Cirrus
Vision
SF50

Photo: Robert Deering 10/20/2009
Orange County Convention Center
Orlando, Florida

The Cirrus Vision SF50 is a single-engine, low-wing, seven-seat, very light jet aircraft under development by Cirrus Design.

The aircraft was initially developed under the project name "The Jet", but Cirrus announced the final marketing name of "Vision SJ50" on July 9, 2008. In March the aircraft was redesignated as the "Vision SF50".

The prototype aircraft was first shown publicly at the annual Cirrus Migration on June 26, 2008 and first flown on 3 July 2008.

The SF50 is intended to be a step up aircraft for pilots who have flown the Cirrus SR20 and SR22.  It is not intended to compete with very light jets like the Eclipse 500 and the Cessna Citation Mustang. It is intended for the personal use market and will be comparable to the Diamond Aircraft Industries D-Jet.  The aircraft will be equipped with a Ballistic Recovery Systems parachute and will be made of a composite material.

In December 2006 Cirrus announced that its product will be the "slowest, lowest, and cheapest jet available." The SF50 will be powered by a single Williams FJ33-4A-19 engine, producing 1,900 pounds-force (8,500 N) of thrust and is expected to cruise at about 300 knots (560 km/h). The SF50 will seat seven people, with the cockpit, second row and the third row each seating two. There will be a seat that can slide between the second and third row or be removed entirely. The parachute will be located in the nose.

The company announced in April 2012 that the SF50 project had received sufficient investment from Cirrus's new owners, China Aviation Industry General Aircraft (CAIGA) and, as a result, the project would be moved forward. In July 2012 company CEO Dale Klapmeier confirmed that Cirrus's new Chinese owners are dedicated to the SF-50 and that the prototype had flown 600 hours in almost 600 flights. The company will now proceed to build the composite construction tooling required to create a conforming prototype for the commencement of type certification flight testing. The conforming prototype is expected to have its first flight in late 2013.

SPECIFICATIONS: PERFORMANCE:
Span:  38 ft 4 in (11.68 m) Maximum speed: 
Length:  30.9 ft (9.4 m) Cruising speed:  300 kn (345 mph; 556 km/h)
Height:  10.5 ft (3.2 m) Range: 
Empty Weight:  Service ceiling:  28,000 ft (8,500 m)
Gross Weight:   
Crew:  Pilot and up to six passengers
Engines:  1 × Williams FJ33 , 1,900 lbf (8.5 kN) thrust
   
SOURCE:  Wikipedia