DULUTH, Minn. & SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct 8, 2025--
Cirrus ® (Cirrus Aircraft Ltd.) announced the expansion of its recurrent Vision Jet flight training capability at Cirrus Scottsdale. Constructed by CAE, the Vision Jet flight training simulator replicates the flight deck environment to effectively train pilots on procedures, maneuvers and emergencies. Cirrus Scottsdale will utilize the simulator for recurrent Vision Jet training and can accommodate 45 pilots per month. The new simulator building is housed in an off-airport facility near Cirrus Scottsdale at Scottsdale Airport (SDL).
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“Cirrus is making Vision Jet flight training more accessible to customers on the West Coast,” said Zean Nielsen, Chief Executive Officer of Cirrus. “We are expanding flight training in Scottsdale, enhancing our capacity and convenience for our customers. The Cirrus Scottsdale investment is integral for our owner community seeking Vision Jet recurrent training.”
Cirrus Scottsdale currently provides Cirrus flight training for the SR Series and Vision Jet pilot services through Cirrus One™. With the expansion of flight training capability to now include recurrent Vision Jet training, Cirrus Scottsdale will recruit additional flight instructors, simulator technicians and administrative team members.
Once owners arrive at Cirrus Scottsdale, they will be greeted by a concierge who will assist them with transportation and other details for their stay. Cirrus Scottsdale welcomes Vision Jet pilots seeking recurrent training in March 2026. To prearrange your Vision Jet flight training reservation, please contact SF50training@cirrusaircraft.com.
About Cirrus
Cirrus is the recognized global leader in personal aviation and the maker of the best-selling SR Series piston aircraft and the Vision Jet®, the world’s first single-engine Personal Jet™, and the recipient of the Robert J. Collier Trophy. Founded in 1984, the company has redefined aviation performance, comfort and safety with innovations like the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System® (CAPS®) – the first FAA-certified whole-airframe parachute safety system included as standard equipment on an aircraft. To date, worldwide flight time on Cirrus aircraft is 19 million hours, and 280 people have returned home safely to their families as a result of the inclusion of CAPS as a standard feature on all Cirrus aircraft. The company has seven locations in the United States, including Duluth, Minnesota; Grand Forks, North Dakota; Greater Dallas, Texas; Greater Phoenix, Arizona; Greater Orlando, Florida; Knoxville, Tennessee and Benton Harbor, Michigan. Learn more at cirrusaircraft.com.
Cirrus has expanded its Vision Jet recurrent training capabilities with a new flight simulator at Cirrus Scottsdale. Cirrus Scottsdale can train up to 45 pilots per month, making high-quality flight training more accessible for West Coast Vision Jet owners. Opening March 2026, the expansion will welcome new team members and offer concierge services to support customers.
EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings haven't wavered in their support of J.J. McCarthy, continuing to exude optimism about his potential when publicly discussing their developing quarterback.
What they haven't done is commit to him as their starter for next season. They're certain to add a veteran to the mix, either in free agency or a trade.
“I want the Vikings to achieve our goals, and I think one of those goals is to make playoff runs,” general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said. “I think he has the character and ability to be the person and do that for our organization.”
Adofo-Mensah, speaking at his season-ending news conference at team headquarters on Tuesday, reiterated the NFL axiom that effective roster-building relies on flexibility and not predetermination.
“The way we’ve set this team up, we built this corridor like we’ve always talked about to give ourselves multiple shots at it,” Adofo-Mensah said. “Because you never know when there’s going to be a year where the field feels a little bit wide open and you can make that run.”
That could have been the case this season, had the Vikings decided to leave McCarthy in developmental mode and give Sam Darnold a big new contract, or at least use the franchise tag to keep him instead of watching him move to Seattle and lead the team that landed the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs. The Vikings also made a strong push to re-sign Daniel Jones, who saw a more realistic scenario with Indianapolis for him to start, which turned out to be the right choice.
There's no benefit to indulging in regret or dwelling in the past, so the Vikings weren't about to do that after their 9-8 record despite McCarthy's rocky debut left them a half-game out of the playoffs.
But they're also fully aware of how much the injuries — on top of an offense at Michigan that didn't pass nearly as often as the programs that produced the other quarterback prospects in the rich 2024 draft — have set him back on the learning curve.
“It’s about having the most talented and deep quarterback room you can," coach Kevin O'Connell said. “J.J., I was really encouraged by the type of football he started to play toward the second half of the season and finishing the way he did. ... But we’re still looking at a quarterback who’s started 10 games — 10 out of a possible 34 in two years. Not the ideal path for a young quarterback to develop on the field."
That's, of course, why the Vikings need more options. Though Adofo-Mensah and O'Connell each had their contract extended a year ago, the duo that arrived in 2022 has yet to produce a win in the playoffs. So the urgency to win — and develop McCarthy — has only been heightened.
“I definitely want a competitive situation in that room, because I ultimately think that’s what will make not only the starter, but the next guy and the next guy,” O'Connell said. “We've learned we’ve got to get a lot of guys ready to play, and we’ve got to do it with a responsibility of being the best version of our offense, and the quarterback has a huge role in helping us do that.”
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy throws a pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell watches from the sideline during the first half of an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt)
Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell runs onto the field before an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt)
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy watches from the sideline during the second half of an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt)
