Cirrus - New jet just around the corner - Curt Lewis

New Cirrus jet nears certification

DULUTH, Minn. -- Cirrus Aircraft's new SF-50 Vision jet is still a few months away from receiving Federal Aviation Administration certification. But production of the groundbreaking small personal jet has been underway for some time.

Components for the light jet started being made a year ago at the company's Grand Forks, N.D., plant, then trucked to the Cirrus headquarters at the Duluth International Airport. There, assembly work began last April.

Today, one end of the 275,000-square-foot production building is dedicated to Vision jet assembly and testing. One large area is dotted with raw fuselages for testing and design.

One fuselage stands out, getting the most attention. It's farther along with production assembly workers starting to install its mechanical systems. Labeled "P1," it will be the first Vision jet to come down the production line - probably this spring. Its gleaming white wing rests on a stand nearby.