Cirrus Aircraft doubles sales over previous quarter

by Bob Kelleher, Minnesota Public Radio

Duluth, Minn. — Duluth airplane manufacturer Cirrus Aircraft reports second quarter sales more than doubled the pace of this year's first quarter.

Cirrus delivered 82 aircraft from April to June including the Cirrus SR-20, SR-22, and Turbo. The company is claiming 64 percent of all sales for aircraft similar to the Cirrus SR-22.

Vice President Todd Simmons says Cirrus 2nd quarter sales still lag those of a year ago by 40 to 45 percent, but said there are encouraging signs that Cirrus is emerging from the worst, which probably occurred early this year.

"It looks like we see some signs that we are beginning to emerge from I think the worst of the marketplace, which quite frankly occurred I think in the first quarter and the beginning of the second quarter," Simmons said.

Simmons says there are signs that customers are coming back into the airplane market with more confidence in the stock market, in real estate, and in their businesses.