I'd like to think I make good decisions but I can't say I have the most organized decision process. Seems I have to "try on" a decision in my mind for awhile and see how it fits. Eventually that little voice whispers in my ear and tells me if I'm on the right path.

I "tried on" the idea of a Lear 35 over the past few weeks but the little voice just keeps whispering "don't....". Two problems, I don't have any PIC time in a learjet and nobody up here (ridgway, CO) does either. I talked to my insurance guy and he thinks this will be a problem. I know Theo is making this work but I doubt he'll let Ashley move here to be my copilot and I know better than thinking that I can keep up with "the most interesting man in the world". (although it is fun to try!)

My broker and Mark Hangen both think the SII is a sleeper. I'd like to be able to fly OGD-RIC nonstop. On the return flight, the SII likely has to make a fuel stop. The trade-off is that I can fly it SP and I can do my mentor hours with a buddy that lives up here and is type rated in it. So my thoughts are that on most trips, I'l work to find another business meeting on the way back and make the most of the stop (we have customers in every state so it won't be hard).

I flew SIC for maybe 300 hours in a Hawker 725 and it also had a weeping wing. I can't ever remember turning it on (but I've got CRS (can't remember %#$@) so who knows). But either way, I don't have any issue with the weeping wing (but would love to hear comments). I don't know too much more than I can find on the internet. The SII had some aerodynamic enhancements over the CII and better engine performance up high.

I'm wondering how it does hot & high? Does anybody have a book on it? I'd like to know if it will fly out of TEX at 75F and how far it can go?

Ashley from TUS ?

Hello John,

Since your not getting any feedback I figured I'd pass on what I learned from a friend of mine who captains a SII. The fluid anti ice is a non issue performance wise. The aircraft is very dependable, my friends exact comment was "they never break". I think they do close to 400 hours a year on theirs and they have had it for about 4 years now. Theirs is a Williams powered SII. The straight older citations are faster than tprops but as you know they are slow when it comes to jets. Short field performance is the trump card for them and that is the only reason my friend chose the SII, since the principal has a second home near a short runway.

When the S/II goes in for inspection, if the TKS panels leak, that can be a high dollar item. Also the TKS panels are a corrosion trap, to the point when you pull them off, it isn't surprising to find corrosion underneath.

It is a great airplane, but getting long in the tooth. Personally, I'd buy a V before buying an S/II.

Whatever happened to the P180 Avanti, John?

*waves Jedi mind trick hand in front of John's eyes*

John - a good SII will be around the same as a V. I would lean towards the V instead of an SII. The SII has good performance but it is a bit of an odd ball with the TKS system and it may be a problem servicing it as time goes by - BWDIK. The V is newer, more conventional and does what you need.

I'm sure you have followed Dave Siciliano's posts and great info on his Citation journey and I would tend to think a V would be a great fit for what you describe. At least you've gotten over the Lear and Astra ideas!

John
The Sierra folks have a program where you could get range to fly SP to Hawaii

http://www.sijet.com/performance-chart

That would be great

The Super SII is borderline for Hawaii westbound with the typical winds. My friend does not do it and he does more max range trips in the aircraft than most.

The ER has a range of 2490 distance of 2090 headwinds now of 38 knots seems doable to me

Hmmm, just when I thought I knew where to focus......

I was thinking that the V had shorter range than the SII but if this is true, I need to look at them too.

The ER has a range of 2490 distance of 2090 headwinds now of 38 knots seems doable to me

Exactly.

You could do it from Australia, I believe its around 1100 nm.

That would be the long way around for sure.

If you want to fly to Hawaii westbound from the U.S. mainland your aircraft will be two crew (unless you have one of the six or so SJ30's out there-then maybe SP). Not including ferry type flights here.

No need to go to Austrailia.

http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?P=Kbli-pajn- ... 370&SU=kts

Not saying it's a good idea, 1/2 way (Adak to Midway) is 700+ NM from land.

What is a Sierra Citation's range S/E or without pressurization (O2 limits at ?), if the hydraulic system fails does the gear come down?

That's the trouble with long flights over water, if something happens there is no available intermediate stop.