The Cirrus SR20 is a low-wing, fixed-gear airplane with a composite airframe, a constant-speed propeller, side control yokes and a whole-airplane parachute called CAPS. The FAA approved it in October 1998 under type certificate A00009CH. Current SR20s seat up to five and have a 215 hp Lycoming IO-390 engine, a 3,150 lb maximum weight and a 201 KIAS never-exceed speed. Earlier SR20s have a 200 hp Continental IO-360-ES, and that difference decides whether you need a high-performance endorsement. The POH/AFM for your airplane’s serial number always governs.
Part of our Training Aircraft guide. Comparing trainers? See the Cessna 172, the two-seat Cessna 152, the Piper Cherokee and Warrior and the composite Diamond DA40.
Cirrus SR20 specs at a glance
The values below are for SR20 serial numbers 2220, 2339 and on, the 215 hp airplanes. Limits come from the FAA Type Certificate Data Sheet A00009CH (Revision 25, December 26, 2025). Other figures come from the Cirrus Pilot’s Operating Handbook and FAA Approved Airplane Flight Manual for those serials, document 11934-005 (Reissue A, Revision A1; use the latest revision). Older SR20s differ (see the serial number table).
| Specification | SR20, S/N 2220, 2339 and on | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Normal | TCDS A00009CH |
| Seats | Up to 5 (4+1: two front seats, two plus one in the rear row); 3- and 2-seat layouts are also listed | TCDS A00009CH |
| Engine | Lycoming IO-390-C3B6, fuel injected, 215 hp at 2,700 rpm | TCDS, POH |
| Propeller | Hartzell three-blade, constant speed, 74 in (metal standard, 73 in minimum; composite optional) | TCDS, POH |
| Fuel | 100LL or 100 minimum grade avgas | TCDS A00009CH |
| Fuel capacity | 58.5 gal total, 56 gal usable | TCDS A00009CH |
| Maximum takeoff and landing weight | 3,150 lb | TCDS A00009CH |
| Maximum baggage | 130 lb | TCDS A00009CH |
| Maximum operating altitude | 17,500 ft MSL | TCDS A00009CH |
| Flaps | Up, 50 percent (16 degrees), 100 percent (32 degrees) | TCDS, POH |
| Load factor limits, flaps up | +3.8 g, -1.9 g | POH |
| Maximum demonstrated crosswind | 20 knots | POH |
| Airframe life limit | 12,000 flight hours | TCDS A00009CH |
Useful load depends on your airplane’s own weight and balance record.
Cirrus SR20 V-speeds
From POH 11934-005 at 3,150 lb; the G7 flight manual (44763-001, S/N 9750 and on) lists the same airspeed limits and normal-procedure speeds. Speeds are KIAS, with KCAS in parentheses where the POH gives it. New to these terms? Read our V-speeds guide first.
| Speed | KIAS |
|---|---|
| Vne, never exceed (red line) | 201 (204 KCAS) |
| Vno, maximum structural cruising (top of green arc) | 164 (166 KCAS) |
| Vo, operating maneuvering speed, 3,150 lb | 133 (135 KCAS) |
| Vfe, flaps 50 percent / 100 percent | 150 / 110 (152 / 111 KCAS) |
| Vpd, maximum demonstrated parachute deployment | 133 (135 KCAS) |
| Rotation, normal takeoff, flaps 50 percent | 71 to 75 |
| Short field takeoff rotation / speed at obstacle, flaps 50 percent | 71 / 81 |
| Best angle of climb, go-around, flaps 50 percent | 81 |
| Best rate of climb, flaps up: sea level / 10,000 ft | 96 / 92 |
| Best glide, flaps up: 3,150 lb / 2,600 lb | 100 / 92 |
| Approach: flaps up / 50 percent / 100 percent | 89 / 84 / 78 |
| Stall, power idle, wings level, forward CG: flaps up / 50 / 100 percent | 71 / 67 / 62 (69 / 64 / 60 KCAS) |
| Maximum turbulent air penetration: 3,150 / 2,700 / 2,300 lb | 133 / 123 / 114 |
The green arc runs from 71 to 164 KIAS and the white arc from 62 to 110 KIAS. Note that normal takeoffs use 50 percent flaps. The POH warns that altitude loss in a wings-level stall may be 250 ft or more, and stall speed climbs quickly with bank: at 60 degrees, flaps up, the table shows 98 KIAS. Our stalls guide explains why.
SR20 versions by serial number
Cirrus markets its airplanes by generation (its website calls the current SR Series the G7+), but the FAA data sheet and handbooks go by serial number, so use the serial number to find your limits.
| Serial numbers | Engine | Max takeoff weight | Vne | Handbook (avionics) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1005 to 1147 | Continental IO-360-ES, 200 hp | 2,900 lb (3,000 lb after SB 20-01-00) | 200 KIAS | 11934-001 or -002 |
| 1148 to 1877, 1879 to 1885 | IO-360-ES, 200 hp | 3,000 lb (2,900 lb landing) | 200 KIAS | 11934-002, or -003 from S/N 1268 (analog or Avidyne) |
| 1878, 1886 to 2219, 2221 to 2338 | IO-360-ES, 200 hp | 3,050 lb | 200 KIAS | 11934-003, or -004 from S/N 2016 (Cirrus Perspective) |
| 2220, 2339 and on | Lycoming IO-390-C3B6, 215 hp | 3,150 lb | 201 KIAS | 11934-005 (Cirrus Perspective+) |
| 9750 and on | IO-390-C3B6, 215 hp | 3,150 lb | 201 KIAS | AFM 44763-001 (Perspective Touch+) |
Every SR20 has 56 gallons usable. Flap speeds also changed: the earliest airplanes have a single 100 KIAS flap limit, while S/N 1878, 1886 and on have separate 50 and 100 percent limits. Perspective+ and Perspective Touch+ are integrated glass cockpits built on Garmin systems. Match the handbook to the airplane. Our POH guide explains how to read one.
CAPS: the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System
CAPS is a 2,400 square foot round parachute packed with a solid-propellant rocket in a box just behind the baggage compartment. A harness built into the fuselage connects it to the airplane. You fire it by removing the cover from the activation T-handle in the cabin ceiling, on the centerline just above the pilot’s right shoulder, and pulling straight down with both hands. The POH says a strong, steady “chin-up” pull works best and that up to 45 lb of force or more may be needed; jerking the handle greatly increases the force required.
According to the POH, the parachute begins to inflate about two seconds after the rocket fires. Deceleration should stay under 3 g, descent rate is expected to be under 1,700 fpm, and ground impact should feel like a drop from about 10 feet. The POH also warns that deployment will most likely destroy the airplane and may, in adverse circumstances, cause serious injury or death.
How Cirrus trains you to think about CAPS
- Spins and loss of control: pull immediately. The SR20 is not approved for spins and was not certified for spin recovery. The POH says the only approved and demonstrated spin recovery is CAPS activation, and it is mandatory in a spin regardless of altitude.
- Other emergencies: your informed decision. Otherwise CAPS is the pilot in command’s call, though the POH recommends it after a mid-air collision or structural failure, for pilot incapacitation and for forced landings over unsuitable terrain.
- Decide by 2,000 ft AGL. When gliding to an airport, the POH says you must decide by 2,000 ft AGL whether the landing is assured or CAPS is needed, and it advises deploying at or above 2,000 ft AGL when circumstances permit. No minimum altitude has been set, but level-flight deployments have lost less than 400 ft.
- Practice the decision. Cirrus says pilots who regularly train and think about CAPS are often more likely to use it when needed, and recommends discussing scenarios with instructors.
Brief CAPS on every flight, including who pulls it. The POH recommends briefing passengers on CAPS so they could deploy it if the pilot is incapacitated, and it lists a “Remove Before Flight” safety pin for the handle that must be out before you fly.
What feels different from a Cessna or Piper
- Side yokes, not a center yoke or stick. The POH describes two single-handed side control yokes mounted under the instrument panel. You slide the yoke fore and aft for pitch and trim with a button on top.
- One lever for power and propeller. The SR20 has a constant-speed propeller but no blue prop knob. A single MAX-POWER-IDLE lever sets the throttle and the propeller governor together, commanding 2,500 rpm from idle through cruise and 2,700 rpm at full power. You still lean with a separate mixture lever. Our constant-speed propeller guide explains what the governor does.
- Castering nosewheel. The nosewheel swivels freely, and you steer on the ground with differential braking. The POH says the most common cause of brake damage is excess heat from improper braking, such as riding the brakes.
- Electric flaps with three positions. A motorized actuator drives them to up, 50 or 100 percent, selected with a flap switch.
Is the SR20 high performance or complex?
- High performance. 14 CFR 61.31(f) defines a high-performance airplane as one with an engine of more than 200 horsepower. The 200 hp IO-360-ES SR20 is not more than 200 hp, so it is not high performance. The 215 hp IO-390 SR20 (S/N 2220, 2339 and on) is, so you need the logged training and one-time high-performance endorsement to act as pilot in command, unless one of the narrow exceptions in 61.31(f)(2) applies. A student flying solo is the pilot in command, so ask your instructor to give the high-performance training and endorsement along with your solo endorsement before you solo a 215 hp SR20.
- Not complex. 14 CFR 61.1 defines a complex airplane as one with retractable landing gear, flaps and a controllable pitch propeller. Every SR20 has fixed landing gear, so none is complex, even though it has flaps and a constant-speed propeller.
Our complex and high-performance endorsement guide covers the training. The SR22 has a 310 hp engine and the SR22T 315 hp, so both are high performance, and neither is complex.
Why flight schools and universities fly the SR20
The reasons come from the airplane’s equipment:
- A glass cockpit from the first lesson. SR20s from S/N 2016 on have Cirrus Perspective integrated avionics, and Cirrus describes the current G7 flight deck as including Perspective Touch+ by Garmin, Electronic Stability and Protection, and integrated engine indication and crew alerting.
- CAPS on every SR20. It is part of the type certificate, which lists a special condition for the ballistic parachute.
- A training-specific variant. Cirrus builds the TRAC20, which it describes as designed for pilot training, and in May 2024 announced deliveries of TRAC20 G7 aircraft to a university aviation college that is replacing its SR20 fleet.
Rental rates vary, so ask what an SR20 hour costs when you book a discovery flight.
What you'll need
Cockpit posters make Perspective flows easy to rehearse at home, and the first solo plaque is for the day you earn it.
SR20 vs SR22
Both share type certificate A00009CH; the SR22 was approved November 30, 2000.
| SR20 (S/N 2220, 2339 and on) | SR22 (S/N 3915 and on) | |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | Lycoming IO-390-C3B6, 215 hp | Continental IO-550-N, 310 hp |
| Maximum takeoff weight | 3,150 lb | 3,600 lb |
| Usable fuel | 56 gal | 92 gal (81 gal on early serials) |
| Vne / Vno | 201 / 164 KIAS | 208 / 179 KIAS |
| Vpd, parachute deployment | 133 KIAS | 140 KIAS |
| High performance under 61.31(f) | Yes | Yes |
A turbocharged SR22T (Continental TSIO-550-K, 315 hp) is on the same certificate.
Tips for flying the SR20
- Stalls. The POH describes conventional stall characteristics, a stall warning horn 5 to 10 knots before the stall and a STALL warning on the crew alerting display. It warns against uncoordinated, abrupt control inputs near the stall, since the airplane has no approved spin recovery other than CAPS.
- Takeoff. Flaps 50 percent, rotate smoothly at 71 to 75 KIAS, and retract flaps at 85 KIAS.
- Weight and balance. With 56 gallons usable, full fuel weighs about 336 lb at 6 lb per gallon. Run a real weight and balance with your airplane’s actual empty weight.
- Solo endorsement. Under 14 CFR 61.87(n), your solo endorsement is for the specific make and model, and under 61.87(p) your instructor must find you proficient in that model, so switching to the SR20 before solo means SR20 training and a new endorsement.
These are published values for a standard airplane. Modifications and equipment change the limits, so your airplane’s POH and its supplements govern.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Cirrus SR20 require a high-performance endorsement?
It depends on the engine. SR20s with the 200 hp Continental IO-360-ES are not high performance, because 14 CFR 61.31(f) requires an engine of more than 200 horsepower. SR20s from serial number 2220, 2339 and on have a 215 hp Lycoming IO-390 and do require the high-performance training and endorsement to act as pilot in command.
Is the Cirrus SR20 a complex airplane?
No. Under 14 CFR 61.1 a complex airplane has retractable landing gear, flaps and a controllable pitch propeller. The SR20 has flaps and a constant-speed propeller but fixed landing gear, so it is not complex.
What are the V-speeds for a Cirrus SR20?
For the 215 hp SR20 at 3,150 pounds, the POH lists Vne 201 KIAS, Vno 164 KIAS, maneuvering speed 133 KIAS, flap limits of 150 KIAS at 50 percent and 110 KIAS at 100 percent, rotation at 71 to 75 KIAS, best rate of climb 96 KIAS at sea level and best glide 100 KIAS. Check the POH for your serial number.
Can you spin a Cirrus SR20?
No. Spins and acrobatic maneuvers are prohibited. The SR20 was not certified for spin recovery, and the POH says the only approved and demonstrated spin recovery is deploying the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System, which is mandatory in a spin.
What is the maximum speed for deploying the SR20 parachute?
The maximum demonstrated deployment speed is 133 KIAS. The POH says to slow down as much as reasonably possible before pulling, but to activate CAPS regardless of airspeed if time and altitude are critical. If circumstances permit, it advises deploying at or above 2,000 feet AGL.