6000 Lbs. Max Takeoff Weight; 400 Lb Payload With Full Fuel

During a web conference Wednesday morning, the team at Cirrus Design updated the media, its customers and competitors about the status of its Cirrus SJ50 Vision program... and finally provided some hard performance numbers for the aircraft.

Cautioning that all information is still subject to change, Cirrus currently forecasts a maximum takeoff weight of 6,000 lbs, with a maximum ramp weight 60 lbs higher. Cirrus states its current estimates target a 2300 lb. usable load, with 400 lbs available for passengers and baggage with full fuel.

"Customers told us 'give me more fuel,' said Cirrus CEO Alan Klapmeier, adding Cirrus increased its full fuel and max fuel weights by 100 pounds over its earlier estimates.

As for target performance numbers, Cirrus is in no danger of breaking Klapmeier's promise to build the "lowest, slowest, shortest range" jet on the market... though the Vision is still making some impressive numbers in testing.

The VI prototype aircraft now flying as seen a maximum speed of 319 KTAS; Cirrus targets a 300 KTAS high speed cruise speed, with the best range of over 1,400 nm available at a more SR22-like 210 KTAS.

Speaking of the SR22, Klapmeier pointed out the piston-powered SR22 G3 Turbo burns 17 gallons of avgas per hour at 210 kts with two people onboard. "At slightly less than twice the fuel consumption, the Vision will carry twice as much," he said -- excellent performance for a turbine-powered aircraft.

To date, Cirrus has flown the non-conforming prototype for approximately 120 hours, with a full range of tests performed -- including maximum and minimum controllable airspeeds and a full stall series, flown throughout the CG range. Cirrus has also performed inflight restart tests of the aircraft's Williams FJ33-4A-19 powerplant.

Testing has revealed some changes to be made to the final spec aircraft. The production Vision will sport a slightly taller V-tail empennage, with less sweep incorporated into the leading edge. Mike Van Staagen, head of SJ50 development at Cirrus, said the change will save about 45 lbs in the tail section.

The current plane's single ventral fin may also be modified, with a larger fin ready to be fitted to the V1 aircraft. The company hopes to incorporate a yaw damper system tied to the ventral fin, rather than going through the expense and complexity of fitting such a system to the V-tail assembly.

"With the Vision, everything starts out simple... we add complexity if needed," Van Staagen quipped.

The V1 aircraft is also flying with an engine nozzle canted 12 degrees upward, providing 4 degrees of up-angle thrust. The aircraft initially flew with a nozzle pitched 6.5 inches up; Cirrus made the change to measure its effectiveness in reducing pitch coupling with changes in power -- the bane of all single-engine jets with engines mounted atop the fuselage.

While no significant changes have been made to the aircraft's long-chord wing, Cirrus has removed the original concept's winglets, saying the added weight offset any performance advantages the winglets provided. V1 flies with wing cuffs quite similar to those seen on the SR22.

While Cirrus has yet to officially decide on which method of deicing the Vision will use -- boots, or TKS -- V1 is now flying with a pair of silicone appliques designed to represent the "worst case" deployment of pneumatic deicing boots, and the company seems impressed with their performance.

Cirrus also notes those boots save about 40 lbs. of weight over TKS with a full load of deicing fluid... a strong consideration.

Other noticeable changes between V1 and the production aircraft include the removal of the right-side passenger door... a change Klapmeier resisted, but was made in the name of reducing complexity and to decrease fault conditions. An emergency egress hatch will take its place.

The production plane will also sport a slightly wider nose section, to better accommodate the retractable nosegear. The nose will incorporate a smoother transition to the windshield, leading to a fuselage with a more circular cross-section. Cirrus has also made improvements to the fuselage transitions to the wing leading edge and root fairings.

Klapmeier remained elusive about the company's targets for entry into service, and price. "Best case? January 2009," he quipped... before adding a timeframe for first deliveries occurring sometime in 2011 -- or even 2012 -- is more realistic.

As for price, Klapmeier said a "further refinement" to the Vision's base price is forthcoming, though he declined to give exact numbers. Earlier estimates pegged the price of a well-equipped SJ50 at around $1.25 million.

While stressing the SJ50 will not be a business aircraft, but a personal jet -- "However you might use your automobile, is how you'll use this airplane" -- Klapmeier did weigh in on the recent furor surrounding executives' use of business jets for travel.

"Corporate jets are productivity tools, not perks," he said, lamenting that General Motors and Ford recently announced they would slash their own corporate jet fleets.

FMI: www.the-jet.com/news/index.html, www.cirrusdesign.com