Chris Lamb has always been drawn to the leading edge. As Vice President of Computing Software Platforms, he’s helped shape the future of accelerated computing and artificial intelligence, advancing technologies that power everything from medical research to autonomous vehicles.
His journey from Silicon Valley executive to Vision Jet pilot is a story of rediscovered passion, purposeful progression and the freedom Personal Aviation™ brings to both business and family life.
A Lifelong Fascination with Flight
Chris’ interest in aviation started early. “If you asked me when I was eight or ten years old what I wanted to be, it was an aeronautical engineer,” he says. “I had shelves of airplane books and military flight manuals. Even flight simulators.”
His path ultimately took him into computing. In 2007, he joined NVIDIA to help build CUDA, the platform that would become the backbone of modern AI and scientific computing, but flying was never far from his mind.
In 2011, Chris earned his Private Pilot’s License. Training over Palo Alto, he quickly realized that what had once been a childhood fascination had grown into something more enduring.
Discovering Cirrus
Two years later, Chris took a demo flight in an SR22 along the California coast, and everything changed.
“It was by far the most capable aircraft I’d flown,” he says. “And from an aerospace technology standpoint, the parachute system (Cirrus Airframe Parachute System©) was something I hadn’t seen before. It left an impression.”
With a background in technology, Chris saw Cirrus as a brand that redefined what Personal Aviation™ could look and feel like.
Chris purchased a Cirrus SR22T with a clear goal in mind: to prepare for the Vision Jet.
A Purposeful Journey
“That was the mission from the beginning,” he says. “The SR got me where I needed to go, but it also got me ready for what was next.”
Cross-country flights to the Pacific Northwest, trips to visit friends in the Mountain West— it all built the hours and experience he needed. “It was fast, efficient and reliable. The SR made flying part of my life.”
Next Stop: Vision Jet Ownership
With the Vision Jet, Chris found a new level of performance and peace of mind.
“The longer trips, the family trips—those all shifted to the jet,” he says. “It’s comfortable, capable and most importantly, it feels even safer. Especially with my kids onboard.”
Safety has always been a priority. For Chris and his wife, the addition of Safe Return™ Emergency Autoland offers meaningful reassurance. “My kids know how to activate it in the event of an emergency. That gives us confidence as a family.”
The Right Aircraft
When Chris first flew the Vision Jet, he didn’t yet have his Instrument Rating. But that didn’t stop him from getting hands-on time in the flight deck during a Cirrus demo day at Hayward Executive Airport.
“Cirrus let me fly the full profile with an instructor — from taxi to takeoff to landing,” he recalls. “It was intuitive and smooth. That flight convinced me it was possible.”
His wife sat in the back, experiencing the cabin for herself. “By the time we landed,” Chris says, “we both knew. This was the next step.”
A New Way to Travel and Connect
“Flying my kids to meet their new cousin in Seattle over a long weekend — those are memories we just couldn’t have made as easily before,” he says. “Now, they’re part of our everyday life.”
The aircraft allows Chris to move seamlessly between high-level work and personal time without compromise. “It’s not just about freedom,” he says. “It’s about being there. For moments that matter.”
The aircraft gives him the flexibility to make memories on his terms, without compromising his demanding work schedule or family responsibilities. “It’s about freedom, but it’s also about connection,” he adds.
Cirrus Aircraft Ownership
For Chris, owning a Cirrus is about more than flying the aircraft.
“Cirrus has built an ecosystem that makes the whole journey—from student pilot to jet owner—feel attainable,” he says. “The training, the insurance education, the support—it’s all dialed in.”
And that foundation matters, especially for someone balancing a demanding career and family responsibilities. “You could piece all of this together yourself,” Chris adds. “But Cirrus already has.”
A Flight to Remember
One flight in particular stands out among Chris’ many hours in the air: touching down at Kennedy Space Center’s legendary Shuttle Landing Facility with his father beside him — a moment made possible through a special Vision Jet Pilots and Owners (VPO) event designed exclusively for our community.
“My dad worked on the Apollo program in Houston during college,” he says. “NASA and spaceflight were a big part of my childhood. So, to fly into that historic runway, see the Vertical Assembly Building, and tour the facility with a former shuttle captain—that was incredible.”
For someone who grew up watching shuttle launches and dreaming of space, the experience was deeply meaningful. “It was one of those full-circle moments,” he says.
Advice from Experience
Today, Chris often finds himself giving advice to friends and colleagues who are thinking about learning to fly. His recommendation is simple:
“If I were starting over, I would begin my training in a Cirrus,” he says. “You want to learn in the type of aircraft you’re actually going to fly. You want to understand the avionics and systems early on. And most importantly, you want the safety margin.”
Chris believes that the Cirrus SR Series is the smartest place to start when beginning your pilot journey.
Eyes on the Horizon
From redefining the possibilities of AI to exploring new perspectives from the Vision Jet, Chris Lamb is always looking forward.
For him, flying is a lifestyle powered by precision, purpose and possibility.
Just like the technology he’s helped pioneer, it all starts with one idea: that there’s a better way, then building it one step at a time.
What are you waiting for? Start flight training with your nearest Cirrus Training Center here.