At AirVenture 2017, Cirrus announced a bold new approach to training pilots new to Cirrus aircraft—including new and used SR22 and SR20 models. Called Cirrus Embark, the complimentary transition training program applies to any new Cirrus owner (including all partners in shared ownership situations) whether the aircraft was purchased directly from Cirrus or from a third party.
Cirrus Embark was designed as an add-on to the company’s CirrusApproach program to address the operational differences in stepping up to a Cirrus from other aircraft models. If it sounds too good to be true, there are a few catches. To qualify for the program, owners must have at least a private pilot certificate and must enroll in the program within 30 days of purchasing the aircraft, plus the training must be completed within 60 days of program enrollment. The aircraft must also be in airworthy condition and the training must be accomplished in the customer’s own aircraft. Up to three days of training is included, plus the program also includes a free one-year membership to COPA, the Cirrus owner/pilot association.
As part of the Embark program, every new pre-owned Cirrus owner will receive a login to the Cirrus Approach Learning Portal on the company website, plus a copy of the Cirrus flight operations manual (FOM), the aircraft pilot’s operating handbook (POH) and a redemption code for the electronic iFOM, which is accessed via the Apple iTunes store. The program includes one-on-one Cirrus transition training with an authorized Cirrus training provider, which is tailored to the pilot’s previous experience. Once enrolled in the program, a Cirrus flight training advisor contacts the customer to discuss specific training needs and connects them with a Cirrus standardized instructor pilot (CSIP) or Cirrus training center (CTC).
The Cirrus Transition training course focuses on mastering aircraft control, engine management, the use of integrated avionics and emergency/abnormal situations. Completing the course generally satisfies many insurance company requirements, plus the checkout procedure for pilots new to the Cirrus aircraft.
For more on the Embark and Cirrus training programs, visit www.cirrusaircraft.com/embark.
