Cirrus CAPS Service: the 10-Year Parachute Overhaul, Who Does It and What It Costs

Every Cirrus leaves the factory with the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS): a rocket-launched parachute that lowers the whole aircraft to the ground. It is standard on the SR20, SR22, SR22T and the Vision Jet. The system has two service dates, a 10-year overhaul of the parachute and rocket and a 6-year replacement of the line cutters, and only centers that Cirrus lists for CAPS work can do the overhaul. Our Cirrus service center directory lists every authorized center with the CAPS overhaul qualification, by US state and country: 104 of the 213 centers in October 2026.

This guide covers what the service involves, who does it, what the published prices are and how to plan it so the aircraft is not grounded waiting for a slot.

What CAPS is

CAPS is a ballistic parachute packed behind the rear seats, under a cover in the top of the fuselage. A solid fuel rocket pulls the canopy out when the pilot pulls the red handle in the ceiling. Straps embedded in the fuselage take the load and the aircraft comes down level, on its landing gear and seats, which are designed to absorb the impact. The system is part of the type certificate: Cirrus certified the SR20 with it in 1998 and has never sold an aircraft without it.

Cirrus publishes a running count of CAPS deployments and the lives saved on its website, and the Cirrus Owners and Pilots Association (COPA) runs training built around the system, including its guidance on when to pull. COPA's forums are also the best source of first-hand reports on which centers do CAPS work well.

The two service intervals

• Parachute and rocket motor: 10 years. The parachute assembly and the rocket are life-limited components. At 10 years from the date of manufacture, or from the last overhaul, they are replaced with a new or overhauled assembly from Cirrus.
• Reefing line cutters: 6 years. The line cutters are small pyrotechnic devices that cut the reefing line a few seconds after deployment so the canopy opens fully. They have a 6-year life and are replaced at a service center.

These intervals are stated by the authorized centers that do the work, including Waterford Aviation in Michigan and Augsburg Air Service in Germany. The dates for your aircraft are in the airframe logbook and on the CAPS placard, and every annual inspection records them. Because the components are life-limited, an aircraft with an expired parachute, rocket or line cutters cannot be returned to service until the work is done, so the date is a hard one.

What the overhaul involves

The 10-year job is often called a repack, but at the service center it is a replacement: the center removes the old parachute pack and rocket, installs the replacement parachute assembly and new rocket supplied by Cirrus, fits new line cutters, inspects the straps, cover, activation handle and cable, and signs the work off in the logbook. The old components go back to Cirrus. Centers that do a lot of CAPS work keep the parts in stock and turn the aircraft around in days; Avias Aircraft Services in Georgia advertises a 48-hour turnaround. A center that orders the kit for each job needs more notice.

The rocket and line cutters are pyrotechnics, so they are shipped as hazardous goods and handled by trained technicians. That is one reason only listed centers do the job and why a center in another country cannot simply post the parts to you.

Who can do CAPS work

Cirrus Aircraft records which of its authorized service centers hold the CAPS overhaul qualification. In October 2026 that was 104 of 213 centers. The United States has 82 of them, spread over 35 states; California has 10, Florida 6 and Minnesota 5. Outside the United States, Australia, Brazil and Canada have 3 each, Japan and the United Kingdom 2 each, and Argentina, Chile, China, Germany, India, New Zealand, Poland, South Africa and Switzerland 1 each. A few countries with authorized centers have none listed for CAPS, including France, Italy, Mexico and the Netherlands, so owners there plan a flight to a neighbouring country or use a center's pickup and delivery service.

Use the CAPS overhaul filter in the directory to see the list for your state or country. Each center's page shows its other Cirrus qualifications, such as Vision Jet full service, composite repair and pickup and delivery.

Published prices

Most centers quote per aircraft, because the kit price differs by aircraft generation and the labour depends on the access panels and interior. Published figures we found in October 2026:

• Avias Aircraft Services, Kennesaw, Georgia (Cirrus Platinum Service Center): CAPS replacement at $19,800 for G2, G3 and G5 aircraft, 48-hour turnaround.
• Waterford Aviation, Waterford, Michigan: price by quote, with a discounted annual inspection and a free spinner-to-tail cleaning when done at the same time as the CAPS overhaul.
• Synergy Flight Center, Bloomington, Illinois: a shop rate of $175 per hour for Cirrus maintenance (effective 1 January 2026); the CAPS kit is quoted on top.

Those are the centers' own figures on the date shown and they change. When you ask for a quote, ask whether it includes the parachute assembly, rocket and line cutters, the labour, shipping and hazardous goods fees, and the interior work to reach the pack. Ask whether a loaner aircraft is available.

Vision Jet owners

The SF50 Vision Jet carries CAPS as well. The first Vision Jets were delivered in late 2016, so the first 10-year dates arrive from late 2026. Vision Jet CAPS work is done at centers listed for SF50 maintenance: 33 centers hold SF50 full service and 28 more hold line maintenance only. Use the Vision Jet and SF50 full service filters in the directory and confirm with the center that it has done the SF50 parachute before.

How to plan the 10-year service

1. Find the dates. Check the logbook entry from the last CAPS work or the delivery date, and note the line cutter date separately. The 6-year and 10-year dates rarely fall together on an aircraft that has had one service.
2. Book early. Centers that stock the kit can take the aircraft at short notice; others need weeks. Booking three to six months ahead is normal, and many owners combine the work with the annual to save a second visit.
3. Choose the center by qualification, then distance. The CAPS filter in the directory is the first cut. 188 of the 213 centers offer pickup and delivery, so a center two states away can be the easiest option.
4. Combine work. If the aircraft is open for CAPS, it is a good time for interior repairs, an avionics update or composite work; several centers offer a package.
5. Keep the paperwork. The logbook entry and the Cirrus component record are what the next buyer and the next center will ask for.

Buying a used Cirrus

CAPS dates are one of the first things to check on a pre-buy. An SR22 built in 2014 has its 10-year date behind it; if the work is not in the logbook, the aircraft is not airworthy until it is done, and the cost comes off the price. A 6-year line cutter date that is close can be negotiated the same way. Several centers in the directory name pre-buy inspections as a service, and COPA's buying guides cover the rest of the checklist.

Cirrus CAPS service: common questions

How often does CAPS need servicing?

The parachute and rocket are replaced every 10 years and the reefing line cutters every 6 years, as stated by the authorized centers that do the work. Every annual inspection also includes a visual check of the system and its dates.

How much does a CAPS repack cost?

Most centers quote per aircraft. The one published figure we found in October 2026 was $19,800 for a CAPS replacement on G2, G3 and G5 aircraft at Avias Aircraft Services in Georgia. Ask what the quote includes.

Can any Cirrus service center do the CAPS overhaul?

No. Cirrus lists the CAPS overhaul qualification for 104 of its 213 authorized centers. Use the CAPS filter in the directory.

How long does the CAPS service take?

Centers with the kit in stock quote days; Avias advertises 48 hours. Add shipping time if the center orders the kit for your aircraft, and more if the work is combined with an annual.

Can I fly with an expired CAPS?

The parachute, rocket and line cutters are life-limited components, so the aircraft cannot be returned to service with any of them past its date. Plan the work before the date, not after.

Does the Vision Jet have CAPS?

Yes. The SF50 carries CAPS and its service is done at centers listed by Cirrus for Vision Jet maintenance.

Where can I read deployment reports?

Cirrus publishes the count of CAPS saves on its website. COPA members discuss individual events and training in the association's forums.

Cirrus owners: CAPS overhaul centers · all Cirrus service centers and specialists · Cirrus cost calculator

Sources: Cirrus Aircraft service center locator and the centers' websites (Avias Aircraft Services, Waterford Aviation, Augsburg Air Service, Synergy Flight Center), October 2026. Prices and turnaround times are the centers' own published figures on that date and change without notice.