Subscribers to AOPA’s ePilot e_zine learned today that Dale and Alan Klapmeier are donating a fully operational SR20 to The Museum of Flight in Seattle. Dale will land N205CD, serial 1002, at the museum next Tuesday, greet Aerospace Camp participants, and hand the keys to museum officials.
Photo by Bob Simica
Way to go Alan and Dale!
205CD - If I recall correctly that was a preproduction prototype and the first cirrus that I flew in with Gary. Is that Bob Simica’s G-III in the background?
Marty
And if you want to follow its flight you can see it now (2010 UTC) on Flight Explorer at 6000 feet between MOT and 4U3
In reply to:
205CD - If I recall correctly that was a preproduction prototype…
Quite likely, based on the serial number - 1002.
In reply to:
Is that Bob Simica’s G-III in the background?
Well… sort of, I guess. I believe it’s one of the Gulfstreams that Bob used to fly. Bob - can you confirm?
That photo is from our own web site, here.
The SR20 is destined for the Museum’s Aviation Learning Center. In May I chaperoned my seventh grader’s field trip to the Museum, where his class went through a two-hour cirriculum designed to introduce them to the real world of general aviation flying. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the cirriculum is centered around the SR20. They use an interactive computer-based program to flightplan, check weather, do a weight and balance calculation and generally prepare for a flight.
Then they preflight an aircraft, which is where the SR20 comes in. Not only is Cirrus donating an airplane for this purpose, but they (the Museum and Cirrus) want to replicate the concept at museums and schools around the country. The director of the program told me that Cirrus would provide a non-flying “model” for other locations if the program goes.
I suggested that, if they want to think big, they should find a way to get such a program into shopping malls on the weekends. The more kids we can get excited about flying, the more secure the future of general aviation.
I think it’s great (and typical of their foresight) that the Klapmeiers are willing to take advantage of a unique educational opportunity.
Regards,
Michael SR20 N262BM
s/n 1002 was intended to be a production airplane and I believe it was intended to be the first customer delivery (to Walt Conley.) It was the second one off the line after s/n 1001, in which Scott Anderson lost his life on 3/23/99. I saw both 1001 and 1002 on the assembly line when I visited Cirrus on 3/15/99 (1001 was almost ready to go.)
1002 apparently never received a standard Airworthiness Certificate. I’m guessing that 1002 through 1004 were used for further flight tests during the period prior to Walt receiving 1005 in July of 99.
Jerry,
You spend too much time on that computer!