Story ID: 360
Cirrus Continues To Expand European Footprint
By: Matt Thurber
Caption: Cirrus is opening a new regional operations office in Rotterdam as sales worldwide continue to grow.
Word Count: 416
As Cirrus Aircraft sales continue to grow, the company is adding to its investments in Europe. In addition to opening a new sales office in Valenciennes, France, last month, Cirrus has unveiled plans to open a European regional operations office in Rotterdam, Netherlands, which will focus on sales leadership, service, and training.

Last year, Cirrus delivered 442 SR series single-engine piston airplanes and 86 single-engine Vision jets. Next year, those numbers should climb 20 and 10 percent, respectively, according to senior v-p of sales and marketing Ben Kowalski. Production of Cirrus airplanes is going as fast as the supply chain allows, he added. “We’re probably at a rate we feel comfortable with.”

A surprising 39 percent of buyers of Cirrus SRs during 2021 are new to aviation, according to Ivy McIvor, the director of the SR product line. “This is really good news,” she said. “We’re doing a huge part to grow the industry.” Twenty-five percent of 2021 SR orders went to buyers outside the U.S.

The Vision jet is certified in more than 40 countries and nearly 700 pilots now have Vision jet type ratings. The engine improvements on the latest edition, the G2+, deliver 25 percent better takeoff performance. As an example, taking off at mtow from La Mole, France, at 25 degrees C requires 2,494 feet of ground roll and 3,967 feet over a 50-foot obstacle in the G1 or G2 Vision jet. The G2+ needs only 2,121 feet and 3,143 feet, respectively.

Although he wouldn’t identify any particular new products that Cirrus is working on, Kowalski said, “We’re always working on new things.” Members of Cirrus’s Advanced Development Group—known as the “Mooseworks”—in Duluth, Minnesota, traveled late last monht to the Aero Friedrichshafen show in Germany to engage with customers and learn more about what they want, as well as check out the many innovative technologies on display.

In addition to the Vision Jet on display at Aero Friedrichshafen, the SR series there highlighted new features in the 2022 G6 models. These include lower drag wheel pants that increase fuel efficiency, a keyless baggage door, illuminated entry steps, and USB-A and -C charging ports.

Additionally, a new status screen was introduced for the Cirrus IQ service and now offers views of technical publications, maintenance minder, my trips, and warranty information, as well as connectivity services for offloading maintenance and flight information. Cirrus’s XI Design Studio also unveiled new exterior paint schemes and premium leather interior options.