I will go for delivery on Dec 8. The average low is 9 and the high is 25. What do you do about pre heat? Does Cirrus let you put your plane in Hanger. Or do they pre heat for you. If so what is the charge for this service. I am not looking forward to the cold. No sandels for me. I am not getting a engine heater becouse I fly in the southwest in the winters. Don
Don:
This was my experience in February 2002. I think it should be still valid as the only thing that has changed (certainly not the weather!) is the finishing of the new building.
Space was really limited in the hangar in the “old” building, since it was essentially the end of the production line. We always hoped for some additional mechanical problem late in the day so that the plane would be in the hangar overnight.
When it was not, Cirrus used it’s preheat unit. This is a mobile propane fired unit, powered by it’s own battery with duct for hot air that is inserted in the bottom cowl opening to bring the temperature up. No charge for this service.
I don’t have electric preheat on the engine either. If it gets below 60 F we all think it’s really cold! Leave the sandals in Nevada (unless you want the “sandal shot” for tradition’s sake)!
Don,
You’ll forget the cold when you climb out with the VSI pegged as high as it reads!!
Cirrus provided an alcohol solution to remove the ice from the wings but no preheat, but it was only the beginning of January and it couldn’t have been more than 0 degrees Fahrenheit.
Don,
As you know I dropped my aircraft of last Friday for it’s annual and cosmetic repairs under warranty. As I hung around the offices on Friday, they were allowing all new departing aircraft to preflight inside the hangers and then rolled the aircrafts out. The pilots jumped in and they were off. Approx. 4 or 5 new buyers departed this way including Mr. Mike R. Temps were 2 to 10 F and -10 wind chill.
I picked my aircraft up last Dec. 4 as they were completing their new facilities and they let me preflight inside.
Rick
Hi Don,
Looks like my partner and me will be picking up our new Centennial SR22 on the same day (12/8) as you. I look forward to meeting you in Duluth. We’ll be dealing with the preheat issue together.
Ted Fox
Do you think Cirrus is preheating every aircraft that is going through its predelivery flight tests (long before you get there to take delivery)?
In reply to:
Do you think Cirrus is preheating every aircraft that is going through its predelivery flight tests (long before you get there to take delivery)?
Scott,
Based on what I saw, yes.
The first predelivery test flight takes place after the aircraft is built – it’s rolled out of a warm hangar and flown. Flights after that are to test the results of fixes to previously found bugs.
I also noted that they brought aircraft, including unpainted ones, into a hangar to warm up for three hours before starting them. Personally, I’d want to see them stay in a warm place for more time after being cold soaked, but three hours beats no hours by about three hours.
- Mike.
Yes we will meet and preheat togeather but please do not tell my wife. She might get jealous! What time is your delivery mine is at 9am with Maryilynn Bergmann. I guess now they can do 2 at atime. In the old days it was one at time. But they were building 4 a week now it is double that. Lets hope for good weather. Don