Cirrus Aircraft just announced its TRAC Series, a purpose-built configuration of the best-selling SR line of aircraft, developed specifically for flight training institutions. The TRAC Series is crafted with reliability, durability and economy in mind to meet the rigors of high-tempo flight operations, while providing safety and performance for both the pilot trainee and flight instructor. The TRAC fleet is also being offered at a price point considerably less than the retail cost of an SR20, SR22 or SR22T.
Combining the Perspective+ by Garmin flight deck along with the performance and safety found in the regular SR aircraft, the TRAC Series (the acronym stands for “training aircraft”) includes features such as a rear seat push-to-talk functionality to give the observer an opportunity to work the radios. That’s expected to help get students thinking about crew coordination issues. There’s also a landing gear simulator – and no, Cirrus aircraft are all still fixed gear–designed to (insert gear simulator switch photo here) begin focusing the PIC student on the task of remembering to check for three green lights. The simulator gives the primary CFI a number of gear failure options to demonstrate what they look like to the student and to also begin thinking through problems surrounding these kind of failures. The TRAC fleet also includes optional air conditioning.
The TRAC Series boasts an impressive list of features including the integrated Perspective+ flight deck with two large flight displays, a Flight Management System (FMS) keypad controller, an electronic stability and protection system, as well as integrated engine indication and crew alerting/warning systems, features found on today’s advanced airliners.
Cirrus Aircraft has redesigned the interior to meet the unique needs of a high-utilization training environment, replacing the luxury materials found in the SR Series with a durable all-weather floor liner and easy-to-clean, wear-resistant seats. The spacious cabin provides an optimal workspace to learn and train, with more space than typical training aircraft, rear seats for additional students or observers and optional air conditioning for comfort in all seasons.
The TRAC SR20 is equipped with a Lycoming IO-390, 215-hp engine that shouldn’t need an overhaul until about 2,400 hours of use. The aircraft includes the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS), standard on all Cirrus aircraft. The TRAC Series training is further enhanced by a wide array of interactive flight-training content through Cirrus Approach, including online courses, engaging videos and the award-winning iFOM (interactive Flight Operations Manual).
With the new TRAC Series, Cirrus Aircraft is poised to expand its world-class flight training programs around the globe to companies that operate fleets of Cirrus aircraft, including Emirates Flight Training Academy, Lufthansa Aviation Training, the United States Air Force Academy, Airbus Flight Academy, Western Michigan University, Oklahoma State University, Japan Civil Aviation College, the Royal Saudi Air Force and many more.
