Cirrus G5 Turbo Review

[Phillip]

You are probably close but I think the repack for the newest generation of Cirrus is every 10 years. But in operating costs versus performance numbers this is a very lean aircraft.

EDIT: I checked, yes, once per 10 years.

That is an interesting statement. Looking at the clubs/partnerships around the area, I see varying dry hour costs of ownership. Yet the "lean limit" seem to hover somewhere about $30-$40. That's your run of the mill archers, arrows, 182s, mooneys. The number is imprecise but the magnitude speaks to the typical average cost of keeping the heap of old aluminium and steel flying. In my mind those are the costs representative of "up to 150knots" bracket. So then, in your estimate, whats would be the costs of stepping up to 180kt Cirrus? I.e if I were to run a "free" Cirrus in the nonprofit club setting, what would I charge members per dry hour?

 

[CTLSi]

That is an interesting statement. Looking at the clubs/partnerships around the area, I see varying dry hour costs of ownership. Yet the "lean limit" seem to hover somewhere about $30-$40. That's your run of the mill archers, arrows, 182s, mooneys. The number is imprecise but the magnitude speaks to the typical average cost of keeping the heap of old aluminium and steel flying. In my mind those are the costs representative of "up to 150knots" bracket. So then, in your estimate, whats would be the costs of stepping up to 180kt Cirrus? I.e if I were to run a "free" Cirrus in the nonprofit club setting, what would I charge members per dry hour?

I like the Cirrus SR22T above all others EXCEPT the coming Fllight Design C4. If they deliver as advertised, it will be a 170ktas plane with Garmin G3x and Garmin GTN 750. It will have the BRS parachut, ADS-B ,Mode-S xpndr and a 1320 useful load for $250k...

More than half the cost, and twice the avionics. And have the option of a Jet-A diesel engine too.

 

[Groundpounder]

Probably you would emerge quite bruised but possibly still much better off than if you did not have this chute. But everything at the same time - some failure plus 40 kts winds, plus say .. church's steeple on your way down - we can keep piling such misfortunes ....

I'd much rather have a second engine, and at least give myself a fighting chance, vs being at the mercy of the winds while dangling under a parachute.

 

[olasek]

I'd much rather have a second engine, and at least give myself a fighting chance, vs being at the mercy of the winds while dangling under a parachute.

As a passenger I rather be on a Cirrus with the 'dangling' problem, church steeple problem and all other problems than on a twin aircraft with GA pilot - my statistical chances of survival in case of engine failure are much higher.

 

[olasek]

I see varying dry hour costs of ownership. Yet the "lean limit" seem to hover somewhere about $30-$40.

$30-$40/hr but exactly for what?
It doesn't sound like any realistic cost of aircraft ownership, even with no fuel, unless it is some really basic 2 seater, perhaps C150 or even a light-sport category aircraft?
I never meant to say that Cirrus' ownership cost is inexpensive, I was only trying to say that in relation to the overall performance you are getting and the relative opulence/space of the cockpit it is a fairly inexpensive aircraft. But a SR22T (Turbo) still is going to cost you probably around $260 per hour with fuel. I think a SR20 would be around $160 (again, fuel included). I don't know a single place around where I live which rents a Cirrus dry hence I really don't have dry numbers but you can do a simple arithmetic to arrive at a hypothetical dry rate.

 

[jmp470]

$30-$40/hr but exactly for what?
It doesn't sound like any realistic cost of aircraft ownership, even with no fuel, unless it is some really basic 2 seater, perhaps C150 or even a light-sport category aircraft?
I never meant to say that Cirrus' ownership cost is inexpensive, I was only trying to say that in relation to the overall performance you are getting and the relative opulence/space of the cockpit it is a fairly inexpensive aircraft. But a SR22T (Turbo) still is going to cost you probably around $260 per hour with fuel. I think a SR20 would be around $160 (again, fuel included). I don't know a single place around where I live which rents a Cirrus dry hence I really don't have dry numbers but you can do a simple arithmetic to arrive at a hypothetical dry rate.

My SR 20 was around $135-$140 per hour.

 

[Phillip]

My SR 20 was around $135-$140 per hour.

That is pretty lean indeed.

 

[olasek]

'Lean' was my own 'colloquialism', you can replace it with whatever adjective you fancy.

 

[weilke]

I hear the shoot repack is like what, 10K on these. And that is every 2? 4? years...

10k every 10 years (more on the older planes). If 1k per year is money to you, maybe the 750k aircraft reviewed in this thread is not the right place to start.

$1200 per year starts to become money on a 2001 SR20 that sells for 105k or so.