The Cirrus Design SR20 is a piston engine composite monoplane that seats four. The SR20 is noted for being the first production general aviation aircraft equipped with a parachute for spin recovery.

History

Certified by the FAA in 1998, hundreds of SR20s have been sold since the first was delivered in 1999 as of December 2006 over 2000 planes together with the SR22 has been made. One of the major selling points for the SR20 is that it has a fully digital avionics suite with one 10-inch Avidyne FlightMax primary flight display and one multi-function display. A pair of Garmin GNS430s provide GPS navigation, conventional radio navigation, and radio communications.

The SR20, like the faster SR22, is equipped with the Ballistic Recovery Systems Cirrus Aircraft Parachute System, a large parachute which can be deployed in an emergency to lower the entire aircraft to the ground safely.

On June 1, 2004, the SR20 became the first aircraft to achieve the new European Aviation Safety Agency certificate for aircraft imported into the European Union.

SRV model

The Cirrus SRV is a marketing version of the SR20 that is optimized for the low-end private ownership and flight training market. As such it omits some standard equipment available on the SR20 such as wheel fairings.

Accidents and Safety

Despite the parachute system, there have been a number of accidents resulting in fatalities when the parachute either didn't deploy correctly or deployed too late. Cirrus has made some changes to the system because of this.[citations needed]

• In the October 11, 2006 New York City plane crash, an SR20, owned by New York Yankees pitcher Cory Lidle, crashed into a residential building in New York City's Upper East Side neighborhood, on the west bank of the East River. Lidle and his flight instructor, Tyler Stanger, were killed.
• As of 2 February 2007, 16 people have died in SR20 accidents.

Specifications (SR20-G2)

The SR22, by Cirrus Design, is a high-performance single-engine, four-seat, composite aircraft. It is a more powerful version of the Cirrus SR20, with a larger wing, higher fuel capacity, and a 310 horsepower (231 kW) engine. It is extremely popular among purchasers of new aircraft and has been the world's best-selling single-engine, four-seat aircraft for several years [1]. Like the Lancair Columbia, but unlike most other high-performance aircraft, the SR22 has fixed (non-retractable) landing gear.

The plane is perhaps best known for being equipped with the Cirrus Aircraft Parachute System (CAPS), an emergency parachute capable of lowering the entire aircraft (and occupants) to the ground in an emergency.

Cirrus is in the process of unveling their newly designed SR22. Over 700 changes were made, including new paint schemes and a new wing.

Turbo option

Pilots buying a Cirrus a Tornado Alley turbocharging upgrade kit featuring twin turbochargers and twin intercoolors. The turbo conversion will allow pilots to fly higher, faster, and if power is reduced slightly, farther. The Cirrus SR22 Turbo installation is similar to that in the Mooney Acclaim and the Columbia 400. Also included with the conversion is built-in oxygen and a Hartzell 3-blade light weight composite propeller. The weight of the conversion will reduce the SR22's useful load. Air conditioning is not available with the SR22 Turbo Charged. The turbo version has a certified ceiling of 25,000 feet and a maximum cruise speed of 211 knots (391 km/h).

Aircraft type club

The Cirrus aircraft are supported by an active aircraft type club, the Cirrus Owners and Pilots Association (COPA).

V speeds

• Vr (rotation): 70 kias (130 km/h)
• Vx (best angle of climb): 80 kias (148 km/h)
• Vy (best rate of climb): 100 kias (185 km/h)
• Vso (stall, dirty): 59 kias (109 km/h)
• Vs (stall, clean): 70 kias (130 km/h)
• Va (maneuvering speed): 133 kias (246 km/h)
• Vno (max cruise): 178 kias (330 km/h)
• Vne (never exceed): 201 kias (372 km/h)
• Vfe (50% flaps): 119 kias (220 km/h)
• Vfe (100% flaps): 104 kias (193 km/h)
• Vpd (chute deployment): 133 kias (246 km/h)
• Vglide (best glide): 90 kias (167 km/h)