Duluth-based Cirrus Aircraft sees billings jump 21% in 2022

Cirrus Aircraft saw a big sales jump in 2022 on the wings of its Vision jet.

The Duluth-based personal aircraft manufacturer reported $765 million in billings last year, according to a report from the General Aircraft Manufacturers Association (GAMA) released Wednesday. That's a 21% jump from 2021, while the industry overall saw sales rise 6% last year.

Cirrus also hit a record for Vision jet shipments, sending 90 of the $2 million-plus jets to customers last year.

The Vision, or SF50, has been key to the company's growth since it was introduced in 2016 and is expected to help Cirrus' plans to triple production over the next decade.

"We were very pleased with our 2022 results in light of a wide range of challenges that all aircraft manufacturers faced," the company said in a statement. "We continue being optimistic in 2023. We are looking forward to supply-chain challenges easing."

In Duluth and elsewhere, attracting and retaining a workforce to achieve growth goals has been difficult, as with other manufacturers.

"The general aviation manufacturing industry continues to show increasing strength despite workforce and supply-chain challenges across our industry," GAMA CEO Pete Bunce said in a news release.

Cirrus is investing millions renovating a hangar at the Duluth International Airport and has added new locations around the country in recent years — most recently in Orlando.

"Over the past two years, we have seen a larger percentage of people deciding to make personal aviation a part of their lives and also selecting Cirrus Aircraft as their partner on that journey," the company said.

Cirrus is owned by China Aviation Industry General Aircraft, a Chinese government-owned company.