The Ultimate Cirrus Path: From the SR22T to the Vision Jet

The Manufacturer's Intended Upgrade to Your First Jet

Cirrus designed the Vision Jet specifically as the natural upgrade from the SR22T. Same manufacturer, same philosophy (safety through technology), same CAPS parachute system. The transition feels like evolution, not revolution—you're upgrading within the Cirrus family to the ultimate expression of personal aviation.

The Vision Jet is a bridge between personal aircraft and light jets. It combines piston-aircraft simplicity with jet performance, making it accessible to ambitious pilots who've mastered the SR22T but crave jet-speed capability.

The SR22T: The Piston That Built the Vision Jet

The SR22T is the fastest naturally-aspirated single-engine piston aircraft. You've mastered turbocharged engine management, high-altitude flying, and professional operations. The SR22T has prepared you perfectly for the technical demands of jet flying—particularly engine monitoring and systems management at altitude.

But the SR22T has an inherent limitation: propellers. Piston engines driving propellers have a speed ceiling around 215 knots. For true jet-speed performance, you need a jet engine.

The SF50 Vision Jet: The World's First Single-Engine Personal Jet

Williams FJ33 Turbofan Engine

The Vision Jet features the Williams FJ33 turbofan engine—a purpose-designed jet engine for single-engine aircraft. With 2,000 pounds of thrust, it produces 300+ knots cruise speed with exceptional fuel efficiency for a jet.

Key advantages:

• Single power control (throttle only; computer manages everything)
• Burns Jet-A fuel (available globally)
• Continuous engine monitoring with alert systems
• Exceptional reliability and dispatch capability
• Smooth, vibration-free operation

Pressurized Cabin and Speed

The Vision Jet cabin pressurizes to 25,000 feet, allowing comfortable flight above weather. Cruise speed exceeds 300 knots, making cross-continental missions practical. The combination of speed and pressurization transforms what's possible in a single-engine aircraft.

CAPS and Safety

The Vision Jet retains the signature CAPS parachute system. With a single jet engine and whole-aircraft parachute backup, the safety profile actually exceeds many light twins.

Glass Cockpit and Avionics

The Vision Jet features the most advanced avionics suite in personal aviation. Cirrus Perspective touch-screen glass cockpit, synthetic vision, integrated flight management system, and autopilot make the aircraft sophisticated and capable.

Key Gains: Jet Engine Power, 300+ Knot Cruise, HALO Autoland

Speed Transformation

Consider typical missions:

• SR22T: 1,000 NM mission = 4.7 hours flight time
• Vision Jet: 1,000 NM mission = 3.3 hours flight time
• Savings: 1.4 hours per mission, or 2.8 hours per round trip

For business flying, these time savings translate to meaningful productivity gains.

Professional Image

Arriving in a personal jet changes perception. The Vision Jet projects professionalism and success in ways high-performance pistons cannot.

HALO Autoland System

The Vision Jet features an experimental autoland system, paving the way for autonomous aircraft operations. This represents the cutting edge of personal aviation technology.

Cost of Ownership: Piston to Personal Jet

Purchase Price

Used Vision Jet prices:

• Early models (2016-2018): $1,500,000-$2,000,000
• Modern models (2020+): $2,500,000-$3,500,000+

Annual Operating Costs (500 hours/year)

Fixed Costs:

• Insurance: $15,000-$25,000/year
• Hangar: $3,000-$5,000/year
• Maintenance reserves: $50,000-$75,000/year
• Registration and misc: $2,000/year
• Total Fixed: $70,000-$107,000/year

Variable Costs (500 hours):

• Jet-A fuel: 65 GPH × 500 hrs × $5/gallon = $162,500
• Engine maintenance/reserves: $1,000-$1,500/hour = $500,000-$750,000
• Total Variable: $662,500-$912,500

Grand Total: $732,500-$1,019,500/year ($1,465-$2,039 per hour)

These economics require either significant personal wealth or charter revenue generation to justify ownership.

Jet Pilot Certification and Training

Required Certifications

• Commercial Pilot Certificate (already have from SR22T experience)
• Instrument Rating (required)
• Vision Jet type rating (40-60 hours specialized training)
• Jet engine endorsement

Transition Training

Budget 40-60 hours of formal training costing $15,000-$30,000. Cirrus offers structured Vision Jet training programs. Your SR22T experience significantly reduces training time compared to piston-only pilots.

Frequently Asked Questions