I fly a 2010 22TN G3 FIKI without AC. I’ll make the case for my plane, but if you must have AC, I suggest you go with a G5 or 6.
I live in Raleigh, NC and fly mostly for business, usually in a suit—I’m a lawyer—and I don’t have AC. It’s much hotter for more of the year where I am than where you are. You will want AC for taxi and below about 7000, 9000 on the hottest days. But above that, you never need it. And AC is never a no-go item.
OTOH, you’re either flying down the coast in some very congested airspace or you’re transiting the Appalachians enroute to/from Myrtle Beach. Those mountains may not produce the ice that the Great Lakes make, but they produce a lot. If your schedule is as tight as you imply, you’re going to want the dispatch reliability that FIKI + turbo provides. The downside of that is, when you add AC to a FIKI Turbo with full TKS tanks, you don’t have a lot of useful load remaining. It’s a one-person plane with bags if your going IFR much beyond 2 hours unless the 2 people are quite small. But, for me, the FIKI turbo is worth it.
If you absolutely must have AC, I suggest a G5, which gives you an extra 200 lbs. of useful load. But that’s a different ballpark money-wise.
You’ll get lots of opinions on Avidyne. Bottom line: good equipment with excellent interface, but with a risk of no long term support. Avidyne lost out on the OEM market, so there’s always a question of their long-term viability, though I’ve seen nothing to show that they are currently in any trouble. Other problem is that the service plan requires you to waive all rights to sue Avidyne. That alone takes them off my list, but others feel differently.
My SR22 G2 plane did not have a forced air fan. When sitting on the ramp (in the sun), the inside of the plane can get really hot. The only way to get air flow through the vents was to be moving (or flying).
A year after buying my plane, I had a Keith a/c system installed. It cost $30k and was worth every penny. It was a game changer - I could go flying in the afternoon even on a 90 degree day.
Sitting at the hold short line waiting for takeoff was a no big deal. Prior to a/c, sweat would be running down my arms and back. We would open the doors to cool off. That doesn’t work great when it is 100 degrees, 50% humidity and no wind.
Then when cleared for takeoff, we would try to get the doors closed correctly. Lots of times, the door would only partially latch (one latch didn’t click).
Here is a recent picture of my a/c temperature on an 85 degree day. It is blowing 55 degree air.
This is a 30 degree drop. Not as good as a car a/c with a 50 degree drop, but good enough. This is typical of most aircraft a/c systems.
Some planes have just a forced air fan installed, with no a/c. This works for most of the year until the outside temperatures get above 85 degrees. Then the a/c really is nice.
I would not own a plane without a/c or at least a forced air fan.
You maybe right about value, but I owned a 1970 182 and rented a 2009 turbo 182 (useful load was about 950lbs) . I would not recommend the turbo. Additionally the newer models don’t have the useful load the older ones do.
If I was routinely flying in and out of grass strips, I would own a 182 or a 206.
The Cessna Skylane will holds its value VS SR22. I Currently have me Skylane for sale for what I thought was a high price but within 3 days I have buyers willing to pay asking price. Part of the reason Skylane’s have such a high resale value is because Van Bortel dominates the market and sets the prices very high for re-sale. I could not be happier about the amount of money I am losing on my Skylane sale after 5 years of ownership and 800 hours.
Are you talking new vs. new? What year is your Skylane? If it’s a 2005 that is comparable to my 2004 Cirrus. I purchased it in 2012 and could easily sell it for what I have in it to include a new factory reman engine, avionics upgrades and paint / interior. The G2 Cirrus market has held their values quite well. New is a different story.
Agree. The G2 has actually gone up in value I believe. I have put close to 200 hours on mine…bought it March and think I could get the same or more than I paid for it. It was just dumb luck that I stubbed upon mine as I knew nothing “John snow”. I was thinking I didn’t need air conditioning LOL. Thank goodness the plane I settled on had it!
I am talking buying used… I purchased my 2005 182 in 2014 and I will be selling the airplane for almost what I have invested in it. I agree new VS used is a different story with any airplane.
So your original statement ("**The Cessna Skylane will holds its value VS SR22.") is not valid given similar Cirrus models in that same year have not depreciated for the most part from 2014 - 2019. It has been a function of higher cost for new Cirrus, less Cirrus being produced and a general good aircraft market.
Yes my statement is valid…I feel my Skylane held it’s value over the last 5 years and I am pleased with my resale value. Within 3 days of listing the Skyalne I had a buyers willing to pay asking price and I could not be more pleased with that.
I had a 50 year old Skylane and kept it 6 months, put 100 hours on it and got my money back. It took me 2 months to sell it but I think I paid a little on the high side for it.
Well, THAT statement may be valid, but that is not the statement you made.
What you posted is that your Skylane has held its value vs. the Cirrus. Are you claiming that a similar-age Cirrus would have declined in value over the same time period more than your Skylane did? If so, data please. If not, your statement is in fact not valid.
The Statement I made was valid and just happened to my airplane. I am losing 10k on the re sale and feel that is great over 5 years of ownership. I am sure we are all thinking the same thing “Why are the Skylanes selling that high? when you get more value from G2” I know I asked myself that question but I am happy to take a check from a buyer on my airplane.
I currently have a 2010 G3 in pre buy and believe I will lose more if I go to sell the Cirrus in 5 years. But that does not matter to me because I am getting a lot more airplane and the transition is worth it.
