Are there any initiatives, either OEM or as STCs, to offer hot props, TKS or other anti-ice systems to SR20/22?
How about speedbrakes?
These seem to be the two most obvious improvements one might wish for.
I beg to differ with your assertions regarding speed brakes. In 170 hrs in my SR22, I’ve never wished for them once. I believe they are an unnecessary feature. Speed brakes also take up fuel space.
With fixed gear on the Crrus planes speed brakes are not necessary, take up weight and fuel space and really are not needed. All SR 22 operators report no problem slowing down from 170+ kts.
Deice is a more difficult subject. Cirrus is limited by useful load issues. The TKS system uses a fluid reservoir that weighs at least 100 lbs. The newer systems which use electric heating make a lot more sense for this plane.
Brian
I was anticipating a problem slowing down my SR22, but it is just NOT an issue. With the gear hanging out, it slows down just fine. There is no way that I would want the added weight and maintenance…just NO WAY!
Paul
N925PW
I agree with the other posters. Speedbrakes are not needed. It just takes getting used to how the plane handles, learning when to start slowing down and finding the right power settings. For decents, you can use the Vertical Speed information from the Garmin to start down early enough that speed can be controlled as needed. By the time you finish the training you will know how to do it. After that a little practice is all it takes.
Also, aTKS system, I believe, uses a glycol deicing solution. Wasn’t there a thread a few months back that concluded that glycol deicing fluid should not be used on composite planes?
I too, have never had much difficulty slowing the AR22 down, Descents or even shock cooling. With the Arnav it very easy to plan descents. (I hate to say it, but I don’t even use the vertical nav features of the Garmin.
I just look at the time to the waypoint and the figure how many FPM I need to descend. Another way is to use the following rules of thumb: Figuring figure 3 miles per minute, at 500 FPM descent rate you will descend 6 miles per 1,000’ feet. At 700 FPM, this gives you about 9-10 miles for 2,000’
As for slowing down, the SR22 Is very slippery, but the trick seems to be judicious use of the power lever and leveling the plane out. As long as there is a descent, even 100 FPM, the plane doesn’t like to slow down. But hold the nose up and it slows like every other plane. I’ve even flown ILS’s at 160-180 KIAS when asked to maintain max forward speed by controllers at busy airports and still needed less than 1/2 the runway.
If speed brakes were an option, I’d probably not buy it for the reasons mentioned: weight and potential for eating into the fuel load. Also, it is just one more thing to break.
Marty
Agreed. I had speed brakes on my old Mooney and never used them. Anti/deicing would be welcomed!
As much as I would like anti ice on the SR20, a 100+ pound TKS system would really eat into the useful load of the plane.
I am guessing that you don’t live in the Ice Alley of the Pacific Northwest where you get Ice from November through at least March from 2500+ on more days then I would like to count. TKS is really not that heavy unless you are carrying the fluid. I would gladly trade some payload for fluid if it allowed me to fly.
Ditto from Yakima, WA on that Steve.
Ice is every day in the weather briefing right now and remember that the 100 lbs. is 3 hours of fluid. For the most part you need ten minutes to climb or decend to a different layer. With 33 lbs on board, you’d have an hour of ice protection anyway.