I’m getting close to delivery and am thinking about some things not on the option list. I understand that Lightspeed has a headset that cancels out Cirrus noise. Does anyone have experience with these headsets? Will Cirrus install them or is it better to get them from Lightspeed? Although I will have a hangar, I intend to get a cover. Is Bruce the best cover maker or should I look at others? Finally, I would like a portable oxygen system. I gather from the package Wings Aloft sent me that specific oxygen systems are recommended (authorized?) for the Cirrus. Any suggestions as to what I should get for occasional flying up to 16,000 or 17,000 feet?
I’m getting close to delivery and am thinking about some things not on the option list. I understand that Lightspeed has a headset that cancels out Cirrus noise. Does anyone have experience with these headsets? Will Cirrus install them or is it better to get them from Lightspeed? Although I will have a hangar, I intend to get a cover. Is Bruce the best cover maker or should I look at others? Finally, I would like a portable oxygen system. I gather from the package Wings Aloft sent me that specific oxygen systems are recommended (authorized?) for the Cirrus. Any suggestions as to what I should get for occasional flying up to 16,000 or 17,000 feet?
I don’t think you can beat the Lightspeed 25XL
for sheer noise cancelling performance. Also, the
big soft earpieces are very comfortable. Friends
who have tried these vs their Clark’s or other
brands have vowed to relegate theirs to passengers
and get themselves the new Lightspeed. And the
stereo volume controls and battery saver timeout
features are “must haves”.
I’m getting close to delivery and am thinking about some things not on the option list. I understand that Lightspeed has a headset that cancels out Cirrus noise. Does anyone have experience with these headsets? Will Cirrus install them or is it better to get them from Lightspeed? Although I will have a hangar, I intend to get a cover. Is Bruce the best cover maker or should I look at others? Finally, I would like a portable oxygen system. I gather from the package Wings Aloft sent me that specific oxygen systems are recommended (authorized?) for the Cirrus. Any suggestions as to what I should get for occasional flying up to 16,000 or 17,000 feet?
Lightspeed does make a version of the 20XL specifically designed for the noise pattern recorded in the SR20 called, you guessed it, Lightspeed SR20. Cosmetically the only difference is the logo on the earpeice which says SR20 vice 20XL. It worked fine in 119CD, but I did not flight test it against a regular Lightspeed or any other noise cancelling headset.
My preference for O2 is Nelson (they may have been bought recently). They seem to have the best metering system. They also publish a very interesting book on)O2 systems which you should try to get. Nelson gives it out at shows.
As for te 16K to 17K in altitudes, I think the SR20’s ceiling is 16,000. Walt?
I’m getting close to delivery and am thinking about some things not on the option list. I understand that Lightspeed has a headset that cancels out Cirrus noise. Does anyone have experience with these headsets? Will Cirrus install them or is it better to get them from Lightspeed? Although I will have a hangar, I intend to get a cover. Is Bruce the best cover maker or should I look at others? Finally, I would like a portable oxygen system. I gather from the package Wings Aloft sent me that specific oxygen systems are recommended (authorized?) for the Cirrus. Any suggestions as to what I should get for occasional flying up to 16,000 or 17,000 feet?
RE LightSPEED ANR headset. The model that is optimized for the SR20 is “the SR20 model”. It’s the same as a model 25XL except for the “optimizing”, and the color is light gray versus charcoal gray for current model 25XL. Has all the other features of 25XL. The SR20 model is only available from Cirrus or directly from LightSPEED [800-332-2421]. Cost from LightSPEED is $485 plus shipping. The folks at LightSPEED indicate that they only have a battery powered SR20 model, although I seem to recall a posting some time ago, maybe by Walt, about getting harness to directly wire it into the SR20. Check the archived postings.
Headsets: The Lightspeeds Cirrus version are doing a fine job for me.
Covers: I got the custom made ones from Bruce in Sunnyvale and they fit like a glove with the tailnumber embroidered on the covers as well as the inlet plugs.
Good luck
HK
I’m getting close to delivery and am thinking about some things not on the option list. I understand that Lightspeed has a headset that cancels out Cirrus noise. Does anyone have experience with these headsets? Will Cirrus install them or is it better to get them from Lightspeed? Although I will have a hangar, I intend to get a cover. Is Bruce the best cover maker or should I look at others? Finally, I would like a portable oxygen system. I gather from the package Wings Aloft sent me that specific oxygen systems are recommended (authorized?) for the Cirrus. Any suggestions as to what I should get for occasional flying up to 16,000 or 17,000 feet?
I’m not going to run out and buy oxygen quite yet, even though the service ceiling is 17,500. Accoridng to the “Time, Fuel and Distance to Climb” table at Fig 5-14, the climb rate at 14,000 feet is 169 FPM and it takes nearly 31 minutes to get there. The book doesn’t even quote above 14,000. I think that tells you something about cruising at the 16,000 or 17,000 you suggest. A more realistic altitude seems to be around 10,000 which has a 395 fpm climb rate, and that takes only 15 minutes at apx 80 kts to get there. To reach 14,000 feet – only 4,000 feet more – takes you as long as it took to reach 10,000 feet. Might be OK if you have a long trip or a leg over water, but keep in mind that you will only travel 47 nm in 30 minutes while climbing to 14,000, plus burn a whopping 5.7 gals. You won’t be averaging 160 kts – that’s for sure. I don’t think this is a Cirrus problem, just a fact of life for small piston aircraft like this one. I recommend that everyone buy the POH like I did – it will answer a lot of your questions.
I’m getting close to delivery and am thinking about some things not on the option list. I understand that Lightspeed has a headset that cancels out Cirrus noise. Does anyone have experience with these headsets? Will Cirrus install them or is it better to get them from Lightspeed? Although I will have a hangar, I intend to get a cover. Is Bruce the best cover maker or should I look at others? Finally, I would like a portable oxygen system. I gather from the package Wings Aloft sent me that specific oxygen systems are recommended (authorized?) for the Cirrus. Any suggestions as to what I should get for occasional flying up to 16,000 or 17,000 feet?
According to the documents I have received when I signed the contract the service ceiling is 17’500 ft. The pireps so far don’t confirm this, or at least they indicate that going through 16K ft is difficult. Most probably the gross weight increase will shave of some ft anyways. Any comments?
Placido
I’m getting close to delivery and am thinking about some things not on the option list. I understand that Lightspeed has a headset that cancels out Cirrus noise. Does anyone have experience with these headsets? Will Cirrus install them or is it better to get them from Lightspeed? Although I will have a hangar, I intend to get a cover. Is Bruce the best cover maker or should I look at others? Finally, I would like a portable oxygen system. I gather from the package Wings Aloft sent me that specific oxygen systems are recommended (authorized?) for the Cirrus. Any suggestions as to what I should get for occasional flying up to 16,000 or 17,000 feet?
Lightspeed does make a version of the 20XL specifically designed for the noise pattern recorded in the SR20 called, you guessed it, Lightspeed SR20. Cosmetically the only difference is the logo on the earpeice which says SR20 vice 20XL. It worked fine in 119CD, but I did not flight test it against a regular Lightspeed or any other noise cancelling headset.
My preference for O2 is Nelson (they may have been bought recently). They seem to have the best metering system. They also publish a very interesting book on)O2 systems which you should try to get. Nelson gives it out at shows.
As for te 16K to 17K in altitudes, I think the SR20’s ceiling is 16,000. Walt?
If you fly around and over high mountains (10,000 to 15,000 feet)as I do, you would want oxygen. Notice that I said “occasional trips up to.” I did not say cruise. Although, Christopher, N20CD, reports (see “stories”) flying over 16,000ft. In the Western US mountains, there are times when I would want to be up about as high as the Cirrus can go. Of course I will not travel as many NM in a climb as I would streight and level, but I will survive. However,the flight time above 12,000 is usually less than an hour. Also, I like oxygen at night. Try taking a wiff of oxygen after flying a couple of hours at 11,000ft and watch the change in lights and colors. Also, it is worth noting that most of the research on aviation oxygen has been done using young aviators (19 to 23 year olds); how many Cirrus customers are that young?
I’m not sure which version of the POH you have. Change A1 in the limitations section states that when oxygen is required (I suppose either by FARs or the pilot’s personal requirements), "the pilot must: Use an oxygen system approved by Cirrus Design and listed in the Oxygen System AFM Supplement Part Number 11934-S09. And must “Secure the oxyghen bottle in the right front seat as described in the AFM Supplement noted above.” I was just hoping someone might know what that statement means; the approved systems are not listed in my POH.
Bill
I’m not going to run out and buy oxygen quite yet, even though the service ceiling is 17,500. Accoridng to the “Time, Fuel and Distance to Climb” table at Fig 5-14, the climb rate at 14,000 feet is 169 FPM and it takes nearly 31 minutes to get there. The book doesn’t even quote above 14,000. I think that tells you something about cruising at the 16,000 or 17,000 you suggest. A more realistic altitude seems to be around 10,000 which has a 395 fpm climb rate, and that takes only 15 minutes at apx 80 kts to get there. To reach 14,000 feet – only 4,000 feet more – takes you as long as it took to reach 10,000 feet. Might be OK if you have a long trip or a leg over water, but keep in mind that you will only travel 47 nm in 30 minutes while climbing to 14,000, plus burn a whopping 5.7 gals. You won’t be averaging 160 kts – that’s for sure. I don’t think this is a Cirrus problem, just a fact of life for small piston aircraft like this one. I recommend that everyone buy the POH like I did – it will answer a lot of your questions.
I’m getting close to delivery and am thinking about some things not on the option list. I understand that Lightspeed has a headset that cancels out Cirrus noise. Does anyone have experience with these headsets? Will Cirrus install them or is it better to get them from Lightspeed? Although I will have a hangar, I intend to get a cover. Is Bruce the best cover maker or should I look at others? Finally, I would like a portable oxygen system. I gather from the package Wings Aloft sent me that specific oxygen systems are recommended (authorized?) for the Cirrus. Any suggestions as to what I should get for occasional flying up to 16,000 or 17,000 feet?