Private Training in an SR-22

[BradG]

Check your PM's.

 

[Whirlwind]

Re: cirrus training

One of my students is either going to buy a cirrus or a c182. We flew both planes and he loves the cirrus and I the 182. He is asking for advice on what to buy and i keep telling him he should buy the 182 to get his private and instrument ratings in. We are discussing the issue and he still wants the cirrus. What should he buy as a 15 hour private student?

As a 15 hour student pilot, he probably doesn't have enough experience yet to know what he really wants.

I've flown both, and I personally think the SR-22 is a better airplane for a number of reasons, but many people prefer a 182, which is also a fine airplane.

You might suggest that he fly a SR-20 as well as the SR-22. It isn't quite as fast, but 157kt on 10.5 gph isn't bad, and it does 80% of what the SR-22 does for 1/3 less money.

 

[EMcx2]

A couple of thoughts:

Your student is going to have a tuff time getting insured in the Cirrus. Most insurance companies want a minimum of 500 tt and an instrument rating. That's because people keep doing stupid pilot tricks with them. For example, a couple of months ago a guy tried to land one at Sedona. He touched down with about a thousand feet of runway left. Off the end he went. Luckily no injuries, except for that beautiful plane. The Cirrus is an incredible plane, it's just not as forgiving during landing as a Cessna or Piper.



As for the C-182: The new Cessnas are crap! I fly a fleet of brand new Cessna's and the reliability and quality control is abominable. We have one aircraft with about 400 hours on it that is on it's third engine. The first two had case cracks. It's also on it's third spinner, second pair of flaps, and third alternator. This is pretty typical for the new Cessnas. To compound the problem, Cessna customer service is indifferent at best. If I had just spent 180 to 360 thousand dollars for a plane I would go ape.

 

[crash-proof]

Besides, those backward-lookin air inlets on the 182 completely ruined a once-beautiful plane. The new 206 has em too. Yuck.

 

[BradG]

From what i heard from the Cirrus rep i spoke to, most insurance companies want 1000total, and an Instrument for the SR22. The guy i posted about when i started this theard, the plane belonged to his father-in-laws company, and he was a named insured as a student pilot. They paid the hefty sum of $15,000 per year for it. Dont know what the limits were, but $15k per year was the price. I know this for a fact because the guy who checked me out in their plane was their insurance broker. I've got some time in a 2000 C-182 that our flightschool has, it flys OK. Pretty slow for the money, but reasonably roomy. Still, the Cirrus is Hands down a better plane. Faster, more room, faster, although not as forgiving, but as long as its taught right, its all good. Good Luck!

 

[TXCAP4228]

I also talked to a Cirrus rep this summer. According to this guy, the airplane is designed to do what he called "falling leaf" stalls, where the wing is partially stalled and the airplane is descending, but where the airlerons have some control authority.

This seems like it would lead to a strange stall recovery technique. It also seems to me (although I do not instruct) that it might not be a great idea to teach stall recovery in this airplane as part of primary training.

 

[BradG]

I've done stalls in it plenty, and it doesnt handle any differently than anything else i've flown. Nice solid break, add power and its all good. Doesnt give a lot of warning though, not alot of buffet, the ailerons do stay reasonably affective. The only thing is you dont wanna get aggressive with it, thats when it bites you. (read spins)