Learn to fly in an sr20? Need you input, please

I’ve got 25hrs, hated flying in the Cessna172s, and stopped my training about 2 yrs ago.

Now, I am absolutely enamored with the SR20s, and am considering buying one to complete my training.

But now, this insurance issue comes up. What to do?

If I buy the SR20, a local FBO has offered to put the SR20 on a sale/leaseback program and offer the a/c per hour for $129 (probably mkt rate for this relatively small town in N. Fla), and would charge me 15% mgmt fee (they would discount my fuel by .30cents a gallon.

All I would be responsible for would be the increase in his commercial insurance & maintenance ($44 labor rate).

There is a gentleman in Santa Monica who did most of his primary training in his personal SR20. My sense is he loved it. I’m sure he will reply here as soon as he checks the board.

As for putting it on lease-back… that’s a whole different ball of wax, but again there are several people who frequent this board who may have an opinion for you as their AC are on lease-back.

I’ve got 25hrs, hated flying in the Cessna172s, and stopped my training about 2 yrs ago.

If you hated flying the Cessna 172S so much you stopped flying, I can only conclude you don’t like flying. The SR20 may be a nice plane but it won’t make a pilot out of someone who is that indifferent. Have you considered a boat?

If you hated the 172’s, try to find an FBO with Diamond Katana’s. They are 2-seat composite aircraft with a stick rather than a yoke. I learned in a Katana, and when I transitioned to the 172SP I thought I’d gone from a Miata to a poorly sprung Suburban. The Katana’s are a dream to fly (the canopy is like a glider, clear to the top of your head), and only burn 4gph.

_Curt

I am that person. I got through my long cross-country in a Cherokee before stopping for a few years (I had a Cirrus on order when I stopped). I started over with my training when I got my plane and learned in it. Contrary to Art’s assessment I enjoy flying (had a great time last night watching all the Southern California fireworks from 1,500 feet). My insurance as a student was expensive (around $8,000) but has gone down to about $5,000 since getting my ticket a year ago. If I as a student in the 10th US Cirrus (a lot less experience for insurance companies to go on) could get insurance something would have to be pretty screwy for you to be denied. Go for it!

FWIW, for a while in the '70’s we were starting some Navy students in the T-28 Trojan (instead of the T-34 Mentor). Quite a handful - big, powerful (1450 HP radial), retractable, complex, fast, etc., etc. - but they did okay.

Heck, even the T-34 was no pussycat. It was essentially a tandem Bonanza and our students handled it quite well.

Joe

I am that person. I got through my long cross-country in a Cherokee before stopping for a few years (I had a Cirrus on order when I stopped). I started over with my training when I got my plane and learned in it. Contrary to Art’s assessment I enjoy flying (had a great time last night watching all the Southern California fireworks from 1,500 feet). My insurance as a student was expensive (around $8,000) but has gone down to about $5,000 since getting my ticket a year ago. If I as a student in the 10th US Cirrus (a lot less experience for insurance companies to go on) could get insurance something would have to be pretty screwy for you to be denied. Go for it!

I’ve got 25hrs, hated flying in the Cessna172s, and stopped my training about 2 yrs ago.

If you hated flying the Cessna 172S so much you stopped flying, I can only conclude you don’t like flying. The SR20 may be a nice plane but it won’t make a pilot out of someone who is that indifferent. Have you considered a boat?

Easy, the guy obviously likes flying, he just hated the skyhawk. maybe that is b/c he’s over 5 foot 10 or something unusual like that?