Cirrus SRS Programme Put on Hold
May 2nd, 2009
This April, Cirrus SR Sport (SRS) Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) deposit holders have been notified of the temporary suspension of the SRS programme. Deposit holders received personal letters from Cirrus CEO Brent Wouters a week before the information was to be released at a press conference. “We have elected to temporarily suspend the SRS programme and additional SRS aircraft development for an undetermined period of time,” wrote Wouters.
The SRS was to be a lightweight aircraft based on the European Fk14 Polaris, with a moderate cruise speed of about 120 kts, employing the use of advanced ergonomic design, modern avionics, single-power lever and the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS™).
Before the announcement, it had been anticipated that the SRS would be released in 2009 and deposit holders are now being offered several options by Cirrus: a full refund; maintaining their deposit position pending future light sport aircraft programme updates from Cirrus and having their deposit value doubled; purchasing a new or certified Cirrus, and having their deposit multiplied five-fold; or converting double the value of their deposit as a referral bonus.
While Cirrus says that its decision was not made lightly, it quotes the current economic challenges and possible future amendments to the LSA certification rules as the reasons necessitating the move.
