It would be my choice as well but for the acquisition cost and the ever-increasing cost to insure such a high hull value. It's just not do-able for most of us.

Cirrus is a wonderful machine. I must admit the parachute is a backpack full of confidence. I have flown all over the country from sea to shining sea with two people and luggage in a Cirrus. I have also flown from sea to shining sea in a Bonanza with 6 people and luggage.

I'm not knocking the Cirrus. I'm just saying some planes can do both missions others can't. It all depends on what your mission is.

It would be my choice as well but for the acquisition cost and the ever-increasing cost to insure such a high hull value. It's just not do-able for most of us.

I don’t believe the market is over bought. I was also not impressed with Jamie’s Steele’s group. I called on a number of their airplanes and never got a call back. Finally called the owner of one of the airplanes and spoke directly with him.

It is definitely a buyers market but I think prices will remain strong because of the cost of new. The airplane is really nice and comfortable to sit in.

I just purchased a G3 Tat, and will give a write up once I have enough hours in the airplane.

I am looking at switching and this is what my broker said about the insurance question.



I do have a few hundred hours in a SR22 from several years back with factory training.

I know on the other thread about Mooney's latest resurrection, I mentioned that my wife would prefer a nice landing at an airport over a parachute landing somewhere potentially inhospitable. She would much rather stroll to the FBO than hike out of the woods! Having said that, a parachute landing most definitely beats her attempting to land with me slumped over next to her. If I were in the market, it would be difficult to choose a Cirrus over another model, everything else being equal.

Are you referring to an SR20? I can put 5 (including me) in the SR22 with weekend bags for a 600nm trip. And it seems I can never get out of the CG range, which was a constant challenge in the V35B.

I would love to see your math....
600nm trip is around 60g of fuel plus 15g for reserve: 75g = 450lbs
weekend bags: 10lbs each? so 50lbs + 10lbs of misc = 60lbs
5 people: even at 150lbs each 750lbs

that's 1,260. lbs

I'm not a huge fan of five in the SR22. It's great for two people in the back just not three unless it's a small woman and two kids.

Two adult males 200 each = 400
Two adult females 150 each= 300
600 miles at 15 x 3.75hrs + 45 reserve= 405lbs ish
bags at 60lbs
That puts me at 1160, almost every naturally aspirated SR22 in the G5&G6 series will be at least 100lbs under gross. A turbo G5 or G6 will be right at gross weight.

I know the later ones are very expensive but those are the only ones I would own for what I do, that's why I have an E55 Baron. It's hands-down the best value in GA. I want to be able to LOAD it up and go and not turn into a glider when the engine quits.

Mostly accurate except that the G5's are when the gross weight increase took effect, starting with 2013 model years. My 2013 G5 SR22T has Turbo, Known Ice TKS, A/C, O2 and still has 1100 lbs UL. My previous ship, a 2012 SR22T G3 had the same equipment but only 900 lbs UL.

I test rode a BMW K1200LT a few years ago. It was really nice. When the ride was over, I said, "Too much car; not enough motorcycle."

Mike C posted a cost analysis on BT demonstrating that 5 years of Cirrus ownership cost about the same as 5 years of MU-2 ownership.

I've flown a 22 and thought it was really nice. My son taught in 20's and hated them more than I've ever seen him hate anything.

In the end, they make chocolate and vanilla for a reason.

I came completely understand your son's hatred. I flew a Cirrus 100hrs in a month. Extremely long periods of time can be exhausting. I flew 8 hours in one day and just wanted to punch puppies after I got out. Using it as a personal airplane is great, being a road warrior in it sucks.

I've owned a Cirrus, Mooney, and Bonanza.

To me the issue is value. I loved my Mooney Eagle. It was fast and efficient, challenging and rewarding to fly. It had decent avionics (530W, STEC 30, steam gauges) that worked fine for my mission. My wife "convinced" me to trade it for a G5 non turbo FIKI SR22. With all the fancy avionics and equipment it still bugged me no end that I paid three times what I paid for the Mooney and got less performance and more opex. I understand the value others (like my wife) assign to the chute and the avionics, but I just don't see it. I feel like I mitigate the risk of an engine failure with digital engine monitoring, oil analysis, and borescoping. I mitigate the risk of incapacitation by running 20-25 mile/wk. I think the risk of these two adverse events is tiny compared to piloting errors, which I mitigate with training, reading, and watching videos.

To me the Mooney had more value than the Cirrus. I think all the legacy airplanes offer a tremendous amount of value if managed properly. YMMV.

Try and tell that to the owners of the two (!) Cirri rotting on the ramp at HPN after essentially identical porpoise, loss of control, smashed nosewheel and prop accidents.

For me, it is about value, and mission.
A Cirrus has that for some pilots, and not for others.

In a few years, with less demand on passengers, I may be in that camp.
I do like how they fly. And I am always surprised how well they fair in turbulence.

My only issue is the weight, since I do not and can't justify dropping One Mill in a prop plane.