I know. I like pic'n on the less fortunate that have to put up with the BS in that far off place that I like to visit but would hate live in.

Every location has its upsides and downsides.

I will admit that ease of building a hangar is not one of this area’s upsides. But there are other upsides.

Maybe not from KSQL, but at KRHV, we are the redheaded stepchild for KSJC. We can't depart IFR unless there is a break in the approaches to KSJC (and they won't make that break for us). I have waited on the ground for 45 minutes waiting. This is the norm, not the exception. If the bases are high enough, I will file IFR from a fix outside the bay area, depart VFR and pick up IFR from that fix. I watched a Pilatus in front of me wait 40 minutes to get out. What do those things burn on the ground?

Vince

PC12 fuel burn in ground idle is around 250-255lbs/hr. This with ECS on, running AC and that usual jazz.

The clearance does seem like a mouthful until you’ve heard it a few dozen times. It can be conceptually boiled down to:
- Fly right traffic off Rwy 30
- don’t bust the class B Surface area
- stay below 1100’ in the downwind until you are abeam the 30 numbers (aka “don’t bust the class B above the airport”)
- then climb to 2000’ (sometimes 2100) and you’ll get vectors from there.

As for the departure delay, I used to get delayed some, but haven’t as much for the past couple years.

KRHV has a DP, but it flies directly into the Hayward approach. I asked one of the tower controllers at KRHV about it and he said he has never issued it.

Vince

KRHV has a DP, but it flies directly into the Hayward approach. I asked one of the tower controllers at KRHV about it and he said he has never issued it.

Vince

Never surprising.

What actually shocked the daylights out of me a few weeks ago was:

I was about #6 in line for departure off 24R at LAX, and tower says "gonna be a few more minutes, guys, we have to hold up for a departure out of Santa Monica!"

Fortunately, I had time to recover before flying.

Was there a TFR activated? VIP transport might have been the cause.
During June Gloom working on my IR at American Flyers, I had more than a few 20-40 minute waits at the hold short line at SMO, with the meter running... it was very annoying.

My take on it after the demo.

1. Actually a really nice airplane over all.
2. Climbs great, takeoff and landing runway performance are pretty darn good.
3. Easy to manage, low work load.
4. Controls light and well balanced.
5. Comfortable cabin.
6. Great pressurization.
7. Easy step to the G3000 from flying the G1000.
8. OEI performance and control were a non-event.
9. Honestly, I could have flown the demo flight up to FL370 and back with no trouble even not being type rated.

Cons:

1. Cockpit not comfortable for a tall guy.
2. Hard to get into the crew seats.
3. I don't think I can sit up front for long.

CJ3+ fixes 1 & 3.

I'm 6'3.5". There's some variation in the 2-3 M2 cockpits I've sat in.

On a Cessna demo M2 on the ground, I could barely get in to the co-pilot seat and found the bottom edge of the panel digging into my shins. It was awful and I could not have flown it around the circuit let alone on a proper flight. The seat was fully adjusted and back.
On a friend's M2, I was comfortable in the copilot seat for 4hrs in a day and entry/exit was OK.

I don't know exactly what the variation is, but worth looking into. I am sure there are M2 cockpits a 6' 2-4# person can be reasonably comfortable in.

For the pilot seat a full size beverage center with a coffee dispenser reduces seat recline a good bit. The scalloped one without the coffee dispenser helps. For the copilot seat removing the AFM shelf adds a couple inches of seat track travel.

In the Eclipse the seat rails go from front to back.

So you slide the seat back until you fit.

I feature I have in my new plane is for the copilot seat to slide back 3 feet it makes it a breeze for my 92 year old dad to get in the plane.

Ease of entry and egress for older folks is definitely an issue to consider.

I put no weight on that when I bought my current plane, but I was fortunate that it is actually exceedingly good in this area. My next plane will not be as good, alas, for either passengers or crew.

Mike C.