Cirrus Unveils “The-Jet”
Cirrus unveiled the mock-up of its long-awaited “personal jet” this afternoon at company headquarters in Duluth, Minn.

Cirrus unveiled the mock-up of its long-awaited “personal jet” this afternoon at company headquarters in Duluth, Minn. While no firm price or performance numbers were given, Cirrus vice chairman Alan Klapmeier said his goals for the single-engine jet are simple systems, pleasant handling, good short-field performance, a top speed of 300 knots, a range of 1,000 nm and a price in the $1 million range. The mock-up featured twin clamshell doors, flexible tracked seating for five plus two jump seats for passengers weighing less than 100 pounds, and a V-tail and centerline and over-fuselage engine positioning. Cirrus vice president of advanced development Mike Van Staagen described Williams, whose FJ33-4A will power the jet, as a “risk-sharing partner” in the jet’s development, which he told AIN began in 2000. The mock-up’s instrument panel is laid out for the same two-screen architecture in the Cirrus SR22, though an avionics supplier hasn’t been chosen. Van Staagen confirmed that “The-Jet” would employ a whole-aircraft parachute system, like the company’s current propeller airplanes. He said that Cirrus had received deposits on approximately 150 aircraft, but expected that number to increase “over the next few days.” Customer deliveries won’t begin for at least three years.