Just in . . .
For Immediate Release
Contact: Chris Maddy
Cirrus Design Corporation
218.529.7254
[email]cmaddy@cirrusdesign.com[/email]
Cirrus Delivers its 100th SR20
Production Certificate for SR22 Received
Duluth, Minn. - December 18, 2000 - David Shepard has picked up his new
airplane, the 100th SR20 since deliveries began last year. Shepard received
the keys from company officials at a ceremony today.
“I can hardly describe what this moment means to me,” says Shepard, a
Madison, Wisc., retailer. "The dedicated employees at Cirrus should be
recognized for their hard work and craftsmanship."
The SR20 is a four-place, single-engine aircraft that cruises at 160 knots.
"What excited me about the SR20 over the competition was the new technology,
comfort and speed," said Shepard. "I’m looking forward to the situational
awareness that only the SR20 delivers."
The SR20 is the first of two Cirrus models currently in production. The
second model, the newly certified SR22, is expected to join the fleet in
January, when first customer deliveries are scheduled to begin. Paving the
way this week, Cirrus received an amendment to its production certificate,
which authorizes company inspectors to issue certificates of airworthiness
for the SR22. Cirrus inspectors have been issuing airworthiness
certificates for the SR20 since June of this year.
The 100th delivery and airworthiness certificate authority are important
milestones for Cirrus, but there are many more to come. "We plan to produce
more than 300 airplanes in 2001," said Alan Klapmeier, Cirrus president and
CEO. "By the end of next year, we will be building an equal number of 20s
and 22s." The backlog for both models has now grown to over 640 aircraft,
including 450 SR20s and 192 SR22s.
One critical ingredient for meeting production goals is incorporating
product and manufacturing improvements into the assembly process. A new
wing torque box tool, which will be capable of producing wings for both the
SR20 and the SR22, will be in place in January. A new structural adhesive,
which reduces the cure time by half, and a new bonding preparation technique
will improve production rates.
Cirrus Design Corporation is based in Duluth, Minn. The company designs,
manufactures and markets general aviation composite aircraft, incorporating
advanced technologies that result in high levels of performance, comfort and
safety.
<<100th SR20 Delivery.JPG>>