My Cirrus G5 test ride has been updated and expanded.

I wanted so badly to update my ride in the Cirrus SR22 G5 and see one on a true cross country flight, not just a joy ride around the airport. Does this airplane move the needle at all? Our very own CT gave me an opportunity to ride shotgun in his beautiful SR22T G5.

How much fun can a guy have when he is waiting on the ramp with a suitcase for a weekend trip that would start at, "Third Thursday" in Mason City Iowa with our own Doug Rozendaal (that was Epic and another story) and end with a trip to meet fellow BTer's at Max's event in Knoxville. That is about as much fun as a pilot can have.

I saw a plane in a mid field left down wind and then, as it turned final, saw the excellent exterior lighting (We all need to upgrade our lighting, it matters). When over the numbers, I noticed how the custom paint job just "pops." This plane is gorgeous inside and out and has definite ramp presence.

The first thing you notice in the G5, which I am certain was a primary engineering/marketing goal, is to have the identical sound and feel of closing the aircraft door to the sound and feel of a Mercedes door. That starts the entire flying experience out right.

Startup is turbine smooth. As a flight instructor, one of the things that I was most impressed with is the Cirrus Flight Training Program. Understand, I have never attended this program, but watching C and the airplane work "together" through the checklists and flight parameters was just nothing short of impressive. Again, as a passenger, it was amazing how watching the professionalism and sequence just makes you feel "safe." It looks right.

Climate control. "I'm hot or I'm cold!" Those words are history for the G5 pilots. The climate control system has to be one of the biggest hits with passengers. Are you a little warm? Turn the rheostat knob left (AC can be run in all flight profiles). Are you a little cold? Turn it the other way. Totally manageable and totally intuitive for passengers.

Climb out. C decided to climb LOP as we were going to stretch the legs of the G5 a little on the trip from Mason City Iowa (MCW) to Knoxville (DKX). We did not know for sure what flight conditions or headwinds awaited us on the way to Knoxville so C decided to save a few gallons in the climb. Smooth and solid with a cool engine. It's simple, full power and set the mixture with the carrot alligning with the EGT tag line. That's it!

Up to 11,000 feet we go. We encountered some "light chop" enroute and I compare the ride to that of my E55 Baron. In, fact the wing loading is similar. No washing around or slop. C runs his G5 at 75% power and that provided a consistent 170ish knots at 16ish GPH. We encountered some very light mixed icing and just worked our way down through block altitudes out of it with no rush, no anxiety. More importantly, we had full capability to go the other direction and climb if we chose that strategy. We could have seamlessly pulled out the oxygen, hit the "on" button and climbed up through the next 10,000 feet or so of sky. Those readily available options are nice and translate over to a calm cockpit.

The Garmin Perspective Suite is nothing short of awesome for cross country flight. We believed we would be challenged by the weather on this trip, but it really ended up no big deal. We dealt with some light mixed icing, rain, light turbulence and IMC. The situational awareness we had was great. It's not that we don't have access to all of the same information in our aircraft, it is how it's all put together in one tight package in the G5. Everything at your fingertips in one place, where it is supposed to be. Switches and knobs clearly marked and intuitive. I think spouses are really going to like the capability to play with the weather features themselves on the big Garmin screen in front of them.

The seats? Ok, at 4ish hours there were times where I thought my bottom was getting a little stiff. I put the seat back a notch to change the "pressure point" and then, no problem.

In summary, I can really see why some smart pilots are flying this aircraft. It's expensive for sure. But, I felt like we were riding in an "almost" turbine. We had real, available options and the capability to go up, around, under, or through weather in total comfort and safely.

Best way I can describe it is that I felt like C and I took his new Mercedes on a 1100nm mile road trip, the only difference was it was through the air. This is not an anti Beech post, instead, it is a salute to Cirrus.

I liked it and thanks for the opportunity, C..

Nice write up. My wife and kids would be nodding in agreement.
If only they offered 6 seats and a lav...

Good story Tom. It was great meeting you and Corey!

I enjoyed the honor of sitting in its left seat for a few minutes in this plane. Truly magnificent look and feel..

Where's the pics of the beautiful bird?!?!

I have to agree with you on the Garmin Perspective. After 20 minutes in the demo plane I was wondering could they make it any easier/simpler? Everything in the cockpit is exactly where it should be.

The Cirrus sales rep helped me narrow down what I'm looking for....2008 or newer G3 or newer, and a wife who thinks all of this is a good idea....

Peace,
Don

Here are a couple. Quite impressive.

Here are a couple. Quite impressive.

Nice write up!

Nice write up, and thanks for the pics Chris! Beautiful plane.

Like you Tom, I am waiting for more than the 1 hour demo ride.

In July, I am going to start my 10 hour checkout for renting one. (I guess 9 hours really since I already have 1 hour in it) I think I will use a lot of that time to really get Instrument proficient in the plane, as it was really quite easy to fly & land.

Pretty expensive though. $285 per hour dry.

Nice: While recently & presently known as the fuel quantity guy, at my former company we designed the Cirrus climate control interface. While I know it was well received at Cirrus, this is the first time I read a PIREP on the system. It is so nice to have that acknowledgement.

I agree with your sales guy - G3 and newer - 2008 and Newer

Cirrus Model History was too large - I can PM it - Some of the newer features 2009 thru present are retrofittable.

Nice write up Tom!

I have a grin from ear to ear everytime I fly the SR22. It's such a pleasure to fly. You really don't fully understand until you take one on a trip. It's so easy, so intuitive and almost as though they thought of everything you'd want from a pilot's perspective before you asked for it.

The UL, cabin size and luggage space are its least desirable attributes but for 1 or 2 people on an overnight trip or (4) people out-and-back (non-overnight) trip, it's REALLY hard to beat.

Good luck getting your wife and kids in the airplane with enough fuel to go some place fun.

New airplanes just don't have enough useful load to make them useful...

Kevin

Good luck getting your wife and kids in the airplane with enough fuel to go some place fun.

New airplanes just don't have enough useful load to make them useful...

Kevin

Here is my experience in about 30 years of flying. On "that trip" where you have four on board in a four passenger airplane they really are not excited about traveling 4 hours straight. If you tell them you are going to fly a couple hours or so, stop, then continue for a couple more hours or so they are happy about that and at worst are OK with it. Call ahead to the FBO and provide CC information and advise you want a quick turn.

Everything is a compromise, correct?

All optioned up with the SR22T G5 you have 3600lbs MGW leaving around 1100lbs useful load. So, you load fuel to the tabs (60 gallons) and you have 740 lbs (ish) of payload. As I understand it, there is no zero fuel weight limitation on the G5.

That should get you a couple hours or so down the road with an acceptable reserve. Two gas stops and that is a full day of flying for anyone. Would we all rather go 800NM with 900lbs of payload, yes. You can do that in TN Bonanza, but no chute, probably no AC and almost certainly no FIKI. Pick you poison.

In all honesty, the main thing holding me back on the Cirrus is the ability to haul 4 and anything else we want to carry. But, what I keep thinking about is if my hangar partner had one as well I could simply hire a pilot and take two Cirri for "that trip" put him/her up in a hotel and have him/her fly back and I am hundreds of thousands of $$$ ahead of the next realistic option.

One of the loneliest feelings for a 340A driver is looking back over your right shoulder on most of your trips and seeing a totally empty cabin.