The Duluth, Minn.-based manufacturer of four-place composite piston singles is number two in the marketplace for piston airplanes, but it is fast gaining ground on Cessna, the number-one piston airplane OEM. According to GAMA statistics, Cirrus Design in 2001 accounted for 11 percent of all piston airplanes built by GAMA members and Cessna about 42 percent. In 2002, Cirrus jumped to almost 28 percent while Cessna dropped to 35 percent. And now in the most recent figures from GAMA, Cirrus has about 31 percent of the market while Cessna has 37 percent.
For EAA AirVenture, Cirrus announced it is making the Avidyne FlightMax Entegra primary flight displays standard equipment on all models of its SR20 and SR22 airplanes. “PFDs have long been available in high-end corporate, commercial and military aircraft,” said Alan Klapmeier, Cirrus president and CEO. “We think all pilots deserve to fly the same advanced technology.”
