Slow and Methodical, Cirrus' 'Advanced Development Group' Is
READY
ANN's Jim Campbell and Aero-TV Videographer Nathan Cremisino
have been camped out (literally) at Cirrus HQ, for days, with
extensive inside access to the Cirrus Jet test program. Over the
last few days, N280CJ has been running up and down DLH's Rwy 27,
testing systems, initial aerodynamics and getting a feel for the
jet's overall characteristics. And yes, it looks good... damned
good.
The process has gone about as far as it can go without an actual
liftoff -- with visible rotation of the nose wheel and good
tracking down the centerline of the runway despite significant
crosswinds of at least 45 degrees and 11-16 knots.
The process has been painstaking. This is Cirrus' first Jet
aircraft and the team dedicated to its development has had a
no-nonsense and conservative attitude for the months we've been
working with them.
But the buzz is everywhere... "When will it fly?"
And the answer never changes... "When it's ready."
The question is whispered again and again throughout the city of
Duluth, but we can tell you that first flight is very close, the
jet is performing very well, that the hiccups (so far) have
been minor and easily countered, and that the team is confident
that they have an airplane that can change the GA world. No one at
ANN (which has had "inside" access for years, to this program),
doubts that for a second.
Regardless, ANN and Aero-TV are on site, close at hand,and
keeping an eye on this bit of history... we'll keep you updated as
soon as we can and look forward to offering you extensive inside
access to the Jet, its amazing development team and how this
intriguing GA development program came together.
First unveiled in mock-up form just a tad over a year ago,
"The-Jet" sports a v-tail empennage arrangement, to make room for
the single FJ33 Williams turbofan carried atop the raked fuselage
in a smoothly integrated fairing. The lines of the fuselage carry
forward to a bulbous roofline over the cockpit, which offers
seating for a pilot and four adult passengers -- one in the right
seat, and three behind.
Seating is configurable for as many as seven passengers, including
smaller seats for children, in a configuration Cirrus calls
"five-plus." As with all Cirrus production aircraft, the plane also
sports a whole-airplane parachute.
Cirrus has admittedly lowly -- some would say "realistic" --
performance expectations for its first-ever turbofan-powered
aircraft. Billed proudly by Cirrus as the "slowest, lowest, and
cheapest jet available," "The-Jet" is expected to fly at close to
300 knots at FL250.
More news to follow... 'real soon now.'