Da40 / Sr20

[cynic]

Who has flown both a DA40 and an SR20 and can compare the two?

 

[Lear60Guy]

Who has flown both a DA40 and an SR20 and can compare the two?

I've flown a DA40 and an SR22, As far as avionics goes I like the G1000 better than the Avidyne system. I like the side stick on the Cirrus better than the center stick in the Diamond.

 

[EMcx2]

What would you like to know? I have about 300 hours in Cirrus SR 20/22 and about 300 in DA-20/40s. The SR-20 is very comfortable, cruises at 155 ktas but suffers from pathetic climb performance and has no short or soft field capability. The Cirrus, particularly the avionics, look great but have proven to be relatively unreliable.

The DA-40 is easier to fly, cruises at 140 ktas, and has marginally better climb performance. The Diamonds have proven to be very reliable and the Garmin G1000 seems much more reliable and robust than the Avidyne. Unfortunately the DA-40 is uncomfortable; it's hot, cramped, and the seats lack padding and do not adjust.

If I had a choice between a SR-20 and a DA-40, I would pick... a new Cessna 182 with the G1000 suite. Even though it is a 50 year old design, it carries more, farther, in more comfort than either the DA-20 or SR-20. It has good short and soft field performance, is incredibly easy to fly, and is statistically the safest GA plane ever built.

 

[Jafar]

I'll give a students take on it. (Keep in mind it's exactly that. I really don't know $hit.)

I've got a few hours in the DA-40 and a few in the SR-22. (I know it's not the 20, but similar) I'm not ashamed to admit that the 22 was a bit to much airplane for me. Having previously only flown DA-20's and 40's that thing was fast.I didn't see to many similarites between the two in the way they flew. For me, as a student with pretty low hours the DA-40 was much easier to handle, especially when landing.

Most of my time is in the DA-20, and I would say the DA-40 flies very much like a Katana. That's all it really is. A katana with four seats and a little more power. It comes down final a couple knots faster, and the weight & balance stuff is a little more complicated, but other than that it's a Katana. Oh and you can't spin it. You can spin a katana.

I like the 40. At my school they're only $10 more than the 20.