An SR22T-GTS G6 Carbon Edition was on display at EBACE 2023 in Geneva.
Innovations that Cirrus Aircraft pioneered with its SR20 and follow-on SR22 in the 1990s continue to pay dividends as the piston singles have dominated their category in deliveries ever since.
The four-place, composite-construction SR20 received FAA type certification in October 1998, followed two years later by the SR22, equipped with a more powerful Continental engine. The SR22-G3 (Generation 3) in 2008 came with increased range, a redesigned wing and a cockpit upgrade to Cirrus Perspective, a Garmin G1000-based avionics system with synthetic vision technology. The SR22T with turbocharged Continental engine entered service in 2011.
Featuring a roomy cabin with ample windows, butterfly entry doors and “side yoke” (sidestick) pilot controls, the series came equipped with the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS), a rocket-propelled emergency parachute that deploys from the top of the fuselage aft of the baggage compartment. In 2003, the SR22 debuted the Avidyne Entegra avionics system, the first “glass cockpit” in its class.
Its reputation for ensuring safety is what pilots value most about the SR22, says Daniel Christman, a member of the senior sales staff at Lone Mountain Aircraft, who has sold more than 50 SR-series airplanes in the past year.
“When pilots think about the Cirrus, they think about the ultimate safety system on the Cirrus and that is the parachute,” Christman says. “It drives pilots and their spouses to realize there is a safety net for them if there is a life-threatening emergency. Not enough can be said about this safety system that has been proven effective and saved over 250 lives.”
Cirrus’s introduction of the CAPS system and a glass cockpit in the SR22, both firsts in the light general aviation category, earned the airplane a place in the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.
Sticker Price Growth
The 2001 factory-new, average equipped list price of the SR22 was $294,700, according to the Aircraft Bluebook. Cirrus listed the airplane last year at $772,900. The factory-new list price of the SR22T in 2011 was $449,900; in 2023 the manufacturer priced it at $887,900.
The growth in price over time has not curbed the appeal of the continuouly upgraded series, which is being refreshed yet again with the SR Series G7 (Generation 7) iteration announced on Jan. 11.
In 2022, Cirrus shipped 280 SR22Ts and 159 SR22s, according to the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), which had not released its final shipment report for 2023. They were the top two best-selling pistons that year, exceeding the Cessna Skyhawk (151 deliveries) and the Diamond DA40 (109 deliveries). The SR20 finished fifth with 100 deliveries.
“From passenger comfort, to speed, range, payload, safety systems, and overall performance, Cirrus has come up with a formula for building an aircraft that has caused it to be the best-selling single engine piston since 2005,” Christman says. “They took that title at that time and have never relinquished it.”
The main competition for the SR22 was the Cessna 400/TTx, until Textron Aviation stopped its production in 2018, Christman says. Since then, “there really hasn’t been a true competitor in the single-engine space,” he adds. “Mainly, pilots coming out of SR22s and SR22Ts look to go to the Piper Mirage, or the (Cirrus) Vision Jet, or some other turbine equipment like a TBM or Piper Meridian. Increased speed/altitude/performance is what always drives pilots to think of “what’s next” in my aircraft ownership experience.”
As of the third quarter of 2023, Cirrus had delivered 225 SR22Ts and 93 SR22s, according to GAMA.
Cirrus, which was acquired by the Aviation Industry Corporation of China in 2011, has produced more than 9,000 SR-series airplanes since 1999. About 1,800 have been SR20s; the balance (7,200) SR22s and SR22Ts. Around 300 of the latter aircraft were available for sale in January, priced from $250,000 to $1.35 million depending on the model year, Christman says.
SR22 Facts And Figures
A 310-hp Continental IO-550-N engine powers the SR22, which has a max cruise speed of 183 ktas, according to Cirrus. Base weight of the aircraft is 2,272 lbs., with useful load (pilots, passengers, baggage, usable fuel, and drainable oil) of 1,328 lbs. Cabin payload with 3-hr. trip fuel and 45 min. reserve is 963 lbs.
The SR22 requires 1,868 ft. of runway to clear a 50-ft. obstacle and 1,178 ft. for landing groundroll. Its max operating altitude is 17,500 ft.
The SR22T is powered by a 315-hp Continental TSIO-550-K turbocharged engine. Max cruise speed is 213 ktas. Its basic empty weight is 2,354 lbs.; maximum takeoff weight is 3,600 lb. The T-model requires 2,080 ft. of runway to clear a 50-ft. obstacle and 1,178 ft. for landing groundroll. Its max operating altitude is 25,000 ft.
An SR22/SR22T cabin measures 49 in. wide and 50 in. tall. The aircraft’s baggage compartment, located on the left side of the fuselage aft of the cabin, features a remote-unlock keyless baggage door.
Cirrus follows the standard FAA annual inspection for the airframe and 50-hour inspection interval for the engine, Christman says. The only major required maintenance item is the CAPS and rocket motor replacement that occurs every 10 years and costs about $20,000.
Depending on the age of the airplane and whether it is under warranty, the direct operating cost for the annual and 50-hour inspections is roughly $100-$200 per hour, depending on the number of hours flown during the year, Christman says. Annual inspections cost about $5,000, a 50-hour Inspection about $1000, plus any wear and tear items that must be fixed or replaced. Depending on the model and how it is operated, the SR22/SR22T burns 13-to-18 gallons of fuel per hour.
BCA welcomes comment and insight from aircraft dealers and brokers for its monthly 20/Twenty pre-owned aircraft market feature. The focus aircraft for February is the Bell 222 and for March the Dassault Falcon 20. To participate, contact [email protected].
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