We are moving to a place with a grass strip only and it has an 1800 foot runway by 100 feet. I would love to fly out of where we live because the strip is within walking distance. So my question is can a Cirrus land and take off with 4 people from an 1800 foot runway? I know a 206 can which is an airplane that I am considering also.
My mission:
I will be flying back and forth to work throughout Florida, (Panhandle mostly) and I would like to fly with my wife and two kids when time permits. I will be flying about 1200 hours a year not including fun trips. I would like to take the trek to New York with the family twice a year.
Agree. Definitely a T206 job. 1200 hours a year though?! I don’t think so. That is 4 hours every work day. When will you actually get any work done?! [:O]
For some reason when I type 120 the computer autocorrects to 1200 so I have to check it once in a while. It’s 120 a year. I guess my computer is more abundant than I am [:O]
Yep, get the Cessna. If the chute is a big deal for you, get a 182 with a chute. BRS says they are working on a chute STC for the 206, but you can’t count on that 100%.
For your short trips around the Panhandle the speed difference between the Cessna and Cirrus is just a few minutes. For the once a year trip to New York it would be more significant, but t is just once a year.
Could I do it with just two people, (200lb each). 1800 x 100 foot grass runway?
I also noticed that some later models of the SR22 and the SR20 are almost identical in price. What would be the advantage of owning an SR20? over a SR22.
For your operation there is no advantage whatsoever to the SR20. In fact if you look at the POH of the 20 and 22, you will see that the ground roll required over dry grass at MTOW on a 30 degree (Florida) day is about 1400 feet for the 22 and >1900 feet for the 20. The 22 is absolutely marginal for an 1800 foot grass runway and the 20 simply can’t do it. Of course if you’re lighter or it’s cooler things are better, but the 22 is still marginal and the 20 downright dangerous of that kind of strip.
It seems like you really want a Cirrus but note that everyone so far has said it is a poor choice for what you are describing. And we’re all fans of Cirrus.
Personally if I were routinely flying from an 1800 grass strip I would consider something like a Maule, but that’s just me.
If there are no obstacles and the ground is very hard, an SR22 can do it safely with a partial load provided it isn’t hot out. Your skills will dictate how much safety margin there is. I occasionally fly an SR22 into a 2,100 ft grass strip with 30 ft obstacles, but I have a high go-around rate on landing. Things have to be just perfect.
Multi engine aircraft have balanced field numbers, some singles have accelerate stop distances. We are free to fly our aircraft anywhere, anytime, but we should be cognizant of common dangers. Any engine or airframe malfunction from such a short strip entails a very high risk of injury or death, whereas the same engine or airframe issue on a longer runway is just an inconvenience. There has been more than one Cirrus on these forums reporting badness on the take off roll, or shortly after lift off that were of little consequence because the pilot could bring it to a stop or put it down. Outside of a STOL aircraft, I would never feel comfortable routinely departing such a short grass field. There is just no safety margin. Just plain and simply the wrong aircraft for that mission.
Roshard – You have a case of the wants as we all did once we flew a Cirrus. But, No No No for your situation. Listen to Alex & Chuck (or maybe Charles today!!). Short grass strip not so good. Better idea is live somewhere else - my gosh for the money you are going to spend, get to a 3000 foot strip or more aviation community which there are quite a few down there.
I’m going to go with the 206. I love the speed and safety features of the Cirrus and although I have seen quite a few pilots land there, (Here is one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46XF4u_AJbo)
I’m not experienced enough to fly one there.
Thanks guys, if situations change I will let you know.
Looked at the video and looked up North Captiva - before seeing it I would have said 1800 ft was too short to consider using on a regular basis, but given the totally clear approaches at both ends, I wouldn’t rule out operating an SR22 there. The 206 will do better, but be prepared for plenty of corrosion!
Well, per the book, at 30 degrees Celsius (86 F) and fully loaded, you’ll have a 28 percent margin. If obstacle-free, that would be enough for me. Wind changes the situation. Load, too. Lower temps, too. All towards the better. A wet runway changes it to the worse. In short, yes, there will be days when you won’t be able to fly out of there. But I see nothing preventing you from generally operating an SR22 out of there. 2000-feet grass strips are anything but unusual for Cirrus pilots over here in Europe. That said, it is very much a matter of personal preferences and personal risk evaluation. So, whatever you decide - it will be right for you.
On the couch my recommendation with this: if we were talking about 1800 feet paved then I would say yeah no problem. Take very little fuel and ferry to place it has long run ways to complete your mission on those specific dates. And I would also put you in a 22 turbo because it is a monster short field performer. But since you’re on grass forget about it. 206 wins as it is designed for that specific job
One more aircraft to consider for this mission if 6 seats are not a requirement. You may not need the fat tires if the runway is smooth enough for a Cirrus, so the “Kenai” version would be the better choice (faster). These planes can be retrofitted with BRS too. Recent Aviation Consumer article (from Avweb site).