A Cirrus Factory Tour

When Cirrus announced its latest single, the SR22-G2, the company from the get-go stressed that many of the changes were more than skin deep. While Cirrus pilots were excited about the claimed increase in cruise speed, their mechanics were equally psyched about the easier maintainability of the airplane, which features new doors (a blessing) and a number of new access panels, including a much-improved way to get at the parachute.

Because it's hard to see most of the changes to the airplane upon inspection of an airworthy G-2, Cirrus gave me the chance, along with other owners at the annual Cirrus Owners and Pilots Association fly-in, to see the airplane as it is constructed and assembled step by step.

While the following photo tour of the factory is by no means a comprehensive look at the Cirrus production process, it does give pilots a chance to see just how a composite airplane gets from molds and parts to flying shape.