Cirrus Myths

Guest Discussion
#1

While responding to this post on the Members Forum discussing the percieved high accident rates of Cirrus aircraft, I was thinking about other myths that Cirrus and Cirrus pilots have had to overcome. Looking back, some of them are pretty funny. I’ve left out the most ludicrous ones such as, “The Cirrus airplanes have wood landing gear.” A few come to mind, but do you have any others?
Myth: Cirrus will never sell many airplanes and the company will be out of business within a year. Fact: Cirrus Design Corp has delivered over 1,500 Cirrus airplanes and is setting new sales records almost every month. It is now the #2 manufacturer of single engine GA aircraft and has even past Cessna, the #1 manufacturer, in the second quarter of 2004.
Myth: Composites cannot be repaired. Fact: They can be repaired, but it takes different skills. Now that more composite planes are being manufactured, more and more shops are becoming familiar with the techniques. Additionally, since composites are stronger than most aluminum used in GA airplanes, the amount of damage from identical incidents will be a lot less on composite planes.
Myth: The parachutes are just a waste of useful load. Fact: Most Cirrus useful loads are comparable to other new planes that they compete against. At least 3 pilots have used the parachute and 5 or 6 people are alive today because of them. The parachute system has now been certified in Cessna 172s, 182s and is offered as an option is all Liberty aircraft.
Myth: The Cirrus Parachute does not work.Fact: There was on incident where the parachute did not deploy. It is believe the hard pull forces and improper technique were the causes of this. Cirrus retested the system and then redesigned the CAPS activation system. The new system is installed on all new airplanes and has been retrofitted into all older Cirrus aircraft. There have been three successful deployments with no known failures since them.
Myth: The Cirrus do not hit their published airspeed numbers. Fact: While many early Cirruses missed the POH numbers by a few knots, new SR22’s actually exceed book speeds and most new SR20s are within a knot or two.
Myth: The SR22 does not have enough range. Fact: Many pilots fly the SR22 Lean of Peak at performance figues of 165- 175 KTAS on 12-14 GPH and regularly fly legs of 600 - 800NMs with IFR reserves. Greater ranges are achieved using more conservative power settings.

Got any more?

#2

You forgot the “low airframe lifetime limit” issue
And don’t forget the “I have no AM radio without an ADF” issue
Then there is the, “difficulty getting into the mile-high club because of the center console” issue
And then there is the, “I have no place to hang my approach plate without a steering wheel” issue.
And let’s not forget those who have been flying awile, who have forgotten what VOR means much less, what to do with those VOR thingees in the Cirrus Classic

#3

Good post! This and the future augmented versions that supplant it deserve a prominent place on this board where they will be accessible without a search. New and transient visitors to the COPA public forum ought to be able to find it easily.

#4

How about this:

Aviation Consumer, March 2004 “Gas Guzzlers Are Us”:

“When the throttle goes forward, the Mooney TLS Bravo and Cirrus SR22 are appalling gas hogs”

“The Cirrus SR22 plummets to the bottom at 9.7 MPG, both a surprise and a disappointment, in our view.”

Next time I’m barreling along at close to 170k on 12-13 gph I’ll remember that!

Have they never heard of LOP?

3-91112-17500.jpg
3-91112-17500.jpg1203×434 54.4 KB

#5

The other one I saw a lot is that you can’t fly a Cirrus if you are left handed, because you can’t let go of the control yoke to write down a clearance. They forgot to notice that it’s very easy to reach over and fly with your right hand.

#6

You forgot one. They are hurricane magnets.

John Kinsey
N623SK

#7

In reply to:

How about this: Aviation Consumer, March 2004 “Gas Guzzlers Are Us”: “When the throttle goes forward, the Mooney TLS Bravo and Cirrus SR22 are appalling gas hogs” “The Cirrus SR22 plummets to the bottom at 9.7 MPG, both a surprise and a disappointment, in our view.” Next time I’m barreling along at close to 170k on 12-13 gph I’ll remember that! Have they never heard of LOP?

Sure they have, but they just haven’t flown any planes that can fly LOP without modifications to the engine (GAMIjectors).

Ed, perhaps you should add to the “myths” the old one about the 17,000’ certification ceiling! [;)]

#8

In reply to:

The other one I saw a lot is that you can’t fly a Cirrus if you are left handed, because you can’t let go of the control yoke to write down a clearance.

Dang, I’m left handed. That’s almost 1200 hours I’ll have to erase from my log book. [:P]

  • Mike.
#9

In reply to:

The other one I saw a lot is that you can’t fly a Cirrus if you are left handed, because you can’t let go of the control yoke to write down a clearance. They forgot to notice that it’s very easy to reach over and fly with your right hand.

I don’t know about others (and certainly not instructors), but I don’t have much time in any plane trying to fly with my right hand. I went up with my original instructor with about 250 hrs under my belt. He was in the left seat and I in the right. He was just doing some pattern work. He let me try to land it a couple times w/my right hand on the yoke and left on the throttle. I felt like I was starting all over again. I couldn’t land it!

Walt

#10

In reply to:

The other one I saw a lot is that you can’t fly a Cirrus if you are left handed, because you can’t let go of the control yoke to write down a clearance. They forgot to notice that it’s very easy to reach over and fly with your right hand.

When people find out that I am left handed, they just assume that itÂ’s easier for me to fly the plane because of it. Only thing is, in my previous life I was a flight-instructor and it took long enough to get used to sitting in the left seat again let along having my left hand on the stick. Fortunately, I had a good stick simulator that my left hand got a lot of practice on throughout my years as a flight instructor.

#11

[quoteFortunately, I had a good stick simulator that my left hand got a lot of practice on …
[/quote]

This really worries me! :wink:

#12

In reply to:

This really worries me! :wink:

Yeah, you should have seen my female flight-students reactions when I suggested they try my stick simulator. Well, actually, a couple of them requested it, but I digress…and, before I get kicked off the board, I stop. [:D]

#13

In reply to:

Yeah, you should have seen my female flight-students reactions when I suggested they try my stick simulator. Well, actually, a couple of them requested it, but I digress…and, before I get kicked off the board, I stop.

Do any of your female x-students need legal representation?

#14

In reply to:

Do any of your female x-students need legal representation?

No, I’m not planning on suing or filing any complaints against them as I feel I consented in all situations. [;)] Actually, if any of them weren’t completely satisfied (which I highly doubt), you could work with them and come after 4AG in a civil suit. An easy way to upgrade. [:D]

#15

In reply to:

You forgot one. They are hurricane magnets.
John Kinsey
N623SK

No John; We are hurricane magnets. AND that is no myth