Cirrus Design is to strengthen and expand its agent and product support network in the second half of the year in an effort to penetrate emerging markets and widen the appeal of its SR20/22 piston single line within more mature regions.
Cirrus director of sales support Ian Bentley says: "Within North America, Western Europe, South Africa and the Antipodes our agents are highly motivated and effective. However, outside these regions we either have very little penetration or none at all."
Cirrus most recently stepped up its marketing efforts in Australia and New Zealand and last month delivered the first New Zealand-based four-seat SR22 on top of the handful of Cirrus types already based in Australia.
Cirrus agents are typically service centres, Bentley says, with a role to cultivate business for the Duluth, Minnesota-based manufacturer and take orders for aircraft, which are then delivered directly to the customer. "Our agents are not sales people and do not offer deals on the aircraft. This approach has been successful and we don't plan to change the way things are done."
Cirrus is eyeing key growth areas, notably China, Indonesia, Malaysia and South America, although Bentley admits there are "very few places in the world where you couldn't build a case for more penetration of our aircraft". He adds: "The Pacific Rim and South America have a lot of potential and although there are a few [Cirrus] aircraft based within these regions we do not have a significant presence yet."
Cirrus last year built two aircraft a day, with the SR22 accounting for two-thirds of annual deliveries. "The Duluth plant is designed to handle double the current total, but we don't know when this will happen. Production this year is expected to remain stable at around 500 aircraft," Bentley says.
Meanwhile, the Cirrus SR22 has become the only aircraft in its class with a glass cockpit, following delivery last week of the first two aircraft equipped with the $24,500 option. The Avidyne flat panel primary flight display (PFD) replaces several instruments, including attitude, horizontal situation, altitude, airspeed and vertical speed indicators, says Cirrus. Around 80% of SR22 orders include the PFD.
Source: Flight International
