Cirrus SF50 Jet Certification Moves to the Right

Duluth, Minn.-based Cirrus Aircraft hoped to have FAA approval for SF50 Vision single-engine personal jet in hand late last year, but now it looks like it will gain certification this spring, the company told AIN late last week. This delay is partially due to testing of its emergency recovery parachute during the fourth quarter, a process that took longer than expected.

Cirrus currently holds 600 deposits for the $1.96 million aircraft, which will be manufactured in Duluth but completed and delivered to customers at Cirrus's new  "Vision Center" in Knoxville, Tenn. This new facility eventually will include a design center where buyers can customize their SF50s and receive type-rating training in a level-D full-motion simulator built by CAE.

The company announced the jet program in 2006 and flew a non-conforming prototype in 2008. However, the program stalled under the weight of the global recession and did not resume in a serious manner until Cirrus was purchased by the China Aviation Industry General Aircraft Co. (CAIGA) in 2012. The SF50 features an 1,800-pound-thrust Williams FJ33-5A turbofan and the Cirrus Perspective Touch by Garmin that is based on the Garmin G3000 avionics suite.