The Call to Fly: A Dream Rediscovered 

Scott’s story with aviation didn’t start with the Vision Jet, but it began with a dream that was put on hold. “I was set to go to the Naval Academy out of high school and was offered a pilot slot,” Scott recalls. “But then that was taken away due to an astigmatism. So, ultimately, I ended up not going into the Navy and pursued another career, but I always wanted to fly.” 

Years later, after dropping their daughter off at college, his wife, Kim, reignited that spark. “Scott had always had this dream of flying, and when our kids left the house, we found ourselves at a crossroads. What do we do now?” Kim remembers. “I was a stay-at-home mom, and I thought, ‘What’s my new life going to be?’ So, I said to Scott, ‘How about now we reach for our dreams? You become a pilot, and I’ll write a book and get it published.’ And we sat down and said, ‘Let’s do it.’” 

The two embarked on their respective journeys—Scott diving into flight training and Kim writing her book. “I’d be writing at night, and he’d be studying,” she says. “And a year later, my book came out, and Scott had his pilot’s license. We did it.” 

A New Beginning with Cirrus 

Scott continued his training, earning his Private Pilot’s License and Instrument Rating. He knew the next step was purchasing an aircraft, but before making a decision, he asked Kim a critical question: “Are you going to fly with me?” 

Her answer was an immediate no. “So that kind of put a damper on the whole pursuit of aviation because I wanted it to be something we could do together,” Scott says. But then he had an idea. “I said, ‘What if the plane had a parachute?’” 

Kim’s response? “I am not jumping out of a plane with a parachute!” she laughs. 

Scott reassured her: “No, no. The entire plane has a parachute.” That changed everything. “If that’s the case, I’m in. I could do that,” Kim recalls. 

After an experience flight with Dan Arch of Northwest Flight Service and meeting with Ivy McIver, Executive Director of the SR Series Product Line, Kim was sold. “The Cirrus Vision Jet with the parachute, and now with the Safe Return button, totally took my fear away. It gave me extra peace of mind,” she says. “If we did have an engine issue, we could pull that chute. And if, heaven forbid, anything happened to Scott, I can get the plane on the ground as simple as pushing a button.” 

From SR Series to Vision Jet 

For Scott, the Vision Jet represents both efficiency and adventure. “I would put two words to it: It’s a time machine and an adventure machine,” he says. “With work, I can get where I need to go quickly and still be home for dinner. But the other part is adventure. We’ve been able to go places we never thought about going. Instead of saying, ‘How can we get there?’ Now it’s, ‘Why aren’t we going?’” 

Scott’s journey to the Vision Jet started with the SR Series, where he built confidence and experience as a pilot. As his travel needs evolved, so did his aircraft. “Moving up to the Vision Jet was a natural step,” he shares. “It gave us more capability without losing the simplicity and safety we loved in the SR Series.” 

Kim adds that the ability to take their grandson flying has made it even more special. “To have your grandbaby up in the air and know you have that extra safety, it’s everything,” she said. 

The Cirrus Life: Freedom and Flexibility 

Scott’s journey encapsulates what we call “The Cirrus Life”—a lifestyle defined by freedom, safety and a commitment to living life on your own terms. “The Cirrus Life is the ability to pack up and go where we want, when we want,” Scott says.  

That’s what the Cirrus Life is all about: creating experiences that give our customers the freedom to live life fully, to take their dreams to new heights and to do so with the confidence that they are in the safest, most innovative aircraft available. 

For Scott and Kim, embracing the Cirrus Life has been about more than just flying. It’s about unlocking a world of opportunities, creating lifelong memories and having the peace of mind that comes with knowing their safety is always a priority. Through the Vision Jet, they’ve found not just a means of travel, but a way to live with purpose, adventure and freedom. 

At Cirrus, we are honored to be part of Scott and Kim’s story and the stories of countless other owners who trust us to help them live the Cirrus Life. Are you ready to begin your journey? 

To begin flight training with Cirrus, locate a Cirrus Training Center near you. 

The post Embracing the Cirrus Life™: Scott Chaffin’s Journey  appeared first on Cirrus.

Safe Return Autoland

What is safe return?

Safe Return is an advanced autonomous system integrated into the Cirrus Vision Jet. It is designed for ease of use, and for passengers’ peace of mind. If the pilot becomes incapacitated, passengers can activate this life-saving system with the press of a red button located conveniently above the second-row seats. Once activated, Safe Return takes complete control of the aircraft, guiding it to a safe landing at the nearest airport while keeping passengers informed throughout the process. 

How It Works

Activating the system is simple: press the Safe Return button and the Vision Jet takes over with a series of critical actions: 

1. Passenger Briefing: After activation, the system begins by communicating with the passengers, providing essential instructions to ensure a smooth landing process. 
2. Route Calculation: The system immediately assesses factors like terrain, weather conditions, air traffic and runway length to determine the best and safest airport for landing. 
3. Autonomous Control: Once a route is established, the system manages all aspects of the flight—lowering the landing gear, extending the flaps, reducing engine power and making radio communications with Air Traffic Control.
4. Landing the Vision Jet: Upon landing, the Vision Jet automatically applies brakes, ensuring a safe stop on the runway. Lastly, it instructs passengers on how to open the door to exit the aircraft safely. 

Enhancing Passenger Safety with Autonomy

Safe Return isn’t just a backup safety system—it’s a system designed to manage complex aviation tasks autonomously. By incorporating real-time data including weather updates, wind conditions and runway availability, Safe Return not only finds the nearest airport but the best airport under current conditions. Passengers can take comfort in knowing the system considers everything, even avoiding obstacles like bad weather or challenging terrain. 

A New Era in Aviation Safety

Cirrus is renowned for pioneering new technologies, and Safe Return Autoland is a testament to that vision. Paired with the Vision Jet’s other advanced safety features—like CAPS, which deploys a full-airframe parachute in case of emergency—Safe Return sets the Vision Jet apart as one of the safest personal jets available. This robust combination of safety systems has led to the Vision Jet receiving the prestigious Robert J. Collier Trophy.

The introduction of Safe Return Autoland is a monumental step in Personal Aviation, offering passengers peace of mind and unprecedented control during emergencies. Whether you’re a seasoned pilot or a first-time flyer, Cirrus commitment to safety ensures that every flight in the Vision Jet is not only luxurious but secure. With this system, Cirrus continues to redefine what’s possible in the world of personal jet aviation. 

If you are interested in learning more about The Vision Jet or Safe Return Autoland, contact a Cirrus team member or visit our Vision Jet page today. Discover how you can take Personal Aviation to the next level with Cirrus.

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“The Vision Jet is a powerful and rewarding asset for business use with industry-recognized innovation and safety such as the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System®, Wi-Fi, sustainable aviation fuel capability and more,” said Zean Nielsen, CEO of Cirrus. “The flexibility, cost efficiency and comprehensive ownership services continue to make the Vision Jet an exceptional choice for flight departments. The Vision Jet provides operators with a confident, reliable asset for travel and is backed by a network of Cirrus Services for support wherever business takes you.”

G2+ Vision Jet Adds Performance, Capability with Low Environment Impact

The G2+ Vision Jet adds an increase in takeoff performance, inflight Wi-Fi, AutoRadar weather detection, Cirrus IQ mobile app connectivity and a new selection of exterior aesthetics. The improved takeoff performance creates access to 40% more airports and allows the operator to carry more with reassurance for takeoff in hot temperatures or high elevations. The G2+ is becoming the aircraft of choice for Part 135 operators.

The Cirrus Vision Jet is industry-leading with multiple, redundant safety integrations featured in the Perspective Touch+ flight deck and award-winning innovations such as the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System® (CAPS®) and Safe Return Autoland.

Designed with an innovative single-engine and V-tail, the Vision Jet has the lowest CO2 emissions rate of all general and business aviation jet aircraft (Conklin & De Decker). Additionally, it is one of the quietest and low-fuel-burning jets on the market.

As a fuel-efficient time saver, the Vision Jet is fully equipped to maximize regional travel. The single-pilot-operated jet inspires individuals to take ownership of their travel, with more flexibility to go where they want when they want.

Robust Service and Support Network

The company has added a fleet of mobile units with Cirrus ASSIST to meet with AOG owners and assist with maintenance or break-fix needs. Currently, Cirrus ASSIST units cover territories in Arizona, Florida and Utah. Cirrus continues to refine and expand its portfolio of Vision Jet services to ensure minimum downtime.

Cirrus offers robust flight training solutions for operators and those interested in entering personal aviation. This includes custom learning programs, recurrent training, FAA-certified full-motion flight simulators and a network of Cirrus-certified instructor pilots.

“As a testament to continuously exploring the convergence between technology and flight training, Cirrus recently released a Vision Jet preflight experience in augmented reality (AR) through Cirrus Approach to promote Vision Jet training wherever your iPad connects,” adds Nielsen. “NBAA-BACE participants can stop by our booth in the LVCC #2401 to experience a demo.”

Additionally, Cirrus supports owners through JetStream,  a comprehensive ownership program that provides progressive maintenance, concierge support, recurrent training and more. The dedicated JetStream team offers 24/7 support to ensure the Vision Jet is maintained to its highest standard with turnkey scheduled maintenance, cost predictability and complete engine coverage.

The Cirrus One aircraft management program further extends the company’s offerings to provide pilot services, hangar storage, aircraft maintenance, aircraft database updates and more. Cirrus One is now being offered at Cirrus locations in Arizona, Florida and Texas.

Learn more about the G2+ Vision Jet by visiting cirrusaircraft.com/vision-jet. Schedule your discovery flight with a local Cirrus representative today cirrusaircraft.com/find-us.

About Cirrus

Cirrus is the recognized global leader in personal aviation and the manufacturer of the best-selling SR Series single-engine piston aircraft and the Vision Jet®, the world’s first single-engine Personal Jet, and the recipient of the Robert J. Collier Trophy. Founded in 1984, the company has redefined aviation performance, comfort and safety with innovations like the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System® (CAPS®) – the first FAA-certified whole-airframe parachute safety system included as standard equipment on an aircraft. To date, worldwide flight time on Cirrus aircraft is more than 16 million hours, and 265 people have returned home safely to their families as a result of the inclusion of CAPS as a standard feature on all Cirrus aircraft. The company has seven locations in the United States, including Duluth, Minnesota; Grand Forks, North Dakota; Greater Dallas, Texas; Greater Phoenix, Arizona; and Greater Orlando, Florida; Knoxville, Tennessee and Benton Harbor, Michigan. Learn more at cirrusaircraft.com.

The post Cirrus Vision Jet: Turnkey Ownership with Trusted Service Network appeared first on Cirrus.

The Vision Jet is built differently—you can tell from the moment you approach it on the ramp. The carbon fiber construction allows for the lines of the fuselage to follow graceful form and aerodynamic function, locking in the performance you need while allowing for greater interior space and comfort for your passengers. 

Performance, Safety, Perspective Touch+ Flight Deck 

With takeoff performance and power optimized in the latest G2+ Vision Jet, you can depart with confidence in a wider range of hot and high-altitude environments. In fact, when the temperatures soar to 40C/104F, there are 40% more airports available to you over previous generations.  

At Cirrus, we think a lot about pilot and passenger safety. We started with the industry-changing Cirrus Airframe Parachute System®. Later, we added Safe Return, an emergency autoland system, and placed the button within easy reach of the passengers; because it was designed for them. 

Additional layers of protection work with the pilot to keep the flight smooth. The Garmin Perspective Touch+ flight deck provides a robust avionics suite to support you in flight, including Electronic Stability Protection (ESP) to bring the airplane to straight and level, and Emergency Descent Mode (EDM) to kick in if an abnormal situation arises requiring you to descend quickly, with or without pilot input in the event of pilot incapacitation. 

Interior Flexibility—on the Fly 

With your Vision Jet, you have a selection of seating configurations to fit your mission. You have choices in how you set up the cabin—and you can make those changes to suit your mission without a maintenance technician or logbook entry. 

Purposeful design makes cabin loading easy. A slanted entryway, combined with a wide pilot side door and adjustable pilot seat, make boarding a cinch. The pilot can even close the door while seated.  

Need a little extra room to fit your active lifestyle? The Cargo X-Tend option allows you to slide in your fishing rods, golf bags, skis or other gear into an additional cargo area.  

An Encompassing Experience for Passengers 

That view! Massive windows showcase the outside world and paint the landscape passengers expect from private aviation. Natural light beams into the cabin while reflective filament technology keeps out the heat.  

Settling in, passengers can relax in the space that is tailored to their comfort. Wide, supportive premium leather seats support journeys of any length. Passengers will enjoy more head and legroom than the largest SUVs. A 6– foot– tall passenger sitting in the second row can fully extend their legs without touching the pilot or co-pilot’s seat in most configurations.  

At every seat, the passenger experience meets today’s turbine standard. It starts with an inflight entertainment system that includes an optional 22-inch LED liquid-crystal display, and USB-C ports and power at each position, along with robust pockets for beverages and storage, and a center console that transitions into workspace if your friends, family, and/or colleagues need it. Inflight Wi-Fi keeps you connected while you’re cruising along in the flight levels. Rear-climate controls places passengers in control of their own comfort. 

Ease of Ownership: Financing, Insurance, Maintenance

Cirrus has an in-house financing option that connects you with an experienced aviation finance manager that can help you understand the best structure to suit your specific situation. Whether you operate your Vision Jet as part of a business, or seek personal tax advantages that come with aircraft ownership, Cirrus Finance will guide you to the best way to bring your Vision Jet home to your hangar. 

Ownership support also entails finding the right coverage to protect your assets. Through Cirrus Insurance, you’ll enjoy the specialized knowledge that comes from working with agents who understand the safety and value of the Vision Jet and can appropriately quote options for you in the insurance marketplace.  

Turbine aircraft can be difficult to maintain and Cirrus wanted to change that.  JetStream was built exclusively for Vision Jet owners and greatly simplifies ownership. The program covers all scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, even your subscriptions.. Upon enrollment, you only need to purchase insurance, fuel and a hangar. Everything else is covered, nose to v-tail.  

The Cirrus Life 

Through a full palette of programs and support, Cirrus eases you into jet ownership, taking care of both your needs as a pilot as well as the aircraft. To add to this network of support, you can also join the Cirrus managed Vision Pilots and Owners (VPO) program —a great entrée into the Cirrus life. 

Through the VPO’s calendar of events, wide range of online resources, and connection with other Vision Jet pilots, you truly join a cadre of dedicated turbine-powered aviators with an unparalleled sense of camaraderie.  

The post EASE OF OWNERSHIP appeared first on Cirrus.

​Launched just after the Vision Jet entered the market in 2016, the VPO community was designed to help new owners and pilots transition to the jet as seamlessly as possible. As the Vision Jet has matured, VPO has become a driving force that increases flight safety and serves a conduit for product and service improvements.  

​The benefits start with an exclusive web portal for position holders and owners to access. Once inside, users can find detailed information and updates on the VPO program, as well as a direct connection to Cirrus’ team of Vision Jet experts via a web forum. In addition to the forum, there are more than 300 articles and 45 resources on the site, including exclusive videos that address a wide range of piloting and ownership topics. 

Dale Huffstetler, Community Manager for the VPO program, points to the advantages of an operators’ group directly connected to the aircraft manufacturer. As a member of the core Cirrus team, Huffstetler can provide real-time feedback to owners and work solutions in a way that a third-party owners group may take more time to coordinate—especially when it comes to service items, flight safety, product improvements and factory-direct training. 

​He’s been there from the beginning, launching VPO right after the Vision Jet achieved type certification. “We didn’t want to sell the aircraft and just say ‘good luck’ to our owners—particularly with a new airframe. We knew we could directly improve the ownership experience and impact flight safety in a proactive way that no one had ever done before.” 

Evolution to Safety

As the Cirrus aircraft fleet has grown, VPO has adjusted its mission as well. “It’s evolved to focus on a lot of safety initiatives,” says Huffstetler, as owners and operators seek to both maximize the utility of their Vision Jet and maintain the exemplary safety record. 

​“We create a lot of content,” he continues. “We have hundreds of articles on our exclusive website, and we produce videos specifically for our Vision Jet owners. Sometimes it’s a straightforward topic like tire inspection, or more complex scenarios related to flying the aircraft. Others are focused on helping an aircraft position holder prepare for ownership. Since we are so close to the fleet, we can react and respond quickly when we see trends.”  

The advantages appear in real-time. “Because we work on a daily basis with Air Safety, Engineering, Flight Training, and Customer Support, we receive information and can quickly synthesize that for our owners.  And it’s a really beautiful thing when the owners share something with us. We are always learning from them. In several cases, we’ve improved the fielded aircraft and customer support because of this feedback,” says Huffstetler. 

​Pilots can also tap into resources in digital formats, including pdfs, such as aircraft flight manuals, Garmin pilot information manuals and aircraft care instructions. Access through the portal ensures that the owner and operators always have the latest updates and guidance. 

A Global Community

While VPO continues to grow its online community with pertinent information that can be accessed from anywhere in the world, the community also hosts global in-person events.  

​VPO events range from social gatherings, regional training events, and complimentary in-aircraft flight training to the large gathering of VPO members called ConVerge. Held every 18 months, ConVerge brings owners, pilots and aircraft position holders together with Cirrus executives to learn the latest in Vision Jet flying and ownership. Owners hear from vendors, engineers, flight instructors and aviation thought leaders. Cirrus also provides sessions and social gatherings for Vision Jet owner and operator’s favorite passengers.  

​Future gatherings will not only focus on safety, training and camaraderie, but also trips through the Cirrus Life Adventure Series which leverages the Vision Jet to explore new terrain, airports and sharpen flying skillset. The Cirrus Life Adventure Series curates special journeys, tapping into unforgettable experiences in places only a Vision Jet can take you. 

The post INSIDE VPO appeared first on Cirrus.

With the Cirrus Vision Jet type rating program, mastery comes quickly. You will start your training with full confidence, knowing that there is a robust ecosystem supporting you. 

Cirrus provides a concierge-style path to acquire the type rating the FAA requires to command the Vision Jet, with its focus on owner pilots. The Cirrus type-rating program is structured for efficient learning, and streamlined to fit into your busy schedule. Cirrus has delivered over 600 Vision Jets and typed more than 1,000 pilots since 2016. You too can become an accomplished Vision Jet pilot with Cirrus. 

Safety Focus

Safety is in the Cirrus DNA. That’s why we designed our own flight training program. 

A highly experienced, dedicated team runs the Vision Jet type rating program. You begin learning more about Cirrus, the Vision Jet and the type rating program before you arrive at the Vision Center in Knoxville, Tennessee via a consultation with a Cirrus instructor. You will even have the option to develop a custom preparation program to prepare you for the type rating. This ensures that your training starts off comfortably, with proficiency and a clear path to success. 

Vision Jet Learning Portal

Cirrus is changing the way pilots learn. We have designed a proprietary online video covering ground school that’s entertaining and user-friendly featuring 3D graphics, custom animations and expert presenters make learning fun and easy.

On Site Training

Once you arrive at the Vision Center Campus in Knoxville, Tennessee, the training days are streamlined and focused. You’ll begin by learning about the SF50’s systems and limitations, then progress to simulators where you will hone your normal, abnormal and emergency procedure skills. 

Cirrus has invested in advanced technologies and systems to support your flight training. At the Vision Center, Cirrus has two full-motion flight simulators manufactured by CAE. The state-of-the-art sims are accompanied by two fixed training devices and a number of avionics training kiosks.

The check ride itself has you flying to ATP standards, and it’s focused on the required

maneuvers, emergency and abnormal procedures and knowledge of aircraft systems and turbine operations. However, the course leaves time to explore scenario-based training including emergency preparedness.  The Vision Jet has a reliable Williams FJ33-5A turbine engine, but it also comes with the ultimate safety system, the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System—the only jet with this feature. Plus, the Vision Jet includes Safe Return Autoland, an autonomous safety feature that passengers can engage to safely land the aircraft in the event the pilot becomes incapacitated. Cirrus flight training takes you through the decision-making process for inflight proceedures and emergency situation to fully prepare and build confidence leading to the best outcome scenario.

Once you have completed flight training, Cirrus will work with you to schedule your check ride and earn your Vision Jet type rating. A typical check ride may sequence through normal flight proceedures like approached,, emergency preparedness and more. 

The Vision Jet type rating course is a few days of supervised operating experience in your aircraft. You’ll be flight training in the pilot seat with an experienced Cirrus flight instructor. Together, you will learn how to fly to your frequently visited destinations, navigate through dynamic flight environments and various real-world scenarios. This flight training customization ensures you are safe, proficient and confident to solo for the first time.

Becoming a Vision Jet type-rated pilot is a rewarding accomplishment you will never forget. To fly with such precision may seem daunting at first, but there are few things more satisfying than seeing your skills and knowledge progress and fly at 31,000’. Through the Cirrus Vision Jet type rating program you will realize your potential and gain the advantages through flight. 

The post Getting Your Type Rating appeared first on Cirrus.