Looking to buy a Cirrus, I will be joining college to obtain a degree in Proffessional Flight. Done some calculating and it seems reasonable to go ahead and buy a plane and rack up a few hundred hours in it.
Budget is $120,000-150,000. With that budget I’m sure that a sr22 is out of the question. Looking at a lot of sr20 second generation. Not only do I want a plane to rack up hours in, but I need something useful in the long run.
Will the sr20 hold 4 people with baggage? Can anyone give me an idea of insurance cost? Whats the TAS on the sr20?
Ah Trevor such a common dilemma for college freshmen!
Are you already a pilot? If you haven’t flown very much then renting makes a lot of sense initially. Your pic has you posed by a Cessna trainer, and, if you’ve mastered that then an SR20 will be a rewarding next step. Your budget is right for the 20, and insurance shouldn’t be bad as it’s largely a function of hull value. Pick your broker carefully, as once they start getting insurance quotes for you you’re kinda married to them - an insurance industry quirk. I haven’t owned a 20, but don’t expect to fill the seats. Lot’s of guys here will share their useful weights and fuel burns I’m sure. Have fun!
No, and neither will an SR22 (possible exception of the new G5). My 2006 SR20G2 has minimal options and an 860lb. useful load. With full fuel (330lbs.), that only leaves 530lbs. I’ve been trying to go flying with three Victoria’s Secret models and their single combined overnight bag, but they have yet to accept my invitation.
The book says 160kts, but furgetaboutit. At 75% cruise, figure 145kts. Personally, I like to fly long trips at 60% and 8.0gph lean of peak, and I get about 135kts. Pretty much same fuel economy as a Chevy Tahoe.
Already have a handful of hours in a 172 with the g1000 setup. After all the cost of leasing a plane from a college (which will be a basic 172 equipped with steam gauges) I might as well make payments on a plane I can call my own and then have something to show for all my money spent.
Okay so 4 people is out of the question. However lets say I want to take a 200nm trip, would you say 3 people with a 20 lbs carry-on each would be a reasonable load for the sr20? Possibly only 30 gallons of fuel and including a fuel stop on the journey
I also have a 2006 G2 SR20. Same useful load. We don’t know how much these three people weigh. 860 minus your 180 fuel minus 60 luggage is 620 for three folks. But, dont forget headsets, extra oil, tools, chocks, water bottles, and whatever other stuff you’ll have in the plane.
At full weight, don’t even think about flying an SR20 out west (mountains) in any sort of heat. It can be a slow climb even at lower altitudes in the heat as you have to keep engine temps down. The SR20 is NOT a high performance machine.
Scott does better LOP than I do. Anything less than 8.7 ghp means my engine runs rougher than I like. I get 135kt or a bit more TAS at 8500msl. I don’t run ROP; the plane goes faster ROP (maybe 145) but uses 12.2gph. I like saving 30% on fuel consumption and going only a bit slower Lean Of Peak.
Factor in maintenance not just loan payments and fuel. A 2006 has a $14,000 rocket/parachute job due in less than two years. Also, the avionics (Ayvidyne PFD & MFD, Garmin G430’s, transponder, autopilot) are frightfully expensive to repair.
To each his own - I bought my airplane when I was 25. To speak frankly: going to college for a flying degree is really pissing money away. You can get the ratings for a lot less money privately, and quite frankly in your own plane. Go to University for something useful - not for a vocation. What you come out with will allow you to fly.
Not so much. Renting is virtually always the cheapest way to fly until you get into really heavy metal. An airplane is a relatively big capital investment that depreciates while incurring significant fixed expenses. So don’t ever buy an airplane for the economics alone.
Do buy an airplane if you comfortably can though - just do it for the right reasons. The right reasons are that you love the thing and want to possess it, and because you’d get significantly more pleasure from caring for it and being the only one who flies it rather than a dirty, beat up rack rental rack plane.
Now I’ll show my age and lecture a bit! If you’re the usual age for a college freshman, you may well think again about what you really want to do in your profession before the chips settle. You can get your ratings and hours without committing your college degree to the cause. I think freshmen need to commit early on to only engineering or medicine, as you can jump on to anything else after a couple of years. An engineering degree may well be more impressive because it demonstrates that you are smart and can master material. Flying is a skill learned incrementally, and people from all walks of life assimilate well if they have the knack. I know it pisses some pro pilots off, but there are many who accomplish the highest ratings in aviation as an avocation while doing other things professionally. The instructors here will probably tell you that they do it out of passion, not for the economic rewards. The point is simple - don’t let doors close today without knowing they are. Those doors for freshmen are engineering and pre-med. As you enter your 3rd year accounting and a few other careers demand a decision. If you feel reasonably certain you want to be a pro pilot, go to FedEx and Delta and ask them how that aviation degree would advantage you in their hiring process.
Actually you can change brokers anytime just by signing a new Broker of Record letter. What you cannot do is use two brokers at the same time. Underwriters don’t want to be issuing multiple quotes for the same insured. Who can blame them?
Trevor - the insurance is going to depend on a few factors. Do you have your Private already? Instrument? How many hours do you have? Any experience in type?
Like others mentioned it is important to chose a broker wisely as it’s not like car insurance where you can go to multiple brokers and expect different quotes after you’ve approached one. Additionally you are going to want to chose a broker who knows the Cirrus underwriters as this will dramatically improve your odds of getting a better premium.
I would be happy to discuss more with you - feel free to call me 952-641-3152
Do you have the Continental matched injectors? I’m wondering how you can get FF down so low and still run smoothly. I run LOP but things could be smoother.