The Cirrus Aircraft SF50 Vision Jet
As compared to any airplane requiring a type rating, most Single-Engine Turbo-Props (SETPs) are known for smooth, reliable power, being able to operate out of smaller airstrips while still being able to cruise speedily, having easy operating characteristics, and (arguably) being somewhat easy on the pocketbook. The SETP fleet is composed of solid airplanes that outright perform. Owners and pilots sing the praises of many of the advantages of the SETP. However, there are some unsung SETP advantages that are quite often overlooked by those who are looking to make the leap upwards to a really big turboprop or to a jet or to virtually any airplane requiring a type rating.
Designing a brand-new jet concept and bringing it to market is a brave choice because most consumers trust what is tried and true in aviation. The General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) business jet shipments and billings report dates back to 1996, with manufacturers such as Textron Aviation, Dassault, and Bombardier reporting healthy deliveries throughout this period.
How did Cirrus Aircraft successfully introduce an unconventional single-engine jet into the marketplace? When the SF50 Vision Jet was introduced in 2016, nine other manufacturers reported deliveries to GAMA on at least 27 different business jet models. Not only did Cirrus take a leap of faith to start selling the SF50, but they did it so well that they became the number one selling business jet – skyrocketing above competition on just one engine.
Turning To The Experts
I am in the business of selling aircraft and have been continuously intrigued by the Vision Jet’s success in the market. It doesn’t fly the farthest, the fastest, or with the best payload, so how is it performing so strongly in the market? When I joined the sales team at Lone Mountain Aircraft in 2022, I was eager to learn more because the aircraft brokerage is home to five SF50-type-rated sales representatives, who are great resources for expert knowledge on Cirrus Aircraft.
Naturally, I turned to these colleagues when curious about the Vision Jet’s success. According to GAMA, the SF50 Vision Jet was the top-selling business jet in 2023, with 96 shipments. For context, Textron Aviation delivered 168 jets spread among 6 models. The Citation Latitude was Textron’s best seller, racking up 41 shipments. Gulfstream was the runner-up competitor, reporting 89 jets in the bucket of G500/G600/G650/G650ER.
As you scroll through the GAMA report, you will see manufacturers with several line items of various jet offerings in current production. Then, you will nearly miss Cirrus Aircraft’s data as they have just one line item in the turbine section. Simply, the SF50. However, their singular line item is the top-selling jet of 2023.
Is that the magic sauce – to focus on one product rather than many? We are always told not to put all our eggs into one basket, but is this the exception?
What Is The Secret Sauce?
“In most jets, when the family goes somewhere, the pilot crawls in the front seat, the family sits in the rear, and they never speak again until they have arrived at their destination,” says Daniel Christman, “In the SF50, the family gets into an SUV and goes on a trip together with a lot of spouses sitting up front with the pilot enjoying the panoramic views from the giant windows you are looking out of.” Daniel is an SF50 type-rated pilot who has been selling Cirrus products for Lone Mountain Aircraft since 2008 and explains that the SF50 is sold to a lot of “first-time pressurized cabin owners, and we are also seeing it being used in larger aviation departments as supplemental lift for those one or two passenger trips ranging 400 – 600 miles.”
While Daniel sees the SF50 as a short-hop jet, you may be surprised to hear the European sales team describe the Vision Jet as transcontinental. This is not an adjective I would ever use to describe the SF50 in the vast United States with a published range of 1,275 nautical miles, but Lone Mountain’s Philippe Polman shed light on a completely different mission profile for the thirty Vision Jets already based in Europe.
“In Europe, 2.5 hours of flight time with four adults, a dog, and bags for a long weekend gets you across the continent comfortably. From London, you can reach the Baltic coast, beaches of southern Spain, the Fjords of Norway, or discover the remoteness of Iceland while always arriving in comfort.” Philippe has been a part of the general aviation community for over twenty years, holds an SF50 type rating, and his London-based presence gives a new perspective on this jet.
“Europe’s smallness is exemplified in the Vision Jet. In short hops, you can explore a different culture, language, city, and cuisine on the ground and see different weather, terrain, and airports from the air. There is much to see in Europe, and the Vision Jet is an ideal machine for an owner-pilot to explore.”
It’s Just That Easy
Besides a roomy family cabin, another sales pitch on the SF50 includes the ease of operation. “The SF50 is one of the easiest turbine aircraft for an owner-pilot to transition into,” states Lone Mountain Aircraft President Mark Rogers, “The design exhibits the intent of the engineers to build a natural step up from the SR2X series, but anyone stepping up from a piston will appreciate the simplicity and integration of the FADEC engine management, G3000 touchscreen avionics, docile handling, and low approach speeds.”
When I was interviewing with Lone Mountain Aircraft, Mark Rogers sat me in the left seat of an SF50 for a short flight. I had tons of Garmin experience but had zero Cirrus experience. I found the aircraft incredibly easy to handle and never searched for equipment. Buttons and knobs would magically appear right where I would expect them to be. I must’ve done alright, as I got hired right after this interview flight, but was that a testament to my flying skills or to how easy it is to fly the Vision Jet? Hm. We don’t need to answer that!
Mindy Lindheim on final approach at night in the SF50 during her interview with Lone Mountain Aircraft
Owner-Pilot Simplicity
Cirrus Knoxville has full-motion Level D training simulators, and in under two weeks, you can leave the Cirrus factory campus as a newly rated SF50 pilot. Bonus points if the student has SR-series G7 experience, as the cockpit layout is nearly identical to the Vision Jet. This is no coincidence, though, as Cirrus intentionally created the G7 to be as similar to the SF50 as possible to ease their clients up through the product line efficiently.
Mark Rogers holds three type ratings, including the SF50, and explains, “Cirrus has built a world-class training center that is on par with the largest Part 142 training centers. It particularly caters to the owner-pilot, who is often completing their first-ever jet type-rating or turbine transition. We have clients with under 300 hours total time successfully complete the initial type rating course and begin flying solo following the typical mentorship program.”
Ease of operation also points to the management of the aircraft. A new owner-pilot may be a bit overwhelmed overseeing the maintenance on their turbine aircraft. The dollars at stake are much higher than in their previous SR2X, and a simple misstep can cost them tens of thousands.
Luckily, Cirrus Aircraft didn’t overlook this challenge. Cirrus offers a plan called JetStream, which simplifies the maintenance on the SF50. Although it is not a required plan, nearly all Vision Jets are operating on JetStream and it is a big conversation surrounding the SF50 with new clients. In short, JetStream is an annual program owners purchase based on their projected number of flying hours. It covers all the scheduled and unscheduled maintenance items on the aircraft, including TAP Blue for the Williams engine. It also includes the aircraft’s databases, electronic charts, instructor time for 6-month Instrument Proficiency Checks (IPCs), annual recurrent training in the simulators, and various subscriptions such as SiriusXM, Cirrus IQ, and Cirrus Global Connect (Iridium). This creates hassle-free ownership as you pay one cost for all these items and can rest easy knowing you have covered all your bases.
case of an emergency
Williams International FJ33
Safety First
The last major selling point revolves around the safety features. In addition to the “normal” modern-day safety features of glass panels and sensors, two major safety nets are embedded in the SF50. First is the Cirrus staple, the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS). SR-series owners get to keep the same level of comfort by knowing they always have the red handle on the ceiling to deploy the parachute. And secondly is the Cirrus Vision Jet Safe Return system. This Autoland feature, introduced by Cirrus and Garmin Aviation in 2020, allows even non-pilot passengers the ability to land the jet in an emergency at the push of a button.
These features matter to the market. For instance, a client of mine has owned all sorts of aircraft and recently landed on the Cirrus SR22T. His wife loved the parachute as a nervous flyer, but he wanted more performance, so he upgraded to the Piper M350 to enjoy a pressurized cabin in the flight levels. Just one year later, I am tasked to sell the M350 so he can purchase a Vision Jet – an opportunity highly prioritized by his wife, who is missing the peace of mind of a parachute and is looking forward to having the Safe Return Autoland system.
Outgrowing The SF50
What does this top seller mean for competitors? In my opinion, they should thank Cirrus for getting new turbine owners in the game, introducing them to the jetsetter life, and easing them into turbine ownership. Inevitably, many of these owners will be “stepping up” and will create a solid sales funnel for competitors as these folks grow into wanting more performance.
“With regards to owners coming out of the SF50, they are looking at the Citation M2, Phenom 100, and Honda Jet as their next aircraft, but the twin-engine time is the challenge. If they don’t have much twin time, they are potentially looking at 250+ hours of mentor time,” says Daniel Christman. Daniel brings up a big obstacle for SF50 pilots as most were prior SR2X single-engine pilots and may not even have their multi-engine license.
Overall, Cirrus Aircraft has done a great job creating a brand-loyal customer base, which launched the Vision Jet into success and allowed them to celebrate their 500th delivery in late 2023. Paired with ease of support and operations and keeping true to their safety values, they made it easy for their clients to just say “yes.”
If you want to learn more about the Cirrus Vision Jet SF50, see my channel @schmiiindy for a full-length flying video aboard one of Lone Mountain Aircraft’s listings .
