimed air racer and aerobatic pilot, Michael Goulian.
Please join Todd Simmons, Cirrus Aircraft Executive Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Customer Support at the Atlanta Aero Club on Thursday March 20th. The presentation and discussion will focus on the latest developments at Cirrus, highlighted by a real-time update on the first flight of Vision SF50 Personal Jet.
SF50 program goes in the right direction with the first successful flight of the company’s certification aircraft ‘C-Zero’ (C0).
We are honored to have received, at this year’s AERO Friedrichshafen, the 2014 Flieger Award for our SR22 G5, as the best 4–5 seat airplane. The Generation 5 embodies everything that makes a Cirrus a Cirrus…and then some. The most noteworthy difference in the Generation 5 is the dramatic increase in the load carrying capacity of the SR-series. The Generation 5 SR22 and SR22T can carry 200 lbs more than previous generation Cirrus aircraft. In addition, the 2014 models of Cirrus aircraft are improved with striking new features that will be noticed immediately on the ramp. With a new palette of exterior paint colors and the redesigned Carbon and Platinum aircraft paint schemes, 2014 Cirrus Aircraft are set apart for new owners. Less noticeable but equally important are the new Beringer performance brakes, which enhance braking performance and safety. The re-designed Generation 5 is complete with the unparalleled safety, innovation and luxury that Cirrus owners have come to expect.
A fractional ownership firm out of Atlanta, which currently offers six Cirrus SR22 GTS airplanes to its owners, has announced it is opening up a second location in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The expansion will happen in August, the company said, but customers have already signed up at the new location, which will offer two Cirrus airplanes to start. (Flying)
The Racing Aces completed a grueling 2,300 nautical mile cross country air race in their Cirrus SR-22 aircraft on the afternoon of Wednesday, June 18th. The team partnered with Cirrus Aircraft™ this year to show their commitment to the education of women in aviation. All of the team’s proceeds gained during the 2014 Air Race Classic will be put towards a scholarship for one deserving future female pilot. http://cirrusaircraft.com/news/update-aces-win-arc-2014/
Cirrus Aircraft announced it is bringing its parts and aftermarket services business in house with the launch of Cirrus Direct, a new parts distribution pipeline that replaces Cirrus Parts by API. The change, which went into effect yesterday, will provide Cirrus owners with improved parts inventory availability while allowing the company to expand globally, Cirrus said.
Cirrus Aircraft celebrated the 20th anniversary of the unveiling of its first product with a public showing of its newest. Cirrus staged a flyover of the first conforming single-jet Vision SF50 on the eve of Oshkosh July 27. The aircraft, “C-Zero,” sported a new crimson paint scheme and was flanked by the Cirrus “V1” non-conforming prototype.
Cirrus Aircraft has introduced a “sensor-capable” special mission aircraft based on its Generation 5 SR22/SR22T aircraft. Cirrus’ special mission platform Cirrus Perception™ will be available in mid-2015.
Cirrus Aircraft announced that their Factory Service Center in Duluth, Minnesota has been honored with the prestigious Diamond Award of Excellence by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT) Training. The Diamond Award is the highest acknowledgment presented to aviation companies and maintenance specialists, recognizing Cirrus’ superior performance in maintenance and training."We are incredibly proud of our team and what they have accomplished to earn this award,” said Carrie Oakland, Executive Director, Service and Support. “At Cirrus, we hold ourselves to the highest standards and to receive this recognition validates our commitment to training and exceeding regulatory requirements. Our Factory Service Center strives to deliver on a world-class ownership experience; maintenance excellence plays a key role." Oakland concluded.
Cirrus Aircraft is thrilled to announce that country music superstar and fellow Cirrus pilot Dierks Bentley will be playing the opening night concert at EAA’s 2015 AirVenture in Oshkosh, WI on July 20. This concert will be a part of his 2015 SOUNDS OF SUMMER TOUR that kicks off on June 5. Presented by Ford Motor Company with additional support from Cirrus Aircraft, the Monday evening show is free to AirVenture attendees and will take place following the afternoon air show.
Hartzell Composite Prop comes to SR22 owners as an upgrade from the metal prop blades. The new composite blades are available for around $23,943. However, if you want to add the anti-icing boots to the blades it'll cost you $24,249. According to Joe Brown, President of Hartzell Propellers, "generally, performance benefits available through the Top Prop program include reduced weight, shorter takeoff distance, lower noise levels, better ground clearance, reduced tip erosion, increased climb rate, increased cruise speed and smoother operation."
