BeechTalk - BT

Username Protected · **Posted:** 02 Oct 2025, 13:51

Username Protected wrote:

So, no, posting about featuring a Bonanza won't change the water level. Given what the two planes have to offer, at the price points for each, it's an easy win for Cirrus.

Until you need low door access for people with limited mobility to sit in the back, or for bicycles or big boxes...

All of that is a very small market niche though.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 02 Oct 2025, 14:59

One of the speakers at Redbird's conference this year was Jerry Wilke, a former marketing and brand VP at Harley Davidson who spent many years on Cirrus' Advisory Board. It's no coincidence that they brought in people from other industries with a strong understanding of the power of brand. As he put it, "Harley Davidson customers get a tattoo of our logo. They're not cross-shopping with Hondas."

My wife is a (reasonably) happy passenger who likes that airplanes can get us where we want to go but has no particular interest in aviation. About the only thing she does know is "The Cirrus is the one with the chute". Well, now she knows some of them have auto-land too.

Oddly enough she didn't find wearing a chute in the Pitts quite as reassuring. :shrug:

Username Protected · **Posted:** 02 Oct 2025, 15:01

Username Protected wrote:

One year at a Max Grogan DKX fly-in we had a Demo G36 and a Demo SR22. They were parked side by side on the ramp with representatives for each standing by to answer questions. Anyone who wanted to could sit in either one. The contrast was telling. The SR22 got tons of attention, the G36 got some polite looks, and the reason was obvious; The SR22 looked new and modern, it looked like a high end luxury car with wings. The Bonanza was nice, but it looked like any other 36 model that someone gave a new interior and panel update. There was no "wow". I felt bad for the Textron rep. I would not have been surprised if Arlen had taken the SR home (IIRC this was pre-310)

So, no, posting about featuring a Bonanza won't change the water level. Given what the two planes have to offer, at the price points for each, it's an easy win for Cirrus.

Yup, Cirrus look very modern, sleek, interiors high-end sports car, or luxury car grade. Each year some incremental upgrades. Beechcraft, current up to 1962, maybe... Except for the Garmin panels, look like they are out of a mid-60s Brylcreem commercial. Is it any wonder annual Baron & Bonanza sales are single digits?

Username Protected · **Posted:** 02 Oct 2025, 15:23

Username Protected wrote:

I recognized that marketing emphasis long ago. I just hadn't heard the latest number. It is good for GA. The guy in the video also said that Cirrus delivers about 700 airplanes annually (58/month, about 13/week). That's an impressive number given the times we live in.

Even more impressive when you realize that 100 of those were jets. Numbers for 2024 show 630 SRs and 101 SF50s. They seem to be on the same pace so far this year.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 03 Oct 2025, 01:48

Username Protected wrote:

I'd like to know how they got that Cirrus in his garage, I don't think it is next to an airport.

It's just a mockup that they bring to shows. Notice that the "N-number" on the side of the fuselage is CIRRUS

Username Protected · **Posted:** 04 Oct 2025, 11:50

I think Leno was given questions to ask.

The planes are beautiful. Add in auto-land capabilities and it's an impressive product. They have done well developing a product people want. Friend of mine has a G7+ order in - May 2026 delivery date. For a $1.3MM airplane you wait six months.

I wish they were cheaper to own an operate.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 08 Oct 2025, 15:00

Username Protected wrote:

I think Leno was given questions to ask.

The planes are beautiful. Add in auto-land capabilities and it's an impressive product. They have done well developing a product people want. Friend of mine has a G7+ order in - May 2026 delivery date. For a $1.3MM airplane you wait six months.

I wish they were cheaper to own an operate.

Yeah it felt a bit scripted (and cringe) to me, but maybe that's what sells for non-pilots.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 08 Oct 2025, 16:39

What bugged me about the video was Jay's seatbelt set where the lap & shoulder belts were meeting at his ribcage. You have to tighten the lap belts a bunch to move that down to a more appropriate position. It's not intuitive to the uninitiated.

There were a couple facts in there that didn't seem entirely accurate to me, but whatever, it's just a TV show.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 08 Oct 2025, 16:53

Username Protected wrote:

What bugged me about the video was Jay's seatbelt set where the lap & shoulder belts were meeting at his ribcage. You have to tighten the lap belts a bunch to move that down to a more appropriate position. It's not intuitive to the uninitiated.

There were a couple facts in there that didn't seem entirely accurate to me, but whatever, it's just a TV show.

The seatbelts in the Cirrus are horrible in my opinion. Those and the stupid trim hat and lack of manual trim of any kind. There is no comfortable way to wear the seatbelts and if you watch almost any video where you see the seatbelts they are not fitted properly. The life limited (mandated by type certificate) airbag seat belt inflators are expensive and were not easy to locate in my single experience of having to replace them.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 08 Oct 2025, 17:12

Username Protected wrote:

The life limited (mandated by type certificate) airbag seat belt inflators are expensive and were not easy to locate in my single experience of having to replace them.

You'd think parts would be more available for something in such active production, but I hear from the local shop that they have a hard time getting parts. Have you had to deal with the cracking throttle lever?

Username Protected · **Posted:** 11 Oct 2025, 17:23

Username Protected wrote:

I recognized that marketing emphasis long ago. I just hadn't heard the latest number. It is good for GA. The guy in the video also said that Cirrus delivers about 700 airplanes annually (58/month, about 13/week). That's an impressive number given the times we live in.

They need those numbers to counter the chute pulls.

The technology and car-like cockpits attract the technology oriented consumers who can afford a million dollar plane, but too often they haven't acquired the basic flying skills that graduating through trainers provides, and the Cirrus ends up with the Forked -Tail syndrome.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 11 Oct 2025, 18:37

Username Protected wrote:

You'd think parts would be more available for something in such active production, but I hear from the local shop that they have a hard time getting parts. Have you had to deal with the cracking throttle lever?

Not yet. I got a bit of hangar rash on a wingtip Dec 2024. Luckily just cosmetic. I ordered a new wingtip to have on hand. As sort of a reminder and penance. It was around $1,800. I STILL don’t have it! On the bright side when I checked early this year the wingtip was $2,400. In that respect one of my better investments. Who knew wingtip futures were so lucrative.

SR22 in Jay Leno’s Garage