Auto Radar, Cirrus IQ added as options for Vision Jet

"Radar was one of the last remaining complex features pilots needed to manage on the personal jet,” said Matt Bergwall, executive director of the Vision Jet product line. Customers are excited to be able “to simplify the overall flight experience.”

According to Cirrus, “Auto Radar allows the pilot to select the desired radar range which then automatically scans the area ahead and displays a composite, real-time depiction of the weather.” Bergwall said pilots can press one button on the control screen and within a few seconds, Auto Radar will build a weather picture. Pilots can overlay the image on a map or leave it on the radar screen.

Manual mode is still available. “If you are still kind of a Ph.D.-level user of radar, there are still many benefits of having it in the manual mode if you know exactly what you are looking at, what tilt levels are,” said Bergwall.

Cirrus IQ will be familiar to many Vision Jet pilots. Bergwall said about half of Vision Jet customers move up from the Cirrus SR22. Cirrus IQ has been available in the piston line and has now been added to the jet.

“Every time the airplane lands, it essentially sends data to the cloud,” Bergwall said. For example, Williams International now receives real-time data on its engines on every flight. And if an owner sees an annunciator error indication for the full authority digital engine control during preflight, he or she won’t need to get the data card and send information. Technicians can look it up immediately and let the owner know if it is a nonissue or if someone will need to address it immediately.

Bergwall said Cirrus’s goal is to minimize the jet’s down time.

With Cirrus IQ, Vision Jet pilots can also remotely check their fuel and oxygen levels among other preflight checks. This can save owners a trip to the airport in case they forget their fuel level before their next flight.

Cirrus IT Delivery Manager Jeff Sommers said the app will display information in the same format as it is displayed in the jet. It also contains maintenance reminders; technical publications; trip logs; and a locator for nearby Cirrus service centers, training partners, and campuses.

Because Cirrus IQ is an app, the manufacturer can continue to enhance the user experience with updates, Bergwall said.

Cirrus has already started delivering Vision Jet G2+ models with Auto Radar and Cirrus IQ, according to Bergwall; both features can be retrofitted on G2 and G2+ jets.