From the product images, the Cirrus Vision SF50 Personal Jet sure looks kind of small, but in actual fact in can be configured to accommodate up to seven people, including the pilot (well, it’s more like five adults and two kids) and it could be yours sometime this year – if you have $2 million at your disposal. Powered by a Williams FJ33 engine with 1,800 lbs of thrust, the Vision SF50 is Cirrus’ proposal to fill the gap between single pistons and Very Light Jet (VLJ). According to the Minnesota-based aviation company, the Vision SF50 will be simple to fly and easy to own and operate, and boast standards like state-of-the-art, advanced avionics by Garmin, Sirius XM radio, reclining crew and passenger seats, and for the aviophobias who did manage to climb onboard, you’d be glad that this new age person aircraft comes equipped with an innovative Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (or CAPS), which is basically a big-ass parachute spanning some 89-foot across that’s deployable in an emergency to safely bring the aircraft back to the ground.
Already excited? Well, Cirrus has more good news that will rouse you up further: the Vision SF50 personal jet program has reached yet another mile stone just last month with the successful maiden flight of the third and final conforming flight test aircraft, dubbed the ‘C-Two’ (C2). The 20 minutes initial flight marks C2’s embarkment into FAA flight testing and certification activities, which means it is one step closer to production. In fact, the first production aircraft, known as ‘P-One’ (P1) is set to join the Vision SF50 program in Q2 2015 and eventually seeing its first deliveries in Q4 of 2015 with a cool $1.96 million price tag. Continue reading for a few more look.
