Safety Alert

SAFETY ALERT
To: All Pilots Who Fly Cirrus Aircraft
From: Cirrus Aircraft & Cirrus Owners and Pilots Association (COPA)
Date: August 10, 2010
Re: Safety Stand-Down and Safe Flight Practices
Dear Fellow Cirrus Pilot,
An important part of our relationship with you is meaningful communication,

especially around issues that are important to the entire Cirrus community. Several
recent accidents involving Cirrus aircraft highlight the need for us to focus our
collective attention on safe flight practices, particularly during the landing and go-
around phases. Both Cirrus Aircraft and COPA urge you to carefully review this
safety alert as well as the following suggestions:
First, we are asking each of you to review the basic information on how to manage your
aircraft in all phases of flight. Please re-read your Pilot's Operating Handbook, Section 2,
Limitations, Section 3 Emergency Procedures, and Section 4, Normal Procedures. Also,
review Section 3, Standard Operating Procedures, of the Flight Operations Manual. Look
for expanded guidance on normal operating procedures with special attention to
approach stability, traffic patterns, landing procedures and go-around. Copies of these
books are available online at the COPA website and through the Cirrus Connection store.
Second, we are requesting each and every one of you to conduct a currency flight. All
company pilots for Cirrus Aircraft follow a structured safety program (in sales, training,
and flight operations) – and our safety record shows that it works. We are requesting that
all Cirrus pilots conduct a currency flight with a qualified Cirrus Training Center (CTC) or
Cirrus Standardized Instructor Pilot (CSIP), regardless of your total PIC time, time-in-
type, or years of successful flight. This is the best way for all pilots to identify and correct
bad habits that may have slipped into our routines over time.
A specific syllabus for this recurrent training has been given to every CTC and CSIP. The
1.0 to 1.5 flight hours that you commit to this training event should improve your airspeed
control, touchdown accuracy, approach stability, and most importantly, the overall safety
of every flight. The training will also help develop your proficiency and comfort level with
go-around and power off landings.
The recent incidents that prompted this Safety Alert have been discussed in various
forums, including COPA, and many of the comments have focused upon improper
landing speeds. Airspeed control is an important element of establishing a stabilized
approach to land, which in turn plays a key role in the safety and quality of any landing.
Therefore, it is critical that you understand the energy management of your aircraft to
assure the proper speeds are used throughout the traffic pattern to achieve a safe and
comfortable landing for you and your passengers.
Further to this effort, we want to stress the importance of establishing a long-term
commitment to maintaining safe flying habits. Both Cirrus Aircraft and COPA encourage a
semi-annual program of recurrent training with a CTC or CSIP. We also encourage you to
attend a Cirrus Pilot Proficiency Program (CPPP) weekend event, held both in the US
and Europe, to learn a wealth of Cirrus-specific knowledge and fly with some of the most
experienced Cirrus instructors in the world. These events are centered around this very
concept of staying proficient and avoiding the traps of complacency. Several CPPP
events for the balance of 2010 and new events for 2011 will appear shortly. Visit
www.cirruspilots.org <http://www.cirruspilots.org> for more information.
If you know other Cirrus pilots in your area, we strongly encourage you to pass this
important message on to them to participate in this important currency effort.
Safety is the highest priority at Cirrus and COPA, but safety is up to all of us.
Let’s get out and enjoy flying while raising the safety bar even higher.
The following excerpts from the Cirrus Flight Operations Manual describe the procedures for normal
landings.
VFR Stabilized Approach

A VFR approach is considered stabilized when all of the following criteria are achieved by 500' AGL:
• Proper airspeed,
• Correct flight path,
• Correct aircraft configuration for phase of flight,
• Appropriate power setting for aircraft configuration,
• Normal angle and rate of descent,
• Only minor corrections are required to correct deviations.
A go-around must be executed if the above conditions are not met and the aircraft is not stabilized by 500' AGL.
Traffic Pattern Description and Approximate Power Settings
Slow the aircraft early enough to
allow for an easy transition into
the traffic flow and enough time
to ensure the aircraft is
configured for landing. The
following profile describes a
normal traffic pattern. Pilots
should use this profile as a
guide when entering the traffic
pattern on the downwind leg
and modify as appropriate for
base entry or straight in
approaches. Bank angle should
be limited to 30° in the traffic
pattern.
Normal Landings
Normal landings should be
made with 100% flaps. Final
approach speeds should be
adjusted to account for gusts exceeding 10 KTS by Normal SR22, SR22TN,
adding half of the gust factor. Reduce power smoothly SR20
Approach and SR22T
and begin slowing from the final approach speed at a
Landing
time that allows an easy transition from final descent to G1, G2 G3 G1, G2 G3
(100% Flaps)
round out and flare with minimum floating or ballooning.
Touch downs should be made on the main wheels first at Approach Speed 75 78 80-85 80-85
speeds slightly above stall. Gently lower the nose wheel 50 ft Speed 75 78 77 77
after the mains are on the ground. Touchdown
Slightly Above Stall Speed
Go-Around Speed
A go-around should be executed anytime an approach does not meet the stabilized approach criteria outlined in
this manual for instrument or visual conditions. A go-around should be completed from memory since it is a time
critical maneuver.
In addition to the stabilized approach criteria, execute a go-around/missed approach for these conditions:
• Excessive ballooning during round out or flare,
• Excessive bouncing or porpoising,
• Landing beyond 1st third of the runway,
• Any condition when a safe landing is in question.
The first priority of executing a go-around is to stop the aircraft’s descent. Smoothly and promptly apply full power
while simultaneously leveling the wings and pitching the aircraft to stop the descent. Maintain coordination while
adding power by applying rudder pressure. Retract the flaps to 50%. Do not fully retract the flaps at this point in the
go around because it may lead to excessive altitude loss.
Begin pitching for a climb attitude once the aircraft's descent rate has been stopped. Pitch for V X if obstacle
clearance is an issue. Pitch for VY for all other situations. Retract flaps to 0% once the aircraft is climbing, and clear
of obstacles, and at 85kts (SR20), 80kts (SR22).

Safety Alert - Landings

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To: All Pilots Who Fly Cirrus Aircraft

Date: August 10, 2010

Re: Safety Stand-Down and Safe Flight Practices

Dear Fellow Cirrus Pilot,

An important part of our relationship with you is meaningful communication,

VFR Stabilized Approach

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