Cirrus Aircraft is one of the most popular general aviation manufacturers in the world. The company was initially founded in the early 1980s by the Klapmeier brothers to produce homebuilt kit aircraft. However, since then, the company has grown to offer several popular state-of-the-art aircraft, including the popular Cirrus Vision Jet, which is powered by a single jet turbine engine.
Alan and Dale Klampeier began designing aircraft in the early 1980s, while they were still in college. By 1984, the brothers, alongside their spouses, founded the Cirrus Design Company, which began developing the VK-30 as a kit aircraft in the basement of the Klapmeier family farm. This aircraft was officially introduced in 1987, with deliveries beginning the following year.
In the early 1990s, Cirrus began developing another aircraft, later designated the ST-50. This aircraft was similar to the VK-30, but was powered by a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 turboprop engine. Additionally, by the mid-1990s, Cirrus discontinued the production of the VK-30 and began working on the development of the SR-20. This aircraft flew for the first time in March 1995, although it wasn’t certified until late 1998.
In the early 2000s, Cirrus received its FAA Production Certificate for the SR20. The company also received the type certificate from the FAA for its improved single-engine model, the SR22. This aircraft began deliveries in 2001. In late 2001, Cirrus sold 58% of the company to Crescent Capital for approximately $100 million.
By the mid-2000s, the company received type certification for the SR200 from EASA. This led to record-breaking sales, as the SR22 became the world’s best-selling general aviation aircraft. In 2006, the company delivered 721 total aircraft.
In 2007, the Cirrus Vision Jet was unveiled at the EAA AirVenture Oshkosh airshow. This aircraft flew for the first time in 2008. However, the company was also affected by the 2008 economic crisis, causing layoffs. The company struggled financially until late 2009, although it was forced to end development of the Cirrus SRS and furlough employees for an extended period of time.
In early 2011, Cirrus was sold for $210 million to China Aviation Industry General Aircraft (CAIGA), which is a subsidiary of Aviation Industry Corporation that is wholly owned by the Chinese government. This sale, alongside more favorable economic conditions, led to Cirrus progressing further on the development of the SF50 Vision. Type certification for this aircraft was finally achieved in October 2016.
Cirrus has continued to expand through the 2020s. In 2022, Cirrus sold over 500 SR aircraft, making up 40% of the entire piston market. This success led to the company successfully listing on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in July 2024. Cirrus raised nearly $200 million USD through the sale of nearly 55 million shares.
Today, Cirrus produces several popular general aviation offerings:
| Aircraft Model | Entry into Service | Aircraft Class | Engines | Capacity | Range |
| SR20 G7 | 1999 | Single-engine piston | Lycoming IO-390 | 3 passengers | 709 nautical miles |
| SR22 G7 | 2001 | Single-engine piston | Continental IO-550 | 4 passengers | 1,169 nautical miles |
| SR22T G7 | 2010 | Single-engine turbo piston | Continental TSIO-550 | 4 passengers | 1,021 nautical miles |
| Vision SF50 | 2016 | Very light jet | Williams International FJ33 | 6 passengers | 1,200 nautical miles |
Cirrus is also currently working on the next generation of its single-engine piston aircraft, designated the 2026 SR Series G7+ family. This includes upgrades to the SR20, SR22, and SR22T. These aircraft are currently in production and are being certified across major aviation authorities.
Cirrus is also working on the next-generation Vision Jet, called the G3 SF50. This aircraft was recently unveiled as the next-generation model, with deliveries beginning in 2026. This upgrade includes increased seating capacity, improved avionics, and enhanced cabin features.
The Klapmeier brothers founded Cirrus with the initial intent to produce the Cirrus VK-30, a single-engine pusher-propeller aircraft that was sold as a kit model. This was the company’s first design and was produced from 1988 through 1993, although it later influenced several other aircraft designs.
In the 1990s, after the unsuccessful attempt to produce several other aircraft like the ST50, Cirrus launched the Cirrus SR20. This single-engine piston aircraft would later go on to be one of the most popular civil aircraft of all time. This family has been upgraded several times, including the following aircraft:
Another upgrade to the SR20 was later designated the SR22 series. This was more of a high-performance single-engine piston aircraft, which was the first light aircraft with a full glass cockpit. The first SR22 was introduced in the early 2000s, although several upgraded models have been introduced:
Additionally, in the late 2010s, Cirrus introduced the first single-engine jet, the SF50 Vision Jet. This aircraft is still in production, although several models have been built:
Currently, Cirrus Aircraft is a publicly traded company, majority-owned by a subsidiary of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC). The company was initially operated as a privately-owned company when it was founded by Alan and Dale Klapmeier in 1984.
| Founded | 1984 |
| Headquarters | Duluth, Minnesota |
| Manufacturing Locations | – Duluth, Minnesota
– Grand Forks, North Dakota – Knoxville, Tennessee |
| Company Type | Public corporation (as a subsidiary of China Aviation Industry General Aircraft (CAIGA) |
| Stock Symbols | – OTC: $CRRSF
– HKEX: $2507 |
| Approximate Employees | 2,800 (2025) |
| 2025 Revenue | $1.4 billion USD |
| 2025 Net Income | $138.89 million USD |
Cirrus makes aircraft for a wide range of operators. Its single-engine piston aircraft are used by individuals around the world, as its SR20 and SR22 series have become some of the most popular civil aircraft in production.
Furthermore, the company’s only business jet offering, the SF50 Vision Jet, is also used by several private jet operators. One of the largest private jet providers that flies this aircraft is VeriJet, which operates on-demand charter flights and jet card offerings.
Other charter operators of Cirrus aircraft include:
