Despite Strong And Compelling Evidence, Innovator Alan Klapmeier Is Mentioned Nowhere In The Collier Announcement
News, Analysis, and Opinion By ANN CEO/Editor-In-Chief, Jim Campbell
The recent announcement lauding Cirrus Aircraft for the completion of the SF50 single engine jet program, and awarding them the Collier Trophy, is causing some consternation among folks in the know in the GA world -- especially those of us at ANN with intimate knowledge as to how this program REALLY came about.
The Vision Jet program was THE brainchild of Cirrus Founder Alan Klapmeier--period... and for those of us with a LOT of video, and other documentation (in addition to the not-inconsiderable detail that we were THERE), that fact can not be doubted or re-interpreted.
However; Cirrus has been aggressively engaged in ridding/editing much of the historical record of any reference/credit for Alan... even to the point where a recent self-congratulatory Cirrus video took extreme (even if not laughable) measures to edit out imagery and references to Alan... despite the fact that current Cirrus pseudo-figurehead, Dale Klapmeier, not only had little to do with the jet's inception, but was actively against the project at its inception. Further, Dale has time and time again, since taken credit for attributes, events, and programs that were primarily undertaken at the behest and inspiration of his brother Alan Klapmeier... without whom there would simply be no Cirrus Jet.
Period.
Worse yet, is the barely mentioned dirty little secret that Cirrus is actively engaged in a legal campaign, using the might of Chinese money to beat him black and blue (legally speaking), grossly inhibit his life, and eradicate mentions of his many accomplishments and lifetime of service to the GA world... which so many have since forgotten.
Alan's personal and professional life is being outrageously attacked and Cirrus is paying for it. But then again; we have some experience ourselves with watching Cirrus Aircraft attempt to shut down/harass/intimidate/victimize people with whom they disagree (especially when they're telling unpleasant truths), despite the Moral/Ethical/Constitutional aspects of it all.
The historical revisionism is galling... especially with CA's recent back-slapping self-aggrandizement... “At Cirrus, we are honored and humbled to be awarded the 2017 Collier Trophy and to even be mentioned among the giants in aviation and space research that have won before us,” said Dale Klapmeier, the most recent Cirrus Aircraft CEO.
“The arrival of the Vision Jet has forever changed general aviation and personal transportation, and the 2017 Collier Trophy is dedicated to all of our employees and partners who have been a part of the development, production, and now delivery of this airplane.”
It may be so dedicated... but both the award and Cirrus ignore the inconvenient truth that the true inspiration for the Vision has been ignored and minimized. They ignored the years of effort that got the program all the way from fevered inspiration to first flying prototype... and they have ignored the act that Dale hated/fought the thing in the beginning, expressed that opinion to ANN and others, and only seemed to start to like the idea when he could push his brother under the bus and take credit for Alan's genius.
Worse, they are ignoring the FACT that Alan left this program with enough energy and inertia that even Cirrus, with years of delays, screw-ups, and many many mis-steps, couldn't fail at completing the program.
Worse yet; there are serious questions about the program that remain... the Jet order book seems vastly overstated according to insiders, Cirrus is still abusing suppliers and partners here and there (though apparently not with the frequency and severity of past years thanks to the Chinese back account)... and other issues continue to come to our attention -- many of which form the backbone of an upcoming book about Cirrus's many problems, frauds, and difficulties.
In the meantime; the Collier Trophy is scheduled to be presented at the Annual Collier Trophy Dinner on June 14... we wonder if Alan will get an invite...
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