Cirrus Pilots- Answer me this...

hkyplr18

hkyplr18

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Joe
Myself, along with the other airport bums have observed a few things with Cirrus pilots. Not trying to make fun of Cirrus drivers as a whole but these are some of the things we see on a regular basis when a Cirrus comes to town, and our curiosity has gotten the better of us! I would like to know if there is a good reason you guys do these things so we can quit calling you knuckle heads:D. BTW, None of us have ever flown one.

Why do you start your engines at 2000+RPM and then idle at 1500RPM?

Why do you taxi with your strobes on?

Why do you taxi at 30+kts?
 
hkyplr18 said:
Myself, along with the other airport bums have observed a few things with Cirrus pilots. Not trying to make fun of Cirrus drivers as a whole but these are some of the things we see on a regular basis when a Cirrus comes to town, and our curiosity has gotten the better of us! I would like to know if there is a good reason you guys do these things so we can quit calling you knuckle heads:D. BTW, None of us have ever flown one.

Why do you start your engines at 2000+RPM and then idle at 1500RPM?

Why do you taxi with your strobes on?

Why do you taxi at 30+kts?
Click to expand...

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:


Because they're trying to out do Bonanza pilots. posers.
 
Those folks aren't following the POH. Idle should be 1,000 RPMs max and that is all you really need to taxi.

Cirri don't have beacons so you have to run the strobes.
 
Flying_Nun said:
Those folks aren't following the POH. Idle should be 1,000 RPMs max and that is all you really need to taxi.

Cirri don't have beacons so you have to run the strobes.
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How do you expect them to out taxi a Bonanza at 1000 RPM?
 
If you think the owners taxi fast, come to KADS and watch the service center mechanics going out for engine runs.
 
hkyplr18 said:
...then idle at 1500RPM?

Why do you taxi at 30+kts?
Click to expand...

Without nose-gear steering they use higher rpm and higher taxi speed to get rudder effectiveness for steering control without riding the brakes.

Had an instructor recommend a similar approach with my Tiger (actually just slightly higher than normal, not 1500 rpm and 30 kts...but I suspect those reflect some degree of hyperbole).
 
My 172 at 1800 pounds with me in it would taxi really fast at idle. The Mooney will taxi pretty fast at idle too, but not near as fast as the skyhawk.
 
hkyplr18 said:
Why do you start your engines at 2000+RPM and then idle at 1500RPM?

Why do you taxi with your strobes on?

Why do you taxi at 30+kts?
Click to expand...
The answer to your questions are in your questions. Obviously they taxi at 30 Kt because they're idling at 1500 RPM. Taxiing with strobes is necessary because they're going so fast the strobes give other airplanes more warning. And if your engine idles at 1500 you need 2000 to start it.:D:D
 
Can you provide more info on the guy who told you that stuff? I'd like to hear some of his other theories.

bkspero said:
Without nose-gear steering they use higher rpm and higher taxi speed to get rudder effectiveness for steering control without riding the brakes.

Had an instructor recommend a similar approach with my Tiger (actually just slightly higher than normal, not 1500 rpm and 30 kts...but I suspect those reflect some degree of hyperbole).
Click to expand...
 
DavidWhite said:
My 172 at 1800 pounds with me in it would taxi really fast at idle. The Mooney will taxi pretty fast at idle too, but not near as fast as the skyhawk.
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That's one of the reason the aircraft have brakes. Watch a Cirrus nose gear when it hits a bump - we have problems with large drying cracks in the taxiways at FTG - a little scary it is when one of the local SR-22 goes by just below Vso.
 
HPNPilot1200 said:
Poor training...
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I've flown with Cirrus pilots who've received the factory training and done that.

Actually, the main thing I notice from Cirrus pilots is just sloppy taxiing. No paying attention to the yellow line and just throwing the plane around on the ground.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
I've flown with Cirrus pilots who've received the factory training and done that.

Actually, the main thing I notice from Cirrus pilots is just sloppy taxiing. No paying attention to the yellow line and just throwing the plane around on the ground.
Click to expand...

Assuming they are teaching the airplane correctly, CFI's shouldn't accept sub-par aircraft handling and performance. I think there are some who may categorize these taxiing habits as "technique" and thus let it slide.
 
Cirrus pilots believe all the situational awareness they need is on some screen in the cockpit.

I almost lost it on a guy when he did a damn near full power 180 blasting my Citabria and filling it with sand.
 
Man... why do my smiley faces not come through.... I said it all in gest.
 
Good answers (some funny ones in there too!) I figured poor training was most of the problem. I see this kind of stuff in the other fleets too but not NEAR as much as I do with Cirrus pilots. Why in the heck would they not put a beacon on a Cirrus and have only strobes? I was taxing out the other day around dusk from some airport (cant' remember where) and a Cirrus had his strobes on while he taxied by. All I could see for the next 5 minutes were strobes going off when I closed my eyes! I said something on the radio, but no reply. I too would like to know why some instructor would teach high taxi speed/high power for rudder effectiveness and steering. That is a terrible reason to taxi around with high RPM, castering nosewheel or not...
 
hkyplr18 said:
Why do you taxi at 30+kts?
Click to expand...

In addition to the free castering nose wheel (as a couple of people explained above), a lot of people rent Cirrus' and for some reason they are always incredibly expensive to rent. So you really do want to minimize your time on the ground.
 
All Cirrus drivers are fast! We had one smoke two brand new sets of tires...right down to the cord. The second set he smoked moments before taking it through a chain link fence off the end of the runway, missing the tower manager in her car by about 10 seconds!

As we say here in Minnesota, Uff-da!
 
hkyplr18 said:
Why do you start your engines at 2000+RPM and then idle at 1500RPM?

Why do you taxi with your strobes on?

Why do you taxi at 30+kts?
Click to expand...

LOL Hell, what does Cirrus have to do with it? I did that with my old Warrior II. :D
 
hkyplr18 said:
Myself, along with the other airport bums have observed a few things with Cirrus pilots. Not trying to make fun of Cirrus drivers as a whole but these are some of the things we see on a regular basis when a Cirrus comes to town, and our curiosity has gotten the better of us! I would like to know if there is a good reason you guys do these things so we can quit calling you knuckle heads:D. BTW, None of us have ever flown one.

Why do you start your engines at 2000+RPM and then idle at 1500RPM?

Why do you taxi with your strobes on?

Why do you taxi at 30+kts?
Click to expand...

In my case, I don't do any of those things except for the strobes--no beacon. Perhaps it is because I was "brought up" on Cessnas?
 
Ted DuPuis said:
I've flown with Cirrus pilots who've received the factory training and done that.

Actually, the main thing I notice from Cirrus pilots is just sloppy taxiing. No paying attention to the yellow line and just throwing the plane around on the ground.
Click to expand...

It is a fair evaluation. In Cirrus defense, however, it is MUCH easier to taxi Cessnas, Bonanzas, Pipers, etc. Taxiing a Cirrus you're constantly concerned about burning out the pads.
 
LDJones said:
All Cirrus drivers are fast! We had one smoke two brand new sets of tires...right down to the cord. The second set he smoked moments before taking it through a chain link fence off the end of the runway, missing the tower manager in her car by about 10 seconds!

As we say here in Minnesota, Uff-da!
Click to expand...

I suspect these were "fast training" students.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
I've flown with Cirrus pilots who've received the factory training and done that.

Actually, the main thing I notice from Cirrus pilots is just sloppy taxiing. No paying attention to the yellow line and just throwing the plane around on the ground.
Click to expand...
to be fair, we used to observe the same about tiger pilots and RV nosegear pilots. It seems to be a common theme with castering nosewheels not limited to a particular brand.
 
JHW said:
to be fair, we used to observe the same about tiger pilots and RV nosegear pilots. It seems to be a common theme with castering nosewheels not limited to a particular brand.
Click to expand...

Jeff,
That' doesn't help the OP's argument!
 
hkyplr18 said:
Good answers (some funny ones in there too!) I figured poor training was most of the problem. I see this kind of stuff in the other fleets too but not NEAR as much as I do with Cirrus pilots. Why in the heck would they not put a beacon on a Cirrus and have only strobes? I was taxing out the other day around dusk from some airport (cant' remember where) and a Cirrus had his strobes on while he taxied by. All I could see for the next 5 minutes were strobes going off when I closed my eyes! I said something on the radio, but no reply. I too would like to know why some instructor would teach high taxi speed/high power for rudder effectiveness and steering. That is a terrible reason to taxi around with high RPM, castering nosewheel or not...
Click to expand...

Taxiing with strobes at dusk is just poor airmanship. I use position lights at dusk until at the hold short line.
 
Remember when it used to be those darn doctors flying their Bonanzas?

Those Gosh Dern newbie pilots with too much money and too little sense. They rent or buy (some even lease) all these new fangled plastic planes and drive prices down on all the cool classic stuff.
 
hkyplr18 said:
Myself, along with the other airport bums have observed a few things with Cirrus pilots. Not trying to make fun of Cirrus drivers as a whole but these are some of the things we see on a regular basis when a Cirrus comes to town, and our curiosity has gotten the better of us! I would like to know if there is a good reason you guys do these things so we can quit calling you knuckle heads:D. BTW, None of us have ever flown one.

Why do you start your engines at 2000+RPM and then idle at 1500RPM?

Why do you taxi with your strobes on?

Why do you taxi at 30+kts?
Click to expand...

It sounds like they start at 2000 RPM and idle. The Teledyne - Continential engines incredibly loud. After hot starts certain Cirrus vapor lock if not held at a higher RPM after startup.

Flying_Nun said:
Taxiing with strobes at dusk is just poor airmanship. I use position lights at dusk until at the hold short line.
Click to expand...

Got yelled at by tower with just the position lights on last night. Only passed three other airplanes heading in the opposite direction too. SMH
 
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JHW said:
to be fair, we used to observe the same about tiger pilots and RV nosegear pilots. It seems to be a common theme with castering nosewheels not limited to a particular brand.
Click to expand...

I've flown planes with castering nosewheels and still managed to taxi them like a normal person. Even a Cirrus.

spiderweb said:
It is a fair evaluation. In Cirrus defense, however, it is MUCH easier to taxi Cessnas, Bonanzas, Pipers, etc. Taxiing a Cirrus you're constantly concerned about burning out the pads.
Click to expand...

I do agree that castering nosewheels are harder to taxi. I don't see that as being an excuse, though. Mooneys are harder to make greaser landings with - I still managed to do it.
 
Really? How much does a set of pads set you back? How often must they be changed? How do those costs compare to the potential alternatives? Somebody is blowing smoke up somebody's hiney.

spiderweb said:
It is a fair evaluation. In Cirrus defense, however, it is MUCH easier to taxi Cessnas, Bonanzas, Pipers, etc. Taxiing a Cirrus you're constantly concerned about burning out the pads.
Click to expand...
 
wabower said:
Really? How much does a set of pads set you back? How often must they be changed? How do those costs compare to the potential alternatives? Somebody is blowing smoke up somebody's hiney.
Click to expand...

In the Aztec pads were a yearly item regardless of my taxi habits. Didn't make enough of a dent that I ever cared.
 
The throttles on the Cirrus has to be nearly closed for a smooth "normal" start...what most of those guys think is slightly open is cruise power.
 
wabower said:
Really? How much does a set of pads set you back? How often must they be changed? How do those costs compare to the potential alternatives? Somebody is blowing smoke up somebody's hiney.
Click to expand...

If you burn Cirrus pads, they supposed can fail dramatically (failure or fire). I haven't experienced that because I taxi slowly--the same way I taxi any aircraft.

Taxiing is effected by differential braking, and quick toe taps.
 
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Has anyone threatened to revoke your Cirrus privileges for exhibiting such a blatantly rebellious attitude?

spiderweb said:
If you burn Cirrus pads, they supposed can fail dramatically (failure or fire). I haven't experienced that because I taxi slowly--the same way I taxi any aircraft.

Taxiing is effected by differential braking, and quick toe taps.
Click to expand...
 
hkyplr18 said:
Why do you start your engines at 2000+RPM and then idle at 1500RPM?
Click to expand...

I don't. The POH checklist says to reduce to 1000 RPM after starting.

Why do you taxi with your strobes on?
Click to expand...

The POH checklist says to turn them on before starting the engine, and it doesn't indicate that they should be turned off.

Why do you taxi at 30+kts?
Click to expand...

I don't. The POH specifies a maximum 1000 RPM for sustained taxi.
 
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