The Cirrus factor

You can buy a G2 SR22 Cirrus with a parachute re-pack in the $200-$250K range. That is for a 2007 era airplane. For the same amount of money for a Bonanza, you will get a late 1970's to mid 1980's model F33 or A36. The Cirrus is a heck of alot more of an airplane at that price point than a 40 year old Bonanza. No comparison.

If you want to see why Cirrus is dominating the new airplane market, go to Oshkosh this year. The Cirrus tent is a huge display and with multiple models that you can crawl into (the only time I have been in one). The Textron (Beechcraft) display is a joke. There will be one lonely Bonanza sitting off to the side that you have to get PERMISSION to get inside of - they want to pre-qualify you before you are even allowed entry into their royal Bonanza.

Cirrus is the "Garmin" of airplanes - they have a great product and they know how to market it. Garmin has taken over the market from King for light GA aircraft and it reminds me of what Cirrus has done to Textron and Piper.

Personally, I could never bring myself to shell out close to $1M for a single engine piston aircraft. For that kind of money I am buying a 20 year old King Air or something along those lines. Definitely not a single engine piston. Personally, I don't understand how they sell any new airplanes.

Still, for $200K, the best buy in the single engine piston market is the 2006-2007 SR22 G2 with a parachute repack.
 
I was offered a demo ride in a Cirrus by a dealer. I declined. When asked why, I said that I was afraid that he, the dealer, would find a way for me to pay fo one.
 
Morgan3820 said:
I was offered a demo ride in a Cirrus by a dealer. I declined. When asked why, I said that I was afraid that he, the dealer, would find a way for me to pay fo one.
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I let the Kirby guys clean my carpets once... in my defense, I told them from square one I was not spending several thousand on a vacuum, but they insisted they'd clean the carpet for free if I let them in... so I did, they cleaned the living room, and I said thanks and off they went
 
Timbeck2 said:
Honestly, I didn't know Zima was still available
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In a very tongue in cheek moment I did show up to the Cirrus with a six pack of Zima once, RudyP was with me.. I still have a photo somewhere with an (unopened) Zima in the pax cup holder in the Cirrus

I'd never had one before, and will never have one again, I didn't find it tasted good at all. Personally I prefer Gin (Nolets, Bombay if they don't have it) or Scotch (Lagavulin) or some tequila (1942, Casamigos)

Maybe I'm a generation behind, but Zima to me always seemed like more a poser drink (like what the baby-don't-hurt-me guys in SNL would drink), not something someone with actual money would pick.. like the bro's who chug 4Loco or do JagerBombs all night
 
Tantalum said:
I let the Kirby guys clean my carpets once... in my defense, I told them from square one I was not spending several thousand on a vacuum, but they insisted they'd clean the carpet for free if I let them in... so I did, they cleaned the living room, and I said thanks and off they went
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Good deal.... I was expecting you to say they came back and cleaned out your house when you were gone....

Some guys came to my house once, no ID no company clothes, wanting to show me how well their air freshener worked. I wasn't about to let them in to case my house while I watched....
 
Zeldman said:
Some guys came to my house once, no ID no company clothes, wanting to show me how well their air freshener worked. I wasn't about to let them in to case my house while I watched
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Yeah my wife was not too happy when I told her some dudes cleaned the living room carpet for free! We (I) learn from my mistakes, or at least try to
 
Fiveslide said:
...I sailed a Hunter, I've already been through it.

*Hunter marine gets trash talked about them like Cirrus does in aviation. For those that know diddly about sailing.
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My dad had a Hunter 32. Never knew there was any trash talk about them.
 
wilkersk said:
My dad had a Hunter 32. Never knew there was any trash talk about them.
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Oh, yes. They aren't real "blue water" boats. You take one too far from shore, you're going to break apart and sink. They're built light, cheaply, to a price point. Stuff like that.

I loved mine. In the hands of a good sailor that does long passages in the correct season and otherwise makes good decisions, they can cross any ocean any custom yacht can. Probably do it faster than other similarly sized boats.
 
wilkersk said:
My dad had a Hunter 32. Never knew there was any trash talk about them.
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Fiveslide said:
They aren't real "blue water" boats. You take one too far from shore, you're going to break apart and sink.
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Catalina would be often talked down upon as well

Hinckley, Swan, Sabre, Halberg Rassy, Island Packet, etc., are the "top notch" boats. Funny, when I worked in the marina there were two sets of "sailors" - didn't really depend on the type of boat as much as the person themselves. In my experience the only boat type with a history of failures at sea are Beneteau, which suffered a rash of well publicized (in the sailing community) keel failures and sinkings. There was a near brand new Oyster actually that lost her keel too

The two "groups" of sailors:
-the group who *never* leaves the harbor
-the group who sails a couple times a week, does Wednesday night races, brings family out on weekends, etc.

There were people who sailed their Hunters hard, and people who sailed their Sabre's, etc., hard. All built for different purposes, and all boats (and planes) will kill you if handled improperly. Comparing a Hunter to a Hinckley to an Island Packet is about as apples:eek:ranges as you can get, aside from them all floating and be powered by wind

**Talking smack about a parachute though to me is like looking down on people who bring life jackets sailing (or life boats for the offshore crowd). And the whole "Mooney's glide range is better than Cirrus" that's like saying the strongest swimmer on your boat doesn't need a life jacket or room in the life boat..
 
Another necro from me ;) This has been an interesting thread. Smh. I am Getting back into GA after an 18 year break, after just renting every 2-5 years.( Don’t see too many Cirrus in the rental market ;) )
Re: expense, I’m looking at buying in the next couple of years and have gone full circle back to a 182, when I noticed first generation steam gauge Cirrus’s (sr20 for sure, and many 22’s) are less expensive than a similar year or much older 182. It surprised me considering what any cirrus generation 6 costs today. I learned in old 172’s- I’ve never cared about glass. It’s nice. If someone else is paying me, I like to have it. But since there is no trust fund in my name.... until it’s less expensive, I’m more than content with needles and pointers. I’m excited that an older Cirrus might be an option for me.

As for the rest, I’m with the crowd that thinks it’s all dumb. I’m a 15,000 hour airline captain and will never be too good to rent (and respect) a beat up 172 and fly for the flying of it. And I will be soul on fire excited happy to do it. I like every airplane ever made that I can fit in. I don’t care about brand/ model loyalty. I have 6 type ratings and wish I had a dozen more. Same with GA. This reminds me of when I sold my Harley and bought a klr650 bc I wanted to play in the dirt. It’s not an indictment on Harley- that was great for a while. I saw 11,000 miles figure 8ing the western half of North America from it— i just wanted to see and learn riding from a different angle. Or like selling my ice suv for the Tesla, but then bought a used Diesel Sprinter sleeper van, bc I want something that can carry the KLR, and my dogs to wherever we’re camping.
Life is far too great, and short, to be limited in your mindset. The breadth of life experience available to anyone who has the ability to earn a pilot’s license is too good to be wrapped up in petty and materialistic. It’s about the ride, and the sail, and the flight, and sharing it with good people.
My corny, deep thoughts, excited take anyway.
 
Scott Mitchell said:
Another necro from me ;) This has been an interesting thread. Smh. I am Getting back into GA after an 18 year break, after just renting every 2-5 years.( Don’t see too many Cirrus in the rental market ;) )
Re: expense, I’m looking at buying in the next couple of years and have gone full circle back to a 182, when I noticed first generation steam gauge Cirrus’s (sr20 for sure, and many 22’s) are less expensive than a similar year or much older 182. It surprised me considering what any cirrus generation 6 costs today. I learned in old 172’s- I’ve never cared about glass. It’s nice. If someone else is paying me, I like to have it. But since there is no trust fund in my name.... until it’s less expensive, I’m more than content with needles and pointers. I’m excited that an older Cirrus might be an option for me.

As for the rest, I’m with the crowd that thinks it’s all dumb. I’m a 15,000 hour airline captain and will never be too good to rent (and respect) a beat up 172 and fly for the flying of it. And I will be soul on fire excited happy to do it. I like every airplane ever made that I can fit in. I don’t care about brand/ model loyalty. I have 6 type ratings and wish I had a dozen more. Same with GA. This reminds me of when I sold my Harley and bought a klr650 bc I wanted to play in the dirt. It’s not an indictment on Harley- that was great for a while. I saw 11,000 miles figure 8ing the western half of North America from it— i just wanted to see and learn riding from a different angle. Or like selling my ice suv for the Tesla, but then bought a used Diesel Sprinter sleeper van, bc I want something that can carry the KLR, and my dogs to wherever we’re camping.
Life is far too great, and short, to be limited in your mindset. The breadth of life experience available to anyone who has the ability to earn a pilot’s license is too good to be wrapped up in petty and materialistic. It’s about the ride, and the sail, and the flight, and sharing it with good people.
My corny, deep thoughts, excited take anyway.
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Rental Cirrus are much more plentiful than you might think if you are in the right area.
 
bflynn said:
Did I miss that this is National Necro Post day?
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Yeah, I noticed that, too. Lots of threads with sort of the same posts - that early Cirri with steam gauges are a good value.
 
Deelee said:
Yeah, I noticed that, too. Lots of threads with sort of the same posts - that early Cirri with steam gauges are a good value.
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SR20 G2s are a steal right now, a lot of airplane for under 200k.
 
There is one on the ramp my me. They just had it painted. Looks sweeeeeeet. I do like Cirri. Never flown anything with a stick... wonder what the transition is like.
 
Cervieres said:
Glass, chute, big cabin, 200hp, reasonably fast and efficient, still in production by a financially solvent company, designed in the last 60 years.
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SR20 made my top 3 when I was shopping. Chute and Avidyne glass aren't plusses for me, 200hp is meh...just means you can't log HP time, useful load is low, and the speed advantage isn't enough to make up for the range deficit on long trips. It is extremely comfortable, but for $200k, I'm going F33 all day every day. Hopefully the G2+ SR22s will get down in the sub $200k range before long.
 
Deelee said:
There is one on the ramp my me. They just had it painted. Looks sweeeeeeet. I do like Cirri. Never flown anything with a stick... wonder what the transition is like.
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It’s easy, don’t really even need to think about it. The one I flew they recommend auto pilot usage once up and away. Landing was almost too easy. Just gotta learn the chute as part of the systems. Biggest distraction for me was the checklist on the MFD. I’d fly one again for sure if given the chance. Heck, I might partner with someone for a newer model.
 
Would love to fly one. The AP usage is part of my SOP for most flights these days anyway. Pre-set initial altitude. Flight plan in GPS. Take off. Hand fly to maybe 1000' or 1500' AGL. Engage AP.

Wow...typing that really makes me want to go hand fly a bunch now lol...
 
Deelee said:
There is one on the ramp my me. They just had it painted. Looks sweeeeeeet. I do like Cirri. Never flown anything with a stick... wonder what the transition is like.
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Actually it's not a stick. It's a side yoke. Two different things.
 
Deelee said:
There is one on the ramp my me. They just had it painted. Looks sweeeeeeet. I do like Cirri. Never flown anything with a stick... wonder what the transition is like.
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Transition is easy, you get used to the stick really fast. They are just faster in the pattern and you need to make sure you don't cook the cylinders climbing out. The 20 is a great airplane, especially if it is only one or two flying. Otherwise range starts getting limited.
 
Deelee said:
There is one on the ramp my me. They just had it painted. Looks sweeeeeeet. I do like Cirri. Never flown anything with a stick... wonder what the transition is like.
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You fly with your mind. Yoke. Embraer handle bar, side stick...none of that matters.. Two airplanes with similar yokes take the same adjustment as a yoke and something else when getting a feel for a different airplane. I imagine this side yoke would be the same.
 
wayne said:
Personally I'm more concerned with the passengers than the plane. Whichever option is best for everyone walking away is the one I'm going with.
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Regardless of what you fly, this should be front and center in any emergency ...
 
Cervieres said:
Glass, chute, big cabin, 200hp, reasonably fast and efficient, still in production by a financially solvent company, designed in the last 60 years.
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I like the idea of sub 10gph, but I live in NorCal with Tahoe up the hill. Plus being big, I’m focused on the 22- just reading an article about the value of the 20 though. I’m renting 160hp 172’s right now so...like I said above, there’s no trust fund or side business that’s gonna fund this.
 
Scott Mitchell said:
Lol- which is worse.. necro? Or asking a question, bringing up a topic that’s been dealt with a hundred times?
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The “Bonanza is best unless it is a Grumman Tiger and my Mooney has the largest cabin in GA” crowd make it too much fun to pass up. And don’t even think about aviation diesel unless it can be easily retrofitted to a V-tail.
 
Deelee said:
There is one on the ramp my me. They just had it painted. Looks sweeeeeeet. I do like Cirri. Never flown anything with a stick... wonder what the transition is like.
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PaulS said:
Transition is easy, you get used to the stick really fast. They are just faster in the pattern and you need to make sure you don't cook the cylinders climbing out. The 20 is a great airplane, especially if it is only one or two flying. Otherwise range starts getting limited.
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^ This, although I've never had trouble overheating the cylinders in the climb in a SR22.

I had the same thought about the side stick/yoke/whatever when I did the Cirrus Transition training years ago. I thought it might take a few flights for it not to bother me, and maybe a few more to get really comfortable with it. After shutting down after my first flight I realized I hadn't even noticed other than the initial part of the flight.

There is no one perfect plane, but if you like to travel with others the Cirrus is one of the planes that is really good at that. We flew a few different SR22s with our kids while they were high school and some while they were in college.

The Baron 58 I flew for a while was nice with the big barn doors in the back. I moved our middle daughter out of her freshman dorm (the old, small traditional dorm room) easily and much faster than the 12+ hour round trip drive; I probably would have wanted to spend the night up there if I drove to get her. Couldn't have done that with a SR22.
 
wayne said:
^ This, although I've never had trouble overheating the cylinders in the climb in a SR22.
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Oh, I have, asked to keep CHTs below 370, warm summer day up here you have to get to cruise climb fast.
 
PaulS said:
Oh, I have, asked to keep CHTs below 370, warm summer day up here you have to get to cruise climb fast.
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I live in Atlanta, GA. Your "warm summer days" are my "nice cool fall and spring days". :p ;)
 
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