Generation 5 Cirrus SR22

Isabel Goyer

Monday, May 13, 2013 at 03:30 PM ET

Verified

Cirrus SR22 [Credit: FLYING Archive]

Key Takeaways:

The Cirrus SR22 Generation 5 (G5) features a significant 200-pound increase in gross weight to 3,600 pounds, substantially boosting its useful load and full-fuel payload to carry more passengers or cargo.
This enhancement involved complex engineering, including strengthening the main spar, strategic weight reduction in other components, and incorporating a larger, more powerful ballistic parachute system.
A key operational improvement is the increased max flap extension speed to 150 knots (first notch), which greatly simplifies descents and approaches by providing more flexibility in speed management.
The G5 also standardizes several premium features, such as the Garmin GFC 700 autopilot, accurate fuel sender units, 60/40 Flex Seating (fifth seat), and ADS-B, contributing to its strong market demand.

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Cirrus calls the latest edition of its SR22 the Generation 5, which some customers have begun to refer to informally as the SR22 G5. There are a number of really big changes that make the model a strong upgrade, one that took clever design decisions to achieve.

How appealing is the new model? As of mid-March, Cirrus was sold out of Generation 5 SR22 production slots through July. It is shaping up, Cirrus vice president of sales and marketing Todd Simmons told me, to be the best year for Cirrus in many moons, and it is thanks to the G5. Customers are eating it up.