Cirrus Aircraft News

Cirrus Aircraft Offers State-of-the-Art Maintenance Training

Cirrus is proud to now offer maintenance training at our new Cirrus Maintenance Training Centers (CMTC) in Las Vegas, Nevada, Paris, France, and Groningen, Netherlands.  All CMTC’s offer Factory Certificates of Maintenance Training for Cirrus products including: composite structures maintenance and repair; and Cirrus Airframe Parachute Systems (CAPS™) maintenance. Cirrus continues to offer maintenance training at the Duluth, MN, World Headquarters.  See the 2011 training dates, pricing and registration information

 

Download 2011 Field Services Training Schedule

Download New course offering descriptions

This Cirrus training is not restricted to Cirrus Authorized Service Centers.  Anyone interested in excellent training in the world’s leading general aviation aircraft may attend, including those not holding engineering and mechanics certificates.

And finally, new to Cirrus technical training is the Cirrus Initial Training Course, this 80-hour course offers comprehensive training on all aspects of the aircraft including composite repair, aircraft systems, CAPS, and integrated avionics.

 

Recognizing that Cirrus systems are continually evolving and in support of world class service, Cirrus will begin offering in 2012 the Cirrus Recurrent Training Course 40-hours.  The following course descriptions provide specific curriculum details.  Cirrus offers the following selection of technical training courses that provide the expertise needed to safely and correctly maintain state-of-the-art aircraft:

80-Hour Initial Training Course:  Comprehensive aircraft systems training that covers all aspects of Cirrus aircraft including integrated avionics, Cirrus Aircraft Parachute System (CAPS™), powerplant systems, flight controls, composite inspection and repair practices. This course is required for all new Cirrus Authorized Service Centers and recommended to anyone wishing to have the necessary knowledge and practical skills to maintaining and repair Cirrus Aircraft.   

40-Hour Recurrent Training Course:  The FAA identifies recurrent training of technicians as a fundamental need in the retention and understanding of applied practices used in the aviation industry. The Cirrus 40-hour Recurrent Training Course covers all aircraft systems introduced by Cirrus in previous 24-month period. The course includes a refresher on composite repairs and inspection, flight control rigging, engine systems including turbo and avionics LRU practices. As added benefit, this course meets criteria for IA renewal and can be used to supplement 145 repair station training needs.   

32-Hour Composite Structures Course: This course is part of the 80-hour Cirrus Initial course but is offered as a standalone curriculum as well. If you really want to gain the practical skills and knowledge of composite aircraft structures, this is the course to take. Technicians develop competence and confidence through personal, supervised experience of repairing composites through several standard and optional projects. Instruction is provided in navigating technical publications, assessing and documenting damage and documenting repairs. Manuals, training aids, and certificate of factory training are provided upon successful completion of this course.

 

32-Hour AMx2.0 Online training course:  Cirrus Aircraft now offers factory approved training with our internet based Cirrus Aircraft Maintenance 2.0, or "AMx 2.0.“ Cirrus offers this online training with a series of Quick Reference guides and three multiple choice exams to give technicians a cost-effective and flexible option for self- or group study. The goal of this online offering is to provide quality materials for instruction to take place where it will be used - within the maintenance repair organization. Primary features include:

• Online Learning Management System
•  Quick reference guides with new content
•  For group or self study
•  Multiple choice exams demonstrate technician understanding of the material.

Over the past decade Cirrus has carefully developed and refined its technical training to provide a balance of lecture and practical hands-on lab training. This balance allows the student superior retention and immediate application of newly learned skills that are applicable to real world maintenance and repair needs.  

All Cirrus technical courses are competitively priced and offered at multiple domestic US and international locations through our CMTC network.  Cirrus also provides technical training at locations convenient to customer needs.  Contact Cirrus at servicetraining@cirrusdesign.com or call 1.866.290.0418 Option 5

 

INSIDE CIRRUS EVENTS: A SUMMARY OF RECENT CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR OWNERS

We have just concluded our latest series of "Inside Cirrus Events" that covered more than 30 cities over the past four months along the entire East coast of Canada and the U.S. Without question, coming out to the field from Duluth Headquarters and engaging Cirrus owners, prospects, and partners through these special events is very rewarding. The passion for Cirrus is clearly growing as we averaged nearly a 100 people at every stop!

At each event we have on hand our newest airplanes including the Vision Jet, members of the executive team, colleagues from Garmin and Bose and more. After a brief multi-media "insider's view" of Cirrus, we open the floor to questions and comments. Because the conversations at these events are so important, we want to share some of them with everyone. So over the coming weeks, we will post several of the more common topics we chatted with you about.

Feel free to contact us with additional questions and comments and be looking for information in early 2011 about the next "Inside Cirrus" Tour on the West Coast in the U.S. and in Latin America.
Happy New Year and Safe Flying from all of us at Cirrus Aircraft.

What is the current focus for customer service and support?  Has anything changed?

 

Parts Support and Availability
Our highest priority for customer support in 2010 was to enhance many processes to significantly improve overall service and support.  As we passed our first year of partnership with Aerospace Products International (API) and our Cirrus Parts by API program, it is important to recognize our transition to parts support from Memphis, Tennessee, and reiterate the continuous improvement that this partnership has provided to Cirrus Aircraft and our owners. While a transition of this magnitude presented challenges, we are very pleased with progress in the program along with the many assets it brings to support our aircraft owners. More specifically, we entered the year with larger than desired back orders and unacceptable lead times for parts out-of-stock. By mid-year, that backlog was reduced by 90% and new systems implemented to replenish orders. We closely track the handful of AOG orders that we receive every day and have been able to ship more than 50% of the non-stocked parts next day.
 
This outside distributor model supports Cirrus Aircraft long-term goals of improving support to our owners through increased inventory, forecasting tools, coordination with Teledyne Continental Motors and export market part depots. With parts inventory now at API, orders are filled at greater than 95% same day fill-rate for frequently ordered parts and an additional million dollars of inventory has been added since the inception of the Cirrus Parts by API program.
 
Cost of Ownership
As we refine parts support, a focus area for improvement is cost of ownership related to parts pricing, parts reliability and maintenance items defined by required inspection or replacement.
 
We are currently reviewing our internal pricing practices for the aftermarket parts business and how we support our owners after delivery. We have found that some overly simplistic assumptions and rules are being used for cost and pricing models. Our network cross-functional team has mapped out a future state that is being implemented over the coming months that will enhance cost of ownership.
 
At the same time we understand that a mission capable and reliable aircraft is critical and can play a significant role in the cost of ownership in terms of paying for additional parts and the added expense that can come with downtime. Our engineering department monitors component and system level reliability to understand where improvements can be introduced and is continually working on initiatives that measure and support the highest mean time between failure (MTBF) and system redundancy.
 
Additionally, we are reviewing Chapter 5 of the Aircraft Maintenance Manual for the manufacturers recommended intervals for overhaul and replacement of components, scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, Annual, 100 Hour and Progressive Inspections.  We believe it is important to look for opportunities to give additional service life and evaluate ways to reduce inspection intervals or time to service.
 
Expanded Assistance and Support
In 2010 we made a number of positive changes to improve customer assistance and support. The most visible of these is expanded support hours, increasing the former 8:00am to 5:00pm CDT business hours to 7:00am to 7:00pm CDT expanded hours. This change allows support through the business hours of the US time zones and offers enhanced support to our export markets for questions and troubleshooting assistance.  Additionally, we now offer after-hours emergency or aircraft on ground (AOG) assistance directly to a Cirrus employee rather than an outside company as before. Our knowledgeable staff is now your on-call professional to support your needs.
 
Authorized Service Center Network
Today's network has 190 Cirrus Authorized Service Centers around the world committed to providing our owners with the best maintenance facilities in the business.  Cirrus service centers must meet the top-most standards for service excellence, facilities and training.  In 2010, we also introduced the Cirrus Platinum Partner Program for our authorized service centers. "Platinum" is an exclusive designation reserved for those partners that embody the highest specific service and support standards, ranging from inventory requirements to facilities. With the program now fully underway, Cirrus Aircraft will be using the framework to raise standards and expectations for the entire partner network.  
 
Communication
To keep our service providers informed, we reach out through a variety of formats including weekly e-mail updates, bi-weekly service manager check-up calls, quarterly webinars, on-site visits and an annual Partner Symposium in Duluth.  We have invested a lot of effort into communication with our service providers since they are the face of Cirrus in the field.  In the coming year, we will maintain this system and we will add direct communication to our customers in formats like this - Cirrus Aircraft News.
 
Our field support group implemented numerous changes toward standardizing communication and service standards within our Authorized Service Center network. However, we acknowledge that we still have work to do to get that same level of outreach and communication that we have with the ASC's directly with and to our owners. I am pleased to say that in 2011, Cirrus owners can expect more frequent and diverse types of communication related to general service activities.
 
Aging Aircraft Support
As we look back on the first year of 10-year service requirements for the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS™), we are pleased to have 36 Cirrus Authorized Service Centers trained with the authority to support the growing need of aircraft requiring this service.  As we prepared there were many items that went into the planning to support this project including: ATF licensing logistics, shipping and hazardous materials logistics, Cirrus training on repack process, and repack process validation. This year we begin our SR22 airframe 10-year service requirement and are continuing to monitor this program closely.
 
Training
Cirrus is the strongest advocate for ongoing training for pilots and our maintenance technicians. Within the service network, Cirrus has invested in new computer-based training materials, hands-on training courses and we recently added a recurring training requirement for Cirrus technicians.  Owners and operators will see the difference by using the Cirrus Authorized Training Center network.
 
Finally, our export business has been steadily growing for several years. And while our service infrastructure is not as mature in every unique location around the world as it is in the U.S., we are making significant and expedited investments in those locations toward the larger goal of a single service and support standard globally.  These include improving distance to Cirrus service, expert trained technicians and time to get parts as a few examples. Having joined Cirrus all the way back in 1990, I can say confidently how far we have come and how many strides we have made in our overall owner support capabilities.
 
Gary Poelma
Executive Director of Customer Support.
Joined Cirrus Aircraft 1990

CIRRUS AIRCRAFT CONGRATULATES CORPORATE FLIGHT MANAGEMENT

Cirrus Aircraft congratulates our Cirrus Authorized Service Center, Corporate Flight Management (KJWN, Nashville, TN) on being named the AVweb FBO of the Week.  Corporate Flight Management is also an honored Cirrus Platinum Service Partner by demonstrating premium quality service, outstanding support, state-of-the-art technical skill and most importantly, a commitment to our valued customers.

From the AVweb article, Josh Johnson stated:

“As part of my flight planning, I called the FBO to see what their holiday hours were; I was told 24 hours a day, 365 days a year! I don't see that often anymore!

Upon arrival, I was greeted with a golf cart to carry our bags from the tiedowns to the terminal building. We departed at 8:00pm to beat some weather on the way home, and it was an absolute pleasure to have flight planning and restrooms available. Mike Jr., one of the ramp agents, was in the flight planning room and offered to go retrieve our airplane so we wouldn't have to carry our infant son so far in the cold. An excellent experience — and, for a big city, their prices were not much higher than my home airport!”

For full details, please visit the AVweb article.

Congratulations Corporate Flight Management.

Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS™) 10-Year Overhaul Requirements

SIL 10-01, Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS™) 10-Year Overhaul Requirements was recently released to answer the frequently asked questions related to this required service.  

Replacements have been occurring for more than 1 year with over 70 accomplished to date.  Approximately 200 more airplanes will be completed by the end of 2011, and an additional 400 in 2012.

Read the Service Bulletin:  Download SIL10-01

As always, we are available for questions or assistance.  Please contact Cirrus Customer Support at:  fieldservice@cirrusaircraft.com  1.800.921.2737 or 1.952.988.1940 (outside of the US & Canada).

CIRRUS AIRCRAFT ANNOUNCES A PRESTIGIOUS NEW HONOR:

 

At Cirrus Aircraft, we understand that our owners expect knowledgeable, highly trained professionals, full-service maintenance and training facilities, and an array of amenities when they bring their aircraft in for service or seek flight training. We are committed to providing our owners with a network of the best maintenance and training facilities in the business.

Our current Cirrus service and training network is made up of top-quality facilities, held to the highest standards in service and training. Now, we are raising those standards by honoring the highest performing Cirrus Authorized Service Centers (ASCs), Cirrus Training Centers (CTCs), and Cirrus Standardized Instructor Pilots (CSIPs) with a prestigious honor we’re calling a Cirrus Platinum Partner, signifying the best-of-the-best in our network.

When you select a Cirrus Platinum Service or Training Partner, you can rest assured that you are visiting a premier facility that prioritizes customer satisfaction above all else. These facilities have reached partnership and commitment to Cirrus Aircraft and our valued owners. Additionally, their flight instructors and service technicians are the most experienced and have shown dedication to professional development.

Cirrus congratulates our Platinum Partners for their commitment to the highest quality customerservice and technical skill. To find a Platinum Partner near you, search our maps using the Platinum Partner sort function for Service or Training.

Read more about the exemplary quality standards met by our Platinum Partners:

Training:  Platinum Training Partners

Service:  Platinum Service Partners

 

SR22T Service Bulletin

Service Bulletin SB2X-72-01 was released today.  The service bulletin calls for inspection of various areas for chafing and installs some new parts to reduce or eliminate the possibility of chafing.  This mandatory service bulletin should be performed at the next inspection interval or 100 hours whichever comes first.  Several changes were made to the Cirrus production line for new SR22T aircraft to correct the identified issue and prevent its reoccurrence.

Turbo Service Advisory

Cirrus recently published service advisory SA10-14. This service advisory references service bulletin SB 040 from Hartzell Engine Technologies and involves a problem affecting certain turbocharger center housing rotating assemblies (CHRA) where debris may not have been removed after the machining operation. The debris could enter the normal oil flow to the turbine wheel shaft assembly resulting in seizure of the shaft and/or turbine wheel head separation.

The service bulletin directs inspections of all new or overhauled turbo center housing rotating assemblies with less than 50 hours of service to identify affected parts with a specific foundry marking. Those parts affected should follow the instructions in the service bulletin for removal and cleaning.