Cirrus Taking Jet Orders

Cirrus is planning to build a single-engine jet that will cruise faster than 300 knots, up to 25,000 feet, with a range of 1,000 nm and cost less than $1 million. In an interview with AVweb Wednesday, Cirrus VP of sales John Bingham said about 1,500 people worldwide (many of them Cirrus owners) will receive a package this week that will give them some of the goods on the aircraft, called the-jet (that’s what they said). No pictures are being distributed but Bingham said the plane is “very, very unique” in an appealing way. If they break the $1 million price barrier, they’ll be the first, but Bingham said that, based on the company’s track record, he’s confident the figure will stand. He’s not saying how much less than $1 million it will be. It will have a full airframe parachute but Bingham wouldn’t say how many people it will seat. “It has a very large comfortable interior,” he said. The company will formally announce the-jet at the National Business Aviation Association convention in Orlando (Oct. 17-19) but there will be no aircraft or mock-up there. The engine manufacturer will be announced at NBAA.

Cirrus has been musing about a jet for several years and admitted its intention to go ahead with one about a year ago. Central to the jet’s design is that it be an easy transition from piston-powered Cirruses, Bingham said. Even without the photo, those receiving the package this week are being asked to put down a deposit of $100,000. Bingham wouldn’t say when the company hopes to start production.