Editing Cirrus Aircraft (section)

===2010s===
In March 2010, Cirrus went to court in an attempt to get an order to prevent former supplier [[L-3 Communications]] from telling other Cirrus suppliers that Cirrus was heading into bankruptcy and from discouraging companies from doing business with Cirrus. On 1 April 2010, Cirrus applied for a "voluntary dismissal" of the case against L3, before L3 had filed a response. L3 had been engaged in a lawsuit against Cirrus for non-payment of US$18.7M in development costs for flat panel electronics, with Cirrus countering that L3 did not abide by the contract terms.<ref name="AvWeb20Mar10">{{cite web|url = http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/Cirrus_L3_Lawsuit_202204-1.html|title = Cirrus, L-3 Legal Wrangle Takes A Twist|access-date = 22 March 2010|last = Niles|first = Russ|date=March 2010}}</ref><ref name="AvWeb01Apr10">{{cite web|url = http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/cirrus_l3_suit_dismiss_bankruptcy_202266-1.html|title = Cirrus Drops Latest Suit Against L-3|access-date = 14 April 2010|last = Pew|first = Glenn|date=April 2010}}</ref>

In June 2010, the company began paying back-rent owed to the city of Grand Forks. Cirrus had stopped paying its rent 16 months earlier. It also owed the city of Duluth back rent, which the city has indicated would be forgiven in exchange for job creation.<ref name="AvWeb15Jun10">{{cite web|url = http://www.avweb.com/avwebbiz/news/CirrusPayingBackRent_202728-1.html|title = Cirrus Paying Back Rent|access-date = 17 April 2010|last = Niles|first = Russ|date=June 2010}}</ref>

In February 2011, Cirrus was sold for US$210M to [[China Aviation Industry General Aircraft]] (CAIGA), a subsidiary of [[Aviation Industry Corporation]], which is wholly owned by the [[Government of the People's Republic of China]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2011/02/28/353735/china-to-acquire-worlds-largest-piston-aircraft-maker.html|access-date=2011-02-28|title=China to acquire world's largest piston aircraft maker}}</ref><ref name="AvWeb28Feb11">{{Cite news|url = http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/Cirrus_Acquired_By_Chinese_Company_204192-1.html|title = Cirrus Acquired By Chinese Company|access-date = 14 February 2011|last = Niles|first = Russ|date=February 2011| work = AvWeb}}</ref><ref name="AmLaw">{{Cite news|url = http://www.law.com/jsp/tal/PubArticleTAL.jsp?id=1202483808916&slreturn=1&hbxlogin=1|title = Dewey, King & Spalding Advise on Chinese Acquisition of U.S. Plane Maker|access-date = 5 March 2011|last = Seah|first = Jessica|date=March 2011| work = The Asian Lawyer}}</ref> The announcement of the sale was met with mixed responses. The ''[[Duluth News-Tribune]]'' labelled it "a sinking feeling of impending loss", while Russ Niles of ''AvWeb'' said "Chinese participation in the aviation industry isn't necessarily a bad thing and the folks in Duluth and Grand Forks could have suffered a worse fate. In the absence of a sale, bankruptcy was a real possibility for Cirrus and it might have been hard for a trustee to justify operating the business with the numbers it was showing. As for where it leaves current Cirrus owners and those thinking of buying one, the sale is probably a positive thing."<ref name="AvWeb02Mar11">{{Cite news|url = http://www.avweb.com/blogs/insider/China_VS_American_Dream_204200-1.html|title = China vs. the American Dream|access-date = 3 March 2011|last = Niles|first = Russ|date=March 2011| work = AvWeb}}</ref>

In mid-March 2011, aviation industry analyst Brian Foley indicated that he was trying to organize a group of US investors to make a counter-offer to the Chinese buy-out to keep Cirrus as a US-owned company. Foley stated that he had seen an "overwhelming response" from the U.S. aviation community, indicating that Americans want Cirrus "to be owned and operated on American soil, period."<ref name="AvWeb16Mar11">{{Cite news|url = http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/AnalystSeeksUSInvestorsForCirrus_204271-1.html |title = Cirrus on U.S. Bid: "No Comment"|access-date = 16 March 2011|last = Grady|first = Mary|date=March 2011| work = AvWeb}}</ref> Foley's counter-offer did not materialize.

In late March 2011, freshman Minnesota congressman [[Chip Cravaack]] urged the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States to exercise "extreme caution" over allowing  the sale of Cirrus to the Chinese government, indicating that he was concerned that company technology would be used for Chinese military programs. Cirrus spokesman Todd Simmons responded to  the congressman's remarks with surprise, responding that, "the CAIGA transaction is an investment in Duluth and our local communities."<ref name="AvWeb26Mar11">{{cite web|url = http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/Congressman_Warns_About_Cirrus_Sale_204324-1.html|title = Congressman Warns About Cirrus Sale|access-date = 28 March 2011|last = Niles|first = Russ|date=March 2011}}</ref> On 30 March 2011, at the [[Sun 'n Fun]] airshow, company co-founder Dale Klapmeier provided reassurances that Chinese ownership would not result in production being moved out of the US. Klapmeier also expressed disappointment in the political issues raised, particularly by Cravaack. Klapmeier explained, "His concerns are unfounded,"  detailing that Cirrus did not have any unique technology that could be employed in military applications.<ref name="AvWeb30Mar11">{{cite web|url = http://www.avweb.com/news/snf/SunNFun2011_CirrusUpdatesOnJetChinaDeal_204358-1.html|title =Cirrus Updates On Jet, China Deal|access-date = 31 March 2011|last = Grady|first = Mary|date=March 2011}}</ref> Former 18-term Minnesota Congressman [[Jim Oberstar]] also came out in support of Cirrus and the acquisition, saying Cravaack was "undermining" the situation, and that "we have nothing to fear from an investment such as this by the Chinese."<ref name="StarTribune27Mar11">{{Cite news|url = http://www.startribune.com/business/118815309.html|title = Cirrus CEO: China Deal Saves Jobs|access-date = 15 July 2014|last = Spencer|first = Jim|date = March 2011|work = StarTribune|url-status = dead|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110402043744/http://www.startribune.com/business/118815309.html|archive-date = 2 April 2011}}</ref><ref name="StarTribune28Feb11">{{Cite news|url = http://www.startribune.com/local/117076333.html|title = Cirrus to be Acquired by Chinese Firm|access-date = 15 July 2014|last = Feyder|first = Susan|date=Feb 2011| work = StarTribune}}</ref>

The sale was reviewed by the [[Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States]] and was approved, as Cirrus has no national security-sensitive trade secrets.<ref name="AvWeb08Mar11">{{Cite news|url = http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/ChinaCirrusDealFacesSecurityReview_204233-1.html|title = China-Cirrus Deal Faces Security Review|access-date = 10 March 2011|last = Grady|first = Mary|date=March 2011| work = AvWeb}}</ref> The sale to CAIGA was completed as a merger of the two companies on 28 June 2011.<ref name="Avweb28Jun11">{{Cite news|url = http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/CirrusFinalizesChinaDeal_204886-1.html|title = Cirrus Finalizes China Deal|access-date = 30 June 2011|last = Grady|first = Mary|date=June 2011| work = AvWeb}}</ref><ref name="Cirrus28Jun11">{{cite web|url = http://www.cirrusaircraft.com/news/cirrus-aircraft-caiga-complete-merger/|title = Cirrus Aircraft, CAIGA Complete Merger|access-date = 30 June 2011|last = Cirrus Aircraft|date = June 2011|url-status = dead|archive-url = https://archive.today/20140423113222/http://www.cirrusaircraft.com/news/cirrus-aircraft-caiga-complete-merger/|archive-date = 23 April 2014}}</ref>

In July 2011, CAIGA president Xiangkai Meng and Duluth Mayor [[Don Ness]] signed a non-binding [[Memorandum of Understanding]] that the jobs at Cirrus would remain in Duluth and not be moved to China. Ness said "Verbal assurances are wonderful, but a written assurance, signed by the president of CAIGA, certainly carries much more weight."<ref name="AVweb16Jul11">{{Cite news|url = http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/Duluth_Cirrus_Jobs_Assured_204978-1.html|title = Duluth Jobs Assured Says CAIGA|access-date = 18 July 2011|last = Niles|first = Russ|date=July 2011| work = AVweb}}</ref>

Following the company's merger with CAIGA in July 2011, company CEO Brent Wouters indicated that Cirrus would move quickly to expand its line of aircraft, including bringing the Vision SF50 jet to market. Wouters said "We need to expand our product line -- bigger, smaller, faster airplanes, a much broader range, and very quickly. And we need more penetration in the top 10 foreign markets. And we must go forward quickly on both avenues."<ref name="AVweb25Jul11">{{Cite news|url = http://www.avweb.com/news/airventure/EAAAirVenture2011_CirrusReadyToMoveWithSenseOfUrgency_205036-1.html|title = Cirrus Ready To Move With "Sense Of Urgency"|access-date = 25 July 2011|last = Grady|first = Mary |date=July 2011| work = AVweb}}</ref>

On the first anniversary of Chinese government ownership in 2012, company CEO Dale Klapmeier indicated that Cirrus was financially in a much better position and progress was being made with certifying the Vision SF-50 jet.<ref name="Niles22Ju12" />

In March 2013, the company was granted a loan for [[US$]]950,000 from the city of [[Grand Forks, North Dakota]] to purchase an [[autoclave]] for composite production at the company's Grand Forks facility. The loan was originally turned down by the city, questioning whether the company would ever repay it. The loan was later allowed and an apology issued.<ref name="Grady12Mar13">{{cite news|url = http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/CirrusResolvesLoanIssueNamesNewPresident_208304-1.html|title = Cirrus Resolves Loan Issue, Names New President |access-date = 14 March 2013|last = Grady|first = Mary|date = 12 March 2013| work = AVweb}}</ref>

In July 2013, Cirrus president and COO Pat Waddick indicated that the ongoing Chinese government investment would allow it to continue to develop new models of aircraft with innovative powerplants. CEO Dale Klapmeier stated that the company hopes to eventually establish additional aircraft manufacturing facilities in China.<ref>{{cite web|last=Bertorelli |first=Paul |url=http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/Cirrus-Looks-Beyond-Vision-Jet220257-1.html |title=Cirrus Looks Beyond Vision Jet - AVweb flash Article |publisher=Avweb.com |date=2013-07-29 |access-date=2013-08-02}}</ref>

In 2013 the company delivered 276 new aircraft. This was a 10 percent increase in the number of deliveries over 2012 and the company's best year since before the 2008 recession. In 2013 the SR22 and SR22T were the highest-selling general aviation fixed-wing aircraft in the world and had been for eleven years in a row.<ref name=GAMA2016/><ref name="Durden21Feb14">{{cite news|url = http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/2013-a-Good-Year-for-Cirrus221478-1.html|title = 2013: A Good Year for Cirrus|access-date = 24 February 2014|last = Durden|first = Rick|date = 21 February 2014| work = AVweb}}</ref> Cirrus passed [[Textron Aviation]] as the largest producer of piston aircraft by unit-volume in 2013, and has remained the largest ever since.<ref name=GAMA2018>{{cite web|url=https://gama.aero/wp-content/uploads/GAMA-2018-Annual-Report-FINAL.pdf|title=2018 Annual Report|author=General Aviation Manufacturers Association|date=2019|access-date=28 May 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last= Rapoport|first=Geoff|url= https://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/GAMA-2016-Year-End-Report-Piston-Sales-Flat-Turbine-single-228544-1.html |title= GAMA 2016 Year-End Report: Piston Sales Flat, Turbine Single And Cirrus Sales Up| work = AVweb |date= 22 February 2017|access-date=28 May 2019}}</ref>

On 25 March 2014 the company's first conforming Vision SF50 jet flew.<ref name="AIN24Mar14">{{cite web|url = http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/2014-03-25/cirrus-flies-first-conforming-sf50-vision-jet|title = Cirrus Flies First Conforming SF50 Vision Jet |access-date = 2014-06-25|last = Trautvetter|first = Chad|date=March 2014}}</ref> Cirrus also indicated that it was continuing to hire engineers, technicians and designers for the jet program. From 2011 to 2014 Cirrus hired more than 300 new workers, bringing the total number of employees to over 800.<ref name=DuluthTribune>{{cite news|url=http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/business/3679684-us-buyers-boost-cirrus-sales |title=US buyers boost Cirrus sales|newspaper=Duluth News Tribune |date= Feb 15, 2015|access-date=2015-02-16}}</ref><ref name="PrairieBusiness26Mar14">{{cite web|url = http://www.prairiebizmag.com/event/article/id/18360/|title = Duluth-based plane maker Cirrus has operations in Grand Forks|access-date = 2014-09-26|last = Renalls|first = Candace|date = March 2014|url-status = dead|archive-url = https://archive.today/20140926160102/http://www.prairiebizmag.com/event/article/id/18360/|archive-date = 2014-09-26}}</ref>

In May 2015, Dale Klapmeier announced plans for the company to expand to the [[McGhee Tyson Airport]] in [[Knoxville, Tennessee]] and establish a customer delivery center there, which officially opened on 12 January 2017 with a focus on aircraft maintenance and support, design personalization, [[fixed base operations]] (FBO), flight training and more.<ref name=VisionCenter/><ref name="WATE-TV-Jan12"/>

On 28 October 2016, Cirrus received [[Federal Aviation Administration|FAA]] type certification for the Vision SF50 [[very light jet]],<ref name="avweb.com"/> with deliveries beginning in December of that year in the company's new Duluth aircraft finishing facility.<ref name=DNTVisionDelivery>{{cite web|url=http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/business/4183198-cirrus-delivers-first-vision-jet-unveils-new-facility|title=Cirrus delivers first Vision jet, unveils new facility|date=December 20, 2016 |access-date=20 December 2016}}</ref>

In April 2018, the company was named the 2017 winner of the [[Collier Trophy]] for the "greatest achievement in aeronautics or astronautics in America" in the past year. The trophy was awarded for "designing, certifying, and entering-into-service the Vision Jet — the world's first single-engine general aviation personal jet aircraft with a whole airframe parachute system".<ref name="Collier">{{cite web|url = https://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/Collier-Trophy-Goes-To-Cirrus-Jet-230563-1.html|title = Collier Trophy Goes To Cirrus Jet|access-date = 6 April 2018|last = Grady|first = Mary|work =AVweb |date = 4 April 2018}}</ref><ref name=BismarkTribune>{{cite news|url = http://bismarcktribune.com/news/state-and-regional/cirrus-aircraft-recognized-for-vision-personal-jet/article_a48b84d2-3fab-590e-936a-bb7f4eef44eb.html|title = Cirrus Aircraft recognized for Vision personal jet |access-date = 7 April 2018|last = Baumgarten|first = April|date= 5 April 2018| work = The Bismarck Tribune}}</ref>

By the end of 2019, Cirrus employed 1,600 people and produced 81 Vision Jets and 384 SR-series aircraft that year, resulting in the company's fifth year of growth and its best year in sales.<ref name=KBJR6>{{cite news|url = https://kbjr6.com/2019/12/16/like-drinking-from-a-fire-hose-cirrus-ceo-talks-first-months-on-the-job/|title = "Like drinking from a fire hose" Cirrus CEO talks first months on the job|access-date = 22 December 2019|last = Bowman|first = Bonney|date = 16 December 2019|work = [[KBJR-TV]]}}</ref><ref name=YahooFinance/><ref>{{cite news|url = http://www.startribune.com/duluth-s-cirrus-aircraft-posted-its-best-sales-year-ever-in-2019/568041582/|title = Duluth's Cirrus Aircraft posted its best sales year ever in 2019 |access-date = 23 February 2020|last = DePass |first = Dee|date= 20 February 2020|work = Star Tribune}}</ref> The Vision SF50 became the world's best-selling general aviation jet.<ref name=YahooFinance/>