How Cirrus Builds Airplanes

Cutting edge. Looks like a lean production environment with some serious ongoing continuous improvement initiatives. Legit operation.

Orders for 600 jets with assembly for 100 per year. Awesome. Love to see a GA company continuing to be successful
 
I did a factory tour back when I owned a Cirrus. Impressive.

Especially how they glued the two fuselage halves together.

Compared to how labor-intensive something like a Bonanza or Mooney is, no wonder Cirrus is the sales leader it is.
 
Interesting video. Makes me wonder what the Grumman factory was like. Too bad they didn't have YouTube back then.
 
Makes me feel like a very non-efficient airplane builder.
 
OkieAviator said:
Makes me feel like a very non-efficient airplane builder.
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Yes, that feeling you get after almost every sub-assembly, "gee, if I ever had to do that again I know how to do it so much more easily and efficiently".

Homebuilding is just one long learning curve.
 
Bill Watson said:
Yes, that feeling you get after almost every sub-assembly, "gee, if I ever had to do that again I know how to do it so much more easily and efficiently".

Homebuilding is just one long learning curve.
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I've heard it said that after you complete your DIY home project you now have the skills to start it. :eek:

That helps make it more understandable when you see that someone has built multiple planes. The second one was much easier than the first, and by their 4th plane it was just a matter of the time needed to do the work. I missed a presentation at a local EAA chapter due to a scheduling conflict, but the presenter had built 7 planes! o_O :cool:
 
wayne said:
I've heard it said that after you complete your DIY home project you now have the skills to start it. :eek:
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Haha. Based on my experience with Home improvement projects, I would definitely need to scrap the first plane if I ever had the wacky idea to try to home build!
 
RudyP said:
Haha. Based on my experience with Home improvement projects, I would definitely need to scrap the first plane if I ever had the wacky idea to try to home build!
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I was dragged into lots of work on things as a kid with my father. I remember, back in my grade school years, holding up the transmission while he got the bolts in when he replaced the clutch plate in his Datsun 510. We finished basements, built decks, heck in one house we had built he and I did all of the plumbing and electrical work, plus some other things as well; I was in junior high at the time.

I wasn't always wild about it as a kid, but find it invaluable now as an adult. Even when I decide not to do a project myself, I can hire people that can and I can check up on their work. The subs for our current house found that out quickly. :eek: They found out I knew how to do things (by calling them out on some bad work) and they quit cutting as many corners; I'm sure they still got away with a few. We did a home improvement project a year or so ago and while I was getting quotes one guy left and my wife asked how much his quote was. I told her, "I don't know yet. He's going to email me the quote, but it doesn't matter. He's not getting the work no matter what his price is." I knew how it needed to be done, I'd done it before, and his description of what was needed was red-neck junk work at best.

While building a plane sounds cool, I don't think I'll ever do it. I've never done any metal or fiberglass work. Plus, I just can't imagine a 5-10 year long project. :eek::eek::eek: Maybe if I retire early and live where I had space to build a plane or near enough to an airport where I could get a hangar. Otherwise I'll just have to be content reading about others doing it.
 
wayne said:
I was dragged into lots of work on things as a kid with my father. I remember, back in my grade school years, holding up the transmission while he got the bolts in when he replaced the clutch plate in his Datsun 510. We finished basements, built decks, heck in one house we had built he and I did all of the plumbing and electrical work, plus some other things as well; I was in junior high at the time.

I wasn't always wild about it as a kid, but find it invaluable now as an adult. Even when I decide not to do a project myself, I can hire people that can and I can check up on their work. The subs for our current house found that out quickly. :eek: They found out I knew how to do things (by calling them out on some bad work) and they quit cutting as many corners; I'm sure they still got away with a few. We did a home improvement project a year or so ago and while I was getting quotes one guy left and my wife asked how much his quote was. I told her, "I don't know yet. He's going to email me the quote, but it doesn't matter. He's not getting the work no matter what his price is." I knew how it needed to be done, I'd done it before, and his description of what was needed was red-neck junk work at best.

While building a plane sounds cool, I don't think I'll ever do it. I've never done any metal or fiberglass work. Plus, I just can't imagine a 5-10 year long project. :eek::eek::eek: Maybe if I retire early and live where I had space to build a plane or near enough to an airport where I could get a hangar. Otherwise I'll just have to be content reading about others doing it.
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Just come over on Saturday mornings and work with our youth.
 
wayne said:
Plus, I just can't imagine a 5-10 year long project.
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I'm thinking starting with something like Aerolite 103. That one only needs 150 hours. The biggest new skill to learn would be covering.
 
wayne said:
I was dragged into lots of work on things as a kid with my father. I remember, back in my grade school years, holding up the transmission while he got the bolts in when he replaced the clutch plate in his Datsun 510. We finished basements, built decks, heck in one house we had built he and I did all of the plumbing and electrical work, plus some other things as well; I was in junior high at the time.

I wasn't always wild about it as a kid, but find it invaluable now as an adult. Even when I decide not to do a project myself, I can hire people that can and I can check up on their work. The subs for our current house found that out quickly. :eek: They found out I knew how to do things (by calling them out on some bad work) and they quit cutting as many corners; I'm sure they still got away with a few. We did a home improvement project a year or so ago and while I was getting quotes one guy left and my wife asked how much his quote was. I told her, "I don't know yet. He's going to email me the quote, but it doesn't matter. He's not getting the work no matter what his price is." I knew how it needed to be done, I'd done it before, and his description of what was needed was red-neck junk work at best.

While building a plane sounds cool, I don't think I'll ever do it. I've never done any metal or fiberglass work. Plus, I just can't imagine a 5-10 year long project. :eek::eek::eek: Maybe if I retire early and live where I had space to build a plane or near enough to an airport where I could get a hangar. Otherwise I'll just have to be content reading about others doing it.
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You sound like a candidate for home building. I grew up helping my Dad on similar projects AND building a lot of RC models. No metal work what so ever. I learned everything I know about fabricating and riveting aluminum ac parts from a week long session with a 17 yo at at build assist shop. It was easy after that.

I worked my last 5 years until the month I made my test flight, then retired, so there’s that.

The really nice part is that after finishing my build, no project seems too big (day at a time and all that) and no mechanical problem too tough to solve. Didn’t see that coming.


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9:54 how do they handle the overspray??

The jet looks like it has a 'nose' parachute; any vids of testing? It's too new to have ever been used yet, right?
 
wayne said:
Do they do that every Saturday, or just the first Saturday with the pancake breakfast? What time?
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Generally every Saturday from 9:00 am - 1:00 pm Schedule is posted at youth.eaa690.net
 
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