Cirrus Design’s SR20 and -22 were designed to be some of the safest personal airplanes ever. But recent accidents have raised questions about the aircraft and their pilots. What are the answers?

An Aviation safety Magazine Special Report

When Cirrus announced more than a decade ago that it would produce an airplane with a built-in parachute and that it would become the best-selling airplane of the next century, the doubters said the FAA would never certify it. And even if it did, Cirrus would never be able to sell such a crackpot idea. Of course, the FAA did certify the airplane and Cirrus briefly overtook Cessna last year as the leading builder of single-engine piston airplanes. …