DULUTH, Minn. — Cirrus Aircraft’s SR-series Engineering and Design Team has been named the recipient of the 2013 Joseph T. Nall Safety Award, for pioneering a wide array of safety features designed for single-engine aircraft.
The award is presented annually by the International Air & Transportation Safety Bar Association (IATSBA) to honor those who have made contributions to aviation and transportation safety.
Cirrus Aircraft Co-Founder and CEO Dale Klapmeier and members of the Cirrus Aircraft Design Team accepted the award during an awards dinner at the National Flight Academy in Pensacola, Fla., in conjunction with the IATSBA annual conference in late 2013.
Team members are:
- Dale Klapmeier, Co-Founder & CEO
- Pat Waddick, President & COO
- Paul Brey, Senior Vice President, Product Development
- Mike Stevens, Chief Test Pilot
- Paul Johnston, Chief Engineer
- Travis Klumb, Director of Flight Operations
- Dave Rathbun, Chief Engineer, SF50
- Tim Timmerman, Director SR2X Program
Cirrus Aircraft’s SR-Series aircraft introduced new safety technologies to general aviation, including the whole airplane parachute system, known on Cirrus aircraft as the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS).
“We have the deepest regard for the aviation leaders who have received this award in past years, and Cirrus Aircraft is honored to join them,” Klapmeier said. “However, our work is far from done as we continue to challenge ourselves to make flying safer and more secure for new and seasoned pilots alike.”
From the inception of the SR-series aircraft, Klapmeier and the design team have explored ways to build a better, safer airplane, according to company officials. Besides CAPS, other enhancements include composite construction, airframe ice protection and Cirrus Perspective avionics by Garmin with its hypoxia recognition, bank-angle control and stall protection systems.
Cirrus Approach, a multi-year pilot training initiative designed to enhance Cirrus pilot safety and reduce the general aviation accident rate, is the latest iteration of Cirrus’ commitment to safety, according to company officials.
Congratulations, Cirrus! Now, please start working on decreasing the minimum deployment altitude of the CAPS. GA needs technology that protects during the most dangerous phaseS of flight-takeoff and landing. In conjunction with this, please move to a pilot selectable auto-deployment option. Too many lives are being lost because pilots can’t make the deployment decision, so they should make it in advance. The system can always allow an override.