I might be more concerned about oil pooling in some bearings with the engine cant. I heard the Premier FJ44 has some bearing issues due to its mounting compared to Citations.

About 6 months ago I saw the FJ33 running on the Williams test stand. I didn't think about it at the time but it was mounted horizontally and not canted the way it will be in the SF50. I hope someone has done some long run reliability testing of the engine mounted that way.



It will happen if a new turbojet pilot ignores the tailwind start limits. Some CJ4s burnt up their tails that way.

Can't you just push a button with a FADEC start?

And how often does a FADEC engine have a hung start ?

You press the START button, take throttle over idle cutoff, and then monitor the start. Current Williams FADEC provides no protections until the engine is running. Pilot needs to recognize a hung start or hot start and take the appropriate actions.

Hung start or hot start in a FJ44 can come from a tail or cross wind, low battery or GPU, failed igniter, cowl plug left in engine, N1 rotor locked up due to ice.

Should not happen often but if it does the wrong actions can be costly.

The pilot is still responsible (both operationally and financially) for the start. The Williams engine program excludes hot starts from coverage.

I wonder if the FADEC logs engine parameters during start? In that case, the FADEC not only didn't prevent the hot start, it may provide the evidence that proves you have to pay for it.

Mike C.

The pilot is still responsible (both operationally and financially) for the start. The Williams engine program excludes hot starts from coverage.

I wonder if the FADEC logs engine parameters during start? In that case, the FADEC not only didn't prevent the hot start, it may provide the evidence that proves you have to pay for it.

Mike C.

Any word yet on the maintenance program? Most of the competitors were originally aimed at corporate use and have high-dollar calendar based maintenance items that maybe aren't so bad with 600 hour/year corporate usage (and an accounting department writing deductible business expense checks) but for a 100 hour/year owner they send the per-hour cost over the top. Since they call it a "personal jet", I'm curious to see how Cirrus has handled this.

With silence.

Mike C.

1. Why are you assuming 100 hours per year?

2. The guy buying an SF50 to use it only 100 hours a year probably doesn't care what the hourly costs are.

My buddy runs a charter business with a fleet of SR22's. He has SF50's on order. I don't think the SF50 will be ONLY a "personal jet".

I'm sure if you call Cirrus and inquire about buying one they'll give you the MX schedule.

With silence.

Mike C.

I didn't think about that until now but could be a major problem. Normal engines are designed to burn through the pylon and fall off if they are on fire in flight so they don't reach the airframe. Obviously, that wouldn't work on this airplane. It would be burning right into the fuselage.

Really? That is one of the purposes of pylons? I had no idea.

Yup

Really? That is one of the purposes of pylons? I had no idea.

I have asked their sales guy many times for this info and he seems unaware such a guide exists. I begin to suspect it predates the relaunch and isn't part of their promotional materials presently, but I've never seen this guide.

Does it have a date on it?


So I buy an SF50 and I buy the 3 year package and the 3rd year extended warranty.

Let's say I fly 150 hours/year, 450 total hours, which would be about what I am likely to do if I owned an SF50.

I spent $259,800 for 450 hours, $577/hour.

On a brand new, nothing about to wear out aircraft?

Are you kidding me?

Also, if I don't buy any of that, I still get the 2 year warranty that covers "everything". So why do I buy the airframe program the first two years?

Given the 3rd year of warranty costs money above and beyond the maintenance program, that implies the program does NOT cover all the costs, otherwise why buy a warranty if you are covered by the program. So something there doesn't compute.

Mike C.