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Cirrus SR22 A Magnificent Demo Flight
ow. Maybe it's the curves of the
fuselage, or the way the
Recently I enjoyed what airframe, ergonomically-perfect
has to be considered a "milestone interior and avionics suite come
day" in the life of an aviator, together in a symphony of delight
as myself and one of my best buds that a flyer rarely feels unless
in Eugene got to go flying. No they are in the left seat of a
news there, except that we were true aviation masterpiece.
at the controls of our very own
Cirrus SR22 GTS? And now that I've actually FLOWN
a Cirrus, it seems words cannot
Truth be told, it was only ours possibly do this airplane right,
for about an hour, and a demo but I will try:
pilot from Duluth was in the
right seat making sure Matt Fit and Finish: Matt flew the
Moberg and myself didn't bend northbound demo leg from Eugene's
(snap?) any really expensive Mahlon Sweet Field (EUG) to
composite airplane materials. Corvallis Muni (CVO), so I was
able to lounge in the back seat
A little background: From the and take a good look at the way
very day I first laid eyes on a this plane is built. I shared the
Cirrus SR20 years ago at an AOPA back seat with Matt's wife Carol,
Expo, I knew this was THE plane. and we both had plenty of elbow
Something about the Cirrus leaps and knee room. The seats could
out at a pilot, grabs hold and have been right at home in a
refuses to let go. I've always high-end Lexus, they were that
been impressed by the Cirrus comfortable. The ANR Bose
operation - how they seem to know headsets (not sure if those were
what pilots want AND need. standard or just the sets that
the demo team used) made the ride
as quiet as I have ever pilot, Steve Noldin, basically
experienced, and with the four gave me the plane. He said some
knot wind and clear and a million planes have problems with "hot
weather, being a passenger in a starts" but not Cirrus. The
Cirrus was far superior to engine had only been off about 60
anything I have ever experienced seconds, and all it took for me
in GA air travel. to coax it back to life - on my
very first try ever in this
The SR22 GTS just FEELS like a make/model - was one-quarter
well-built product. Things fit throttle, full mixture, three
together tight, the doors close blades and POW, three hundred and
solid, and you just know that in ten ponies instantly idling at
20 years, this will still be an 1,000 RPMs, ready to launch.
airframe that serves it's owner
well. But the back seat is not Takeoff was sweet. I did not know
where the fun is in a Cirrus, so that the Cirrus family does not
at CVO we switched places and have a steerable nose wheel, and
after years of dreaming, I was after lining up on the
finally in the left seat of an centerline, believe me, it was a
SR22, with my left hand on the rush to begin pushing the
key and my right hand searching throttle forward. Like a fine
for the blue prop lever (there sports car, the SR22 plants you
isn't one, propeller pitch is in your seat with gobs of
automatically controlled). acceleration. But as IAS
increased, I noticed we were only
Start-up and takeoff: I'll admit, about 75% power, so I applied
I was a little apprehensive about more forward throttle and the GTS
actually FLYING the Cirrus...I leapt forward some more. Now
thought that this might be a demo rolling faster, I was STILL only
"ride" only. But our Cirrus at 85% power. This was
mind-blowing. So to heck with it, forever be "the way" it should be
I shoved it to the forward stops done. Case closed.
and the Cirrus sped up like a
Nissan 300ZX to yet another Avionics: The FlightMax Entegra
level. Primary Flight Display/Flight
Director defies description. This
When those sleek wings decide to panel could probably do your
grab hold of the air, hang on, taxes while dragging your butt
because the SR22 loves to fly. It through the clouds and around
didn't explode into the sky thunderstorms as you follow a
uncontrollably, but instead was complex GPS approach inbound. I'm
smooth and predictable - this is not going to go into long detail
how an airplane is supposed to about what it does, but I'll say
feel when it is rigged perfectly this...maybe it was because I've
and the weight/balance is dead got a few hours flying this type
on. of PFD in X-Plane, but inside of
:30 seconds as PIC, I was able to
The side stick: Of all the Cirrus easily find IAS, altitude, RPMs,
features I've thought about over everything. Only thing that took
the years, the side stick topped a bit of searching for was the
the list. Would it be hard to old yaw ball, which is now
learn? Would it be too integrated into the PFD. And yes,
sensitive...or not sensitive I still have sloppy feet.
enough? Well, turns out the side
stick is a non-issue...and by the Returning to EUG, Steve let me
time I was over the numbers at work the plane through whatever
the departure end of the runway, maneuvers I choose. It took me
I had already forgotten about the zero minutes to be up to speed on
stick. This new-fangled style of the S-TEC/Meggit integrated
controlling an airplane would autopilot, which is of the
quality of what you might expect when I noticed that the Cirrus
in a 757...not kidding here. The was beginning to feel like an old
crisp handling coupled with a pair of favorite gloves - it
quick roll rate made air work wrapped around my hands in a way
nothing more than (a) think it, that made controlling it
(b) twitch your wrist on the completely intuitive. Yes, this
stick and (c) the airplane turns. airplane slings itself through
the air at 160+ KIAS in cruise,
Because I seemed to be easily but in the pattern, the SR22 was
grasping how to control the perfection as I brought the speed
Cirrus without really thinking to the 100 KIAS mark easily and
about it, I was able to begin dropped a notch of flaps. Ninety
searching for targets on the TCAS on base, more flaps, and eighty
- my first time ever with on final...followed by (bragging
in-cockpit traffic awareness. And here) a landing that felt like I
when Steve switched the right MFD had a thousand hours in the
to monitor the engine, the TCAS Cirrus...not 18 minutes. This is
data was also shown redundantly not because I am some kind of
on the bottom of the two GNS 430 ace, but because this airplane
GPS units. Sweet. does everything right.
Everything.
The landing: Entering the
pattern, I began to think of a Conclusion: I knew that flying a
tactful way to let Steve know I Cirrus would be wonderful, but I
was close to wussing out on had no idea to what level of
trying to land an airplane valued "wonderfulness" this airplane can
well to the north of a quarter achieve. After one quick leg, I
million dollars. But then as I felt confident that I could go
descended into right downwind for out there right now, jump in the
34R, I snapped back to reality SR22 and make a smooth VFR flight
anywhere. This is because Alan this company - and this airplane
Klapmeier and his team of 970 - are considered by many to be
seriously dedicated people have the benchmark for GA airplane
built an airplane that is so manufacturing.
well-engineered, it is no wonder
Author and private pilot Dan Pimentel owns a advertising agency in Oregon that specializes in campaign development for aviation businesses and has been an professional writer since 1980. He frequently writes about aviation at his blog, World of Flying.
Published At: www.Isnare.com
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