Username Protected wrote:
Careful with the tight pattern turns. Many have gotten into serious trouble that way.
Rgs
Patrick
There isn't anything unusual about the Cirrus in the pattern. You can fly tight pattern turns in it as well as anything else. The rules of physics apply in the same manner as other planes. When you run out of lift you stall. If you do the wrong thing to recover you make your problem worse and if you're low to the ground you don't have a lot of time to recover.
I'm not aware that there are any higher incidents of stall, spin accidents in the traffic pattern in an SR than other types. There have been some. Inattention, and/or poor airmanship, have killed lots of pilots in all kinds of planes.
Don, the system you are referring to is Garmin's ESP. The ESP doesn't automatically reduce roll angle when bank exceeds 45 degrees. It attempts to, and can against light stick pressure. But, if the pilot is holding the stick firmly it will not overcome the pressure. It does shake to provide some warning. If a pilot is going to rely on that to keep him out of trouble he is already there. Go to altitude and try it. It will not automatically reduce roll angle and it will not prevent a stall spin when an inattentive pilot (one who is in this position in the first place?) is hanging onto the yoke.
It can warn you however. Early in my Cirrus ownership I went out at night with a CFI to practice landings. It was a bit hazy that night. As I was turning crosswind to downwind I told the instructor to get his hand off the stick. His hand wasn't on the stick but ESP was pushing back and warning me. But it hadn't stopped the roll past 45 degrees and it hadn't righted the plane either. It's a tool but it won't prevent stall spin accidents.
