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Second Conforming Cirrus Jet Flies

Flight test program expected to culminate next year.

Cirrus Aircraft celebrated the maiden flight of the second certification flight test Vision SF50 jet, dubbed C1, from the company’s headquarters in Duluth, Minnesota. C1 joins the first production test airplane, C0, in the FAA certification program, anticipated to lead to first customer deliveries of the single-engine Cirrus jet next year.

C1’s first flight took place on Tuesday, November 25, at around 3:30 p.m. CST from Duluth International Airport. Upon completion of the 45-minute flight, Experimental Flight Test Pilot Terry LeSage reported, “All systems operated as expected and C1 handled quite nicely, just as we predicted. This latest ‘first flight’ is a validation of our dedication and commitment to the design goals of this game changing airplane.”

Dale Klapmeier, CEO and cofounder of Cirrus, said Thanksgiving week was an appropriate time to celebrate the latest milestone in the Vision jet’s test program. “We can all be thankful for the continued hard work and dedication of the entire Cirrus team and our partners as we continue to change the face of personal aviation.”

Cirrus plans to have three Vision test airplanes flying in the certification flight test program. C1 will be used for a wide array of certification efforts including Flight Into Known Icing (FIKI) testing. C0, the first certification flight test aircraft, first flew last March and has accumulated nearly 220 flight hours over 150 flights, primarily focused on testing aerodynamic performance and handling. The third and final flight test aircraft, C2, will be used for reliability and optional equipment testing.

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