DULUTH, Minnesota — Dale Klapmeier, CEO and co-founder of Cirrus Aircraft, plans to step down from his executive position within the first half of 2019 and transition into a senior advisory role.
A new CEO is expected to be named as an internal and external search is underway.
“Re-imagining personal transportation has been our lifelong mission at Cirrus Aircraft,” noted Klapmeier. “We’ve changed the face of aviation over the past 30 years – from delivering more than 7,000 of the world’s best-selling high-performance piston aircraft, to fundamentally rethinking how we travel with the introduction of the world’s first single-engine Personal Jet – the Vision Jet, to transforming our business into a lifestyle company that defines our path ahead.”
The company’s first airplane, the SR20, introduced in 1999, was the first certified aircraft to be delivered with a whole-airframe parachute system (CAPS).
Cirrus transformed aviation again when it delivered the Vision Jet in 2016. Responsible for creating a new category, the Vision Jet was awarded the most prestigious accolade in aeronautics, the Robert J. Collier Trophy.
“Transitioning out of day-to-day operations will give me the opportunity to focus on long-term strategic opportunities,” continued Klapmeier. “I could not be more confident in the team and I am excited for what lies ahead for the entire Cirrus family. For Cirrus Aircraft employees, partners and owners around the world, the best is yet to come.”