Powered by a Williams FJ33 turbofan, the all-carbon fiber, low-wing, seven-seat Vision SF50 is pressurized, cruises at 300 knots (560 km/h; 350 mph) and has a range of over 1,200 nautical miles (2,200 km; 1,400 mi).

[6] At the October 2006 NBAA Convention, Cirrus detailed its single jet program to solicit US$100,000 deposits from potential customers, targeting a price below $1 million and a 2010 certification, for a 300 kn (560 km/h) cruise speed around 25,000 ft (7,600 m) with a Williams FJ33 and a whole-airplane parachute recovery system.

"[13] In early 2007 the company gave deposit holders a drawing of the aircraft in the form of a jigsaw puzzle, one piece at a time.

[22][23] By 3 December, the prototype had flown 120 hours, exploring the whole center of gravity envelope, testing engine in-flight shut-down and restart and aerodynamic stall characteristics.

Based on test flights and computer models, the aerodynamic design was modified to increase performance and improve the engine thrust angle.

[24] The aircraft's payload was planned to be 1,200 or 400 lb (540 or 180 kg) with full fuel, based on an expectation of owners often flying long trips solo.

[34][35] In August, he left the company while Dale remained, effectively ending the formal 25-year business partnership between the Klapmeier brothers.

[citation needed] Although some deposits had been refunded during the economic recession, Cirrus still had nearly 400 orders and anticipated first deliveries in 2012, subject to capital funding.

[37][38] In November 2009, following additional test flights, development slowed again due to the lack of capital, delaying deliveries past 2012.

[40] By January 2010, the prototype had accumulated 236 hours, while the certification and delivery timeline was reliant on cash flow, as 428 orders were backlogged and growing by one or two per week.

[42] In April 2012, Cirrus's new owner CAIGA invested enough in the project to secure its development, previously estimated at $150 million.

[64] By July, the SF50 had over 600 orders, the four flight test aircraft had flown more than 1,700 hours and certification had been delayed to the fourth quarter of the year.

[65] On 28 October, after a ten-year development process marked with myriad technical and financial challenges, the SF50 earned its type certificate from the FAA.

[68] The first customer delivery ceremony was held in the new $16 million, 70,000 sq ft (6,500 m2) finishing center in Duluth, where Cirrus employs more than 750 people.

[72] A video of the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS) being tested in-flight with a piloted SF50 prototype was published by Business Insider in May 2017.

[78] Since August 2020, Cirrus has offered an optional emergency autoland system by Garmin, which the company introduced in October 2019.

[83][84][85][86][87][2] The Vision SF50 is a low-wing cantilever monoplane powered by a single Williams FJ33-4A-19 turbofan, producing 1,900 lbf (8,500 N), mounted above the rear fuselage.

The design has urethane deicing boots and an optional lavatory, a single-piece carbon shell will contain cabin pressurization and it should fit in a usual US 40 ft (12 m) Tee hangar.

[93] In August 2020, the Vision SF50 received FAA approval for the installation of its Safe Return autoland system by Garmin, the first jet aircraft to do so.

[94] The system is activated with a cabin-ceiling switch and will determine the nearest safe airport, navigate to it, complete a landing and stop, all without human input.

[95] AVweb describes the Vision Jet as both a great airplane and a significant one by how well "the design resonates with the intended buyer".

Like an early 1970s Citation 500, aerodynamic drag limits it to VMO in a 300–500 ft/min (1.5–2.5 m/s) descents, for which it is held at max continuous thrust, unlike most current jets.

[98] The publication also states that the large wraparound windshields and sloping nose provide excellent forward visibility and a spacious cabin, although the engine noise is quite prominent, requiring active noise-cancelling headphones for all occupants.

The FJ33's FADEC lessens pilot workload, but changing thrust produces considerable pitch coupling, due to the engine's location.

The author reported that it can carry two people and baggage over 1,000 or 1,200 nmi (1,900 or 2,200 km) at 300 or 240 kn (560 or 440 km/h) TAS (NBAA IFR range).

[99] In April 2018, the design was named the 2017 winner of the Robert J. Collier Trophy for the "greatest achievement in aeronautics or astronautics in America" in the past year.

[107] Unlike the 737 MAX, the electronic stability control system in the Vision Jet could be overridden with pilot inputs, and all three reported incidents resulted in safe landings.

Cirrus determined that the fire's probable cause came from one of the plane's 12 audio amplifier circuit cards overheating.

[93] On July 20, 2021, Cirrus announced the G2+ variant of the Vision Jet, with a 20-percent increase in takeoff performance and Gogo Inflight WiFi.

[118] Florida-based charter company Verijet operates a fleet of ten G2 Vision Jets, with a total of 25 SF50s expected by the end of 2022.