ANN's Final Program On The Development and Certification of the Cirrus FIKI System

As previously detailed, ANN had exclusive and unprecedented access to the Cirrus Aircraft team that created GA's latest FIKI certified airframe. It was a fascinating process... to look into and through ALL aspects of the design, manufacture, testing and certification of the 'Known Ice" version of the SR-22. We learned a lot and came away impressed, educated, and enthused by the prospects of these capabilities for all such airframes that make the grade of earning FIKI certification... a process that the FAA does not undertake lightly.

In this final edition of our series on this upgrade, we look at what it takes to actually BUILD this critter... the ins, the outs, the nitty-gritty... as well as the people who make it happen. 

The KIP program, called project "KIWI" by the folks who were in on the secret development project, had been years in the making and required extensive engineering, serious rework of the airframe and construction protocols, and lots of flight testing... some of which was fairly intense. There are a number of features inherent in this massive upgrade... extended TKS panels for the wing, vertical stabilizer, horizontal stabilizers (including the very end of the leading edge of the elevator counterbalance), as well as dual rate redundant TKS de-icing fluid pumps, a windshield TKS application system, prop slinger, an ingenious wing/tail icing detection light, heated stall detection vane, larger/dual TKS reservoirs, Perspective software upgrades that monitor the entire works, and so much more...

Developed in partnership with CAV Ice Protection Ltd., the Cirrus SR22 and Turbo Known Ice Protection system has CAV’s fully integrated TKS “weeping wing” technology in laser-drilled panels on the leading edges of wings, horizontal and vertical tail surfaces and elevator. Dual pumps provide the power needed to distribute the fluid throughout the airframe.

New high-intensity LED ice lights on both sides of the airplane illuminate wing leading edges and tail surfaces through a unique prism lens. An automotive-style de-icing system distributes TKS fluid evenly onto the windshield, and a traditional slinger-ring affords ice protection for the propeller and other remaining exposed surfaces.

The Cirrus Known Ice Protection system integrates with Cirrus Perspective (by Garmin) on 12-inch screens by displaying key operating and system status information on the MFD. TKS fluid capacity of up to 8 gallons maximum and various pilot selected flow rates allows de-icing fluid flow for up to 2.5 hours. If fluid levels run low, Cirrus Perspective will display cautions and increasing warnings.

Come See How Cirrus Builds GA's Newest FIKI S/E Aircraft... With Aero-TV, Of Course

FMI: www.cirrusaircraft.com, www.aero-tv.net, www.youtube.com/aerotvnetwork, http://twitter.com/AeroNews