Innovative, elegant, and fun, the Cirrus Vision Jet is the easiest and cheapest way to get into
the private jet world. This is the closest thing to an affordable jet with top-notch
characteristics and features, aaaaand the perfect example of economics and safety. Designed and
produced by Cirrus Aircraft, the road to its first model, the SF50, has been a long and twisted one.
With initial development in 2003, Cirrus formally announced it at the Cirrus Owners and Pilots
Association meeting in 2006, and later that year, they started accepting $100,000 deposits from
potential customers. With the mock-up unveiled in 2007, Cirrus targeted a price below $1 million
and a 2010 certification. Describing it as the "slowest, lowest, and cheapest jet available,
they had planned the jet with a 300 knots cruise speed at around 25,000 feet with a Williams FJ33
engine and a whole-airplane parachute recovery system and it was referred to as a "personal jet."
In June 2008, at the annual Cirrus Owners and Pilots Association, the company unveiled the
prototype publicly, and the jet made its maiden flight on July 3, 2008, at the Duluth airport.
The following year, Cirrus was hit hard by the great recession and wanted to abandon the
project due to a lack of funding, but CAIGA, a Chinese enterprise, came to the rescue. The
jet has undergone many changes in its name and was initially developed under the project name
"The Jet" or "The Jet by Cirrus". On July 9, 2008, Cirrus announced the marketing name of
"Vision SJ50", with "V" for the V-tail and "SJ" for the single-jet. By March 2009, the aircraft
was re-designated as the "Vision SF50", as it uses a single-fanjet engine. By April 2016, Cirrus was
calling it the "Vision Jet" and on October 28, 2016, it was certified as the "Model SF50".
The Vision Jet is as beautiful as it gets. You can’t mistake it for another plane,
primarily because it’s not trying to look like anything we are used to seeing.
I know that most other single-engine jet programs that failed were beautiful too,
like the Epic victory. Honestly, I wish the victory had made it to the market. I mean,
the Cirrus looks great, but look at the sleekness of the Epic. Ooooohhhh muah muah muah,
this is cool. The Diamond D jet is fairly conventional-looking, it looks like a bombardier
global that has been reduced in size, sliced in half, and with a single-engine stuck behind. From
some angles, it kind of tries to look like a Learjet, old, nothing special,
Diamond aircraft could have done better. But then, the Piper PA-47 Piperjet is laughable. I mean, I’m
no professional aeronautical engineer, but I can definitely design something that looks better than
this. Some people will be like "oooohhh, those that can afford it don’t care about aesthetics. If
you can afford a jet, you won’t be checking price and looks, but mission and capability." Hmmmm,
let’s not answer that today. The Stratos 716x is also as beautiful as it gets, but if it comes to
the market without a parachute, chances are; the vision jet will knock it off the same way the SR22
knocked off the Cessna TTX. Ooooh, sorry for that deviation. Now back to the Cirrus. Even though it
looks small from the outside, the inside is very spacious. The wings are straight,
with the iconic V-tail. It’s particularly easy to mistake the models. But for the G1 and G2, other
than the beautiful designs and paintwork on the G2, you can tell the difference by looking at the
surface of the wings. On the G2, Cirrus ditched the boundary layer energizers that were intended
to create a turbulent airflow over the wing so the flow doesn’t separate before hitting the ailerons.
Roll-axis handling seems even better after ditching the BLEs. Cirrus improved it by
adding a simple tab on the trailing edge of the ailerons, which catches the airflow so the control
surfaces remain as effective as possible. Stall speed with the gear and flaps down is 67 knots.
The V-tailed structure is still interesting to look at, and there’s some clever aero engineering
going on there. The fuselage structure is primarily carbon fiber. The forward part up
to the aft cabin bulkhead station is fabricated separately and assembled in a fixture, as is the
tailcone. The carbon-fiber structure below the jet engine is covered by a titanium firewall.
Yes, the Williams turbofan jet engine sits right above the rear cabin occupants' heads.
More on cabin noise in a minute. On the ramp, the G2 Vision Jet has a 38.7-foot wingspan and stands
at 10.9 feet high. The high aspect ratio carbon fiber wing structure houses the fuel bays one
in each wing between the two spars. Each tank holds 148 usable gallons of Jet-A. The ailerons
and wing flaps are aluminum, and all of the control system components, including the
aileron pushrods and flap torque tubes, are routed along the rear side of the aft spar.
When it comes to ice protection, the Vision jet uses a variety of mostly conventional methods,
unlike the TKS fluid used on the piston models. The wing and stabilizer leading
edges have pneumatic deice boots, the engine inlet is protected by engine bleed air,
and integral electric heaters protect the pitot probes and angle of attack vane. The windshield
and radome are protected by TKS fluid, and a reservoir holds three gallons of the slimy liquid.
Speaking of the interior, the cabin can seat up to five adults and two children,
and there are three different seating configurations available.
The fit and finish is as excellent as it gets. The cabin is not so quiet on the G1 model,
but on later models, it’s quieter and they are generally spacious. The panoramic windows are a
game-changer. Those with claustrophobic issues won’t really have issues here. Up in the cockpit,
Cirrus worked hard to ease transitions from the SR22 cockpit. I’m not going to say that
flying the Vision Jet is like flying a big SR22, as some have, because it just isn’t.
But if you have even limited experience in the Garmin Perspective-equipped SR22, the jet will
be a familiar environment. The latest avionics are the Garmin Perspective+ G3000 suite. SYSTEMS
The SF50 is the first jet to come equipped with a whole-aircraft ballistic parachute
for emergency use. Known as the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System or CAPS, this recovery system
deploys from the aircraft’s nose with the goal of the survival of the crew and passengers,
not necessarily the prevention of damage to the airframe. In August 2020, the Vision
SF50 received FAA approval for the installation of its Safe Return autoland system by Garmin,
the first jet aircraft to do so. The system is activated with a cabin-ceiling switch
and will determine the nearest safe airport, navigate to it, complete a landing and stop,
all without human input. The company offers it as an option for $170,000 (rich people’s problems).
Moving on to the flight deck, the Cirrus Perspective Touch+ by Garmin
leads the way. Initially, the L-3 SmartDeck avionics package was selected for the jet,
but later Cirrus switched to the Garmin G1000 for the production model,
L-3 Communications sued Cirrus for $18M and the rest is history. The Garmin avionics system
incorporates built-in flight-envelope protection to prevent a loss of control. The enhanced vision
system and enhanced real-time weather radar are optional, and the radar scans both vertically
and horizontally to provide an immediate and accurate weather avoidance tool to the pilot.
The weather software aids by identifying potential hazardous areas that are beyond the radar’s range.
Flight displays are featured on a 14-inch widescreen that offers split-screen technology,
allowing pilots to check the status of every system at just a glance. They are controlled
by a touchscreen, which makes them easy to use, much like an intuitive smartphone.
Moving on to the digital autopilot, which is built on smart servo technology, the fully digital,
dual-channel Automated Flight Control System delivers precise and accurate navigation
throughout the flight. Flight-control inputs are made via sidesticks, allowing for a roomy cockpit
and effortless hand flying. The autothrottle eases the workload of the crew by providing
automatic control of the throttle inputs, from after takeoff to just before touchdown.
Speaking of the power plant, the Vision Jet is powered by a single FADEC-controlled Williams
FJ33-5A engine, which puts out about 1,800 pounds of thrust, positioned on top of the fuselage.
That’s the reason for the V-tail configuration. The dry weight is
308 pounds, with a 4000-hour TBO. The jet is extremely light as its
basic empty weight is only 1610 kg, and this is one of the main advantages.
With such weight, you aren’t likely to burn a lot of fuel while flying this machine.
The maximum takeoff weight is 6000 pounds, or over 2700 kg. The original average range figure is 950
nautical miles if you cruise at 300 knots. But if you choose the better option of a more economical
cruising speed of 242 knots, the jet will be able to show a maximum range of 1275 nautical miles.
When it comes to fuel consumption, at the most economical cruise speed,
you’ll get 47 to 50 gallons per hour, but after leveling up at 31,000-ft, you will see up to 80
gallons per hour in the initial flight phase, like takeoff and climb, or if you cruise at 300 knots.
The jet will take off with a roll of 2000 feet, and the landing ground roll is 1628 feet,
shining as a shot field performer. The maximum cruise speed is 311 knots,
and it can only stall at 67 knots with flaps. It climbs at a respectable 2,000 feet per minute,
or 1500 feet per minute if fully loaded. The maximum payload is 1350 lbs.
Full capacity is 296 gallons, and the typical useful load at full fuel is less than 500 pounds.
The initial SF50 had a cruise speed of 304 knots, which was then increased to 311 knots on the G2
model, making it faster and more efficient. Cabin pressurization was raised from 6.4 to 7.1 psi
while improved insulation resulted in a 3 decibel reduction in cabin noise.
The G2 Vision Jet has a higher ceiling, more range, and greater speed than the original,
and the flight deck is equipped with an autothrottle. Adding a Reduced Vertical Separation
Minimum allowed a ceiling of 31,000 feet, as the early version was certified for 28,000 feet,
and the range was improved to over 1,200 nm. On July 20, 2021, Cirrus announced
the G2+ variant of the Vision Jet, with a slightly longer range, increased payload,
and the latest advancement in connectivity: Gogo InFlight Wi-Fi connectivity. The Williams FJ33-5A
engine has been finely tuned with a newly optimized thrust profile that provides up
to 20% increased performance during take-off, providing added reassurance in hot temperatures
and high elevations and access to additional airports at popular destinations across the
globe. This also results in a 4 percent reduction in takeoff and landing distances at sea level.
More than a decade ago, Cirrus was one of the first companies to enter the market, and its
Cirrus Vision Jet SF50 was the slowest private jet you could buy at that time. With time and changes,
it became highly successful and actually gave a start to the large industry niche of highly
economical, very efficient, and quite comfortable single engine superlight jets. The Vision Jet is a
true vision of safety, which is the foundation of the aviation industry. Every system, design
characteristic, and procedure is based on this one principle, and when it comes to the Vision Jet,
the combination of the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System and the Safe Return emergency autoland
provides the ultimate level of safety and assurance. Apart from that, every Vision Jet
is equipped with an integrated safety system that works passively during flights to assist and alert
the crew, without any distractions to guarantee maximum safety and enhance the flight experience.
Some of these features include the Stall Barrier to stay safe from the risk of stalls,
the Envelope Protection System for stability, and the certified Flight Into Known Ice system.
The downside includes the fact that it is less capable than other similar aircraft in some
characteristics. It flies lower and slower when compared to other very light jets and even most
turboprops. Fire and smoke incidents have been reported on the jet, including a crash involving
loss of control effectiveness. Moreover, the FAA grounded all the Vision Jets in 2019
due to problems with their angle of attack. The stall warning and protection system, or electronic
stability and protection system, was engaging in normal flight conditions in the Cirrus SF50.
The price of a new Vision SF50 is $2.0M whereas the equipped price
of the G2 variant was $2.85M in the second quarter of 2021.
The Vision SF50 was the most delivered very light jet in 2018, 2019, and 2020.
The SF50 was intended to be a step-up aircraft for pilots who have flown the Cirrus SR20,
SR22, and other high performance light aircraft and was developed initially for personal use
and not for the corporate or air taxi industries. However, by 2019, the jet was FAR part 135
approved for air taxi operators. Designed to be flown by a single pilot, it also included pilots
with limited or even no previous turbine-aircraft experience. Speaking of its uses and operations,
many air taxi operators have expressed an interest in potentially using the Vision SF50,
and some industry experts have suggested that the jet could help revive the air taxi industry.
Moreover, Florida-based charter company Verijet operates a fleet of ten G2 Vision Jets,
with a total of 25 SF50s expected by the end of 2022. To conclude, the Vision Jet is undoubtedly
excellent. It is known as a versatile jet, capable of adapting to the unique needs of
business and personal travel missions as its design resonates with the intended buyer.
It is arguably the most technically advanced personal light aircraft ever flown.