SR22 vs A-36

Had a rather unique opportunity to fly with a Bonanza (2 year old A36 with 200 hrs TT) today. Left Orlando as a “flight of two” headed to Boca Raton to drop the Bonanza. I took off first in my SR22 and within a couple of miles after departure, needed to slow down to let the Bonanza catch up. The Cirrus likes to get going faster, I guess. On the way down to Boca at low level VFR (2700 feet) the A36 watched me slip away on his Skywatch but the haze left me out of sight. I slowed down to let him catch up and he blew past a couple miles to my right before I knew it. He maintained cruise and I pushed the Cirrus full throttle for a few minutes seeing 190 plus on the GPS (tail wind) and caught him in a hurry. We flew side by side to Boca below 3000 feet at power setting of 22 MP on both planes, stayed side by side at 162 kts ground speed. It was an almost identical match on speed…but, as I said, leaving the ground the Cirrus is way ahead. Miami Center and PBI were kind enough to handle us as a “flight” on a light activity afternoon. Lots of fun. Anybody else had an experience with your Cirrus and another high peformer?

Charlie,

My favorite experience of this kind came when I was descending while being vectored for the ILS approach at Montgomery Field, San Diego (KMYF). Socal Approach came on the horn to say “Cirrus 720DG, I need you to slow down… you’re following a Bonanza.” [:)]

Cheers,
Roger

OK, if we are swapping speed stories, I’ve got one. I had to make a short ferry flight to our service center from Rock Hill, SC to Columbia, SC in IFR. The route has an MEA of 4,000’, so as soon as I was handed off to Columbia approach I asked for a descent. I was in nice smooth, benign clouds and descending at about 185 knots on vectors for the ILS. When about 5 miles from intercepting the localizer, approach asked me to slow to 150 knots or less for sequencing with the King Air ahead. Of course, I needed to slow down anyway, but hey, it was nice to be asked in ‘public’.
I was grinning all the way into the FBO.

In reply to:


My favorite experience of this kind came when I was descending while being vectored for the ILS approach at Montgomery Field, San Diego (KMYF). Socal Approach came on the horn to say “Cirrus 720DG, I need you to slow down… you’re following a Bonanza.”


As a current Bonanza 36 owner - ouch! But as a soon-to-be SR22 owner (3/03) - yipee!

In reply to:


My favorite experience of this kind came when I was descending while being vectored for the ILS approach at Montgomery Field, San Diego (KMYF). Socal Approach came on the horn to say “Cirrus 720DG, I need you to slow down… you’re following a Bonanza.”


Charlie:

I had a similar experiences but an older Baron took off minutes before me departing Nashville, TN enroute to Louisville, KY. The entire trip, I was alerted to watch out for the traffic, “12 O’clock and … miles.” As the 45 minute trip continued, I listened as the distance in the warnings slowly decrease, until approaching Louisville, I was given vectors to avoid the Baron.

Marty

1 Like

I looked very closely at the A36 (and a V35) before going Cirrus Sr22. Thanks for validating the decision…I still like the idea of the extra two seats, but I think it’d be like my six seat Chevy Tahoe, no one would ever set in 'em…plus with similiar useful loads, it seems that one can only haul children and pets in seats five and six. Gordon, have you ever filled/utilitzed the rear seats on your '36?

1 Like

Not all Barons are that pokey. I chased Pat Bujold (in his SR22) out of KSAF in a 58 Baron and was about thirty knots faster; I had to throttle way back to stay even with him. Of course, I was still burning twice as much fuel when pulled back (instead of almost three times as much when playing catch up.)

I’ve gotten a couple of slow-down calls in the SR22, but my favorite was a couple of weeks ago when I was going to run over an MD11 going into DEN (when you weigh 500,000 lbs you have to start slowing down a ways out, I suppose…)

In reply to:


Gordon, have you ever filled/utilitzed the rear seats on your '36?


What rear seats? As long as I’ve owned (my share of) the airplane (4 years) they have been stripped out and in fact are not on the weight and balance. Part of the reason is insurance - cheaper for 4 seats. So, no, I’ve not only never filled them but I’ve never even seen them!
However, that leaves a huge baggage area, served by dual cargo doors. I’m going to really miss that in the SR22. Just took a big ol’ box down to San Diego. No way it would fit in the SR22. I would have had to take the contents out and put it in the back seat. Oh well. Can’t have everything.

[quote]
Not all Barons are that pokey[/quots]
Yup, it was an old one. I also don’t know what his power settings were. Barons have some slow, cheap drivers just like we do and who can blame them?

Marty

In reply to:


(when you weigh 500,000 lbs you have to start slowing down a ways out, I suppose…)


David,
I can’t imagine bleeding off that much kinetic energy without dropping a couple of anchors! (maybe an old v-tail and a Lance!!)

Jim

In reply to:


Oh well. Can’t have everything.


…or as we SR20 drivers know, if you do have everything, you sure can’t take it!