Advice for SR22 Purchase - Key Features

[Roger_Whittier]

Wally Magathan wrote the following post at Sun, Sep 27 2015 6:59:

]I was very glad to not have A/C in either of my Cirri.

In my first post, I referred to some tough guys who would not see the need for A/C, and I’d say Las Vegas puts you in that tough guy catagory. I’m too much of a pansy, I need the A/C.

I live in Phoenix, don’t have AC and don’t want it. But to be fair, that is a complex decision. And not one for everybody as prior AC zealots have posted in the other manner. Why don’t I want it?

While it may be blisteringly hot in PHX, it is usually dry (like Las Vegas). I dread humidity and probably would strongly reconsider if I lived in a more humid environment. I could be convinced if I lived in Miami.

We have high MEA’s, so other than cross town trips I usually go fairly high. Certainly higher than you do in Florida. Result, comfortable temps reasonably quickly.

It is miserable to fly in the afternoon in the summertime, regardless of cabin temps. Thermals! So I don’t very often. I just plan my trips around that fact. No installed AC system would change that.

All weight permently installed in an aircraft is bad for useful load and performance reasons and needs to be seriously considered. When I looked at adding AC many years ago it moved my plane from being a full fuel family aircraft to something less. At the time I had 2 teen kids living at home and could load all of the fam, full fuel and small bags. I will compare my svelte 2241 empty weight any day with more portly variants. I can haul more, but when I don’t use that load I climb and cruise faster. That is a permanent performance penalty. One some are happy to give up, I do so less willingly.

Mx hassles are not trivial. Even changing oil on an AC bird is a PITA.

So Wally, I do not consider myself “tough”. I prefer smart, prudent or some other term [;)] but seriously it is more of a mission, location and personal values sort of thing. In the end, we all choose our options with our mission, our values and finances in mind.

I think giving universal advice like don’t get one without xxxx (fill in your option, AC, Perspective, FIKI, etc…) is simply putting our values on someone else’s decision and we don’t know their values or mission.

[Tony_Sobczak]

I’m too much of a pansy, I need the A/C.

[wcm3 (Wally Magathan)]

So Wally, I do not consider myself “tough”. I prefer smart, prudent or some other term but seriously it is more of a mission, location and personal values sort of thing. In the end, we all choose our options with our mission, our values and finances in mind.

I think giving universal advice like don’t get one without xxxx (fill in your option, AC, Perspective, FIKI, etc…) is simply putting our values on someone else’s decision and we don’t know their values or mission.

You’re quite right, of course Roger. Everything I posted is from a personal perspective, and my characterization of you guys as “tough” is in reference to myself, an admitted pansy. I like your post as a view from the other side. Having read your post, I would amend mine to say that if you fly in a desert climate, you might not need A/C. And I did not appreciate how that desert climate effectively grounds aircraft (thus making A/C irrelevant) every summer afternoon, like icing or thunderstorms can from time to time in other climes.

[tpeterson10 (Tyler Peterson)]

All, These posts have been incredibly helpful, and I greatly appreciate your insights and various perspectives.

Great to hear one common theme: Pretty much everyone who owns a Cirrus is incredibly happy with the plane.

I have a few more questions, but will create a new thread(s) for a more focused discussion.

Thanks again for the assistance,
Tyler

Also, I’m SF Bay Area (KSQL) based and currently fly a Beech Deb (BE35-B33), which is a great plane, but modern platform, parachute, great performance, etc., has me interested an SR22.

[abopao (Alan Offstein)]

Tyler,

I see that you have gotten a lot of feedback from other Cirrus owners. We have a 2005 G2 that we have had since 2007. We have upgraded the Stech 55 to the DFC90 and upgraded only one of the 430 to WAAS so we have one WAAS and one non WAAS 430. We also don’t have A/C. Love the configuration and don’t think we would want or need anything else. Great airplane with great equipment and reliability. I think that this configuration on the G2 is the most bang for your buck and would look for it. You won’t be disappointed.

Good lick,

Alan