Definition
A four-seat, single-engine light aircraft manufactured by Cirrus Aircraft, featuring a fixed tricycle landing gear, a composite airframe, a glass cockpit avionics suite, and a whole-airframe parachute recovery system (CAPS). It is commonly used for primary and instrument flight training as well as personal transportation.
Plain English
A modern, four-seat propeller airplane made by Cirrus. It has a built-in parachute that can lower the entire aircraft to the ground in an emergency, and it uses digital screens instead of traditional round-dial instruments.
Context Anchor
Seen in instrument flying discussions when the handbook describes cockpit displays and trend indicators in a specific airplane.
Derivation
Cirrus is the company name (also the term for a high, wispy cloud, evoking flight). 'SR' stands for 'Single Reciprocating' (engine), and '20' refers to the original 200-horsepower engine fitted to the model.
Why Pilots Care
The SR-20 is widely used in flight schools, so many instrument students will train in one. Its glass cockpit and parachute system require specific training and procedures that differ from older training aircraft.
Intuition Check
Do not read “Cirrus” here as a cloud type. In this context, Cirrus SR-20 means a specific airplane model made by Cirrus Aircraft.
Example Sentence 1
She completed her instrument rating in a Cirrus SR-20 equipped with a Garmin Perspective glass cockpit.
Example Sentence 2
In the Cirrus SR-20, trend indicators on the attitude indicator helped the pilot anticipate a small heading change before it became a deviation.