I have owned and flown a Columbia 400. I believe it is a great plane with responsive handling qualities and it’s fast. Never mind its great ramp appeal. I thought it was a hanful of fun and great flying. Lots of good things to say about it.
My question to the group is this: In shopping for a SE piston, how would the fact that Textron stopped production figure into your considering it as a viable option?

Stopped production but they still support it, don’t they?

Parts and service support still available for Columbia/Corvallis/TTx from Textron/Cessna, at the same level as before they stopped production. For what that is worth.

My instructor flys a lot of planes (over 20,000 total hours). He prefers the Columbia/Cessna 400 to almost any other single. I unfortunately, have not flown one.

My 2 cents...Cessna needed to add a parachute, keep the price competitive with SR22, then it would have sold to the Cirrus buyers.

It also looks better on paper and in person than the SR22. This design should have been successful for Cessna...I think Cessna corporate issues must have gotten in the way of a great plane.

KJ

And the anemic useful load would have also needed attention. The side stick over a side yoke is terrific.

-David

Great observations, all.
So what say you in answer to the question in my OP:"... In shopping for a SE piston, how would the fact that Textron stopped production figure into your considering it as a viable option?"

All of this logic is what lead me to the Lancair Super ES, it's the best of everything the COL4 and the Corvalis has to offer

but more useful load, more freedom to do what you want (you could add a parachute if you wanted)

Experimental avionics...reasonable insurance, and plenty of parts and support available

Then I saw all the rave reviews and feedback on the TAT TN kit for the bonanzas, and added that- and now I have a magic carpet

Ask me about

Carbon Fiber baffle
Baffle seals
ducts
intake ducts
Door seals
hoses

Since the first 300

Wouldn’t stop me from buying one if I had the cash. Same with the good ol C210, no longer made but I’d buy one if it fit my mission.

I've been friends with Lance Neibuaer the original founder of Lancair and the guy who made that airplane happen for close to 20 years. We talked often as he navigated the certification of the 300 / 350 / 400... I watched him travel to Malaysia to attract an investor to save a company that was drowning in it's own success. They had a 2+ year back log for orders and a dealer network screaming for airplanes. They just needed funding to expand their production capabilities. They ousted him and took the "Lancair" name off the company, ego... they didn't like that it was his name. Not only did that send a bad marketing message, it also drew attention to the fact that Lancair was now owned by the "Chinese" and the compound effect was that they ran an amazing success story into the ground. Cessna bought Columbia out of bankruptcy for $25M...

$25M... to put that in perspective, less than the cost of one jet.

It is hands down the most stable, fun to fly and fast airplane in it's class.

I wouldn't hesitate to buy one!

If you can get all the parts, I think the fact that the plane is out of production is a non factor. Many good Cessna planes are no longer in production and still hold a great value.

KJ

I believe a hailstorm that wiped out $25 million in airplanes also didn't help the Columbia story. I also believe the attempt by Cessna to build composites in Mexico didn't help their situation.

1600 hours in Columbia 350

30 hours and counting in Cirrus SR22 G5

Flying qualities...hands down Columbia but Cirrus is good.

As to your question (I own a 35 yr out of production Aerostar- currently at paint shop)

Repairs and parts will just cost a bit more.

Columbia....VNE of 235 knots

Pop speed brakes and descend at 6000fpm at about 215 KIAS.....

If Cessna woulda put a chute in and exchanged Utility category for normal with higher useful load then WOW

That right there.

We had a Columbia 400 in inventory back in the sales days... I called Lance after an unsuccessful attempt to move the beast by hand tow bar and said “why does your damn plastic airplane weigh so much more than our 182?”

He said his engineers estimate that it is 225% overbuilt.

He deeply regrets going Utility category.

V tail bonanza is out of production, they still sell,seems about the same to me . .02