Thoughts on the SR-20

[poadeleted20]

I really miss my SR 20. It was a great XC machine. The only issue with the plane is it didn't have A/C. I flew 145-155 TAS all the time, anywhere from 8.4 - 11 GPH depending on altitude. While the SR 22 is a nice plane, its not worth the extra $$ in my opinion. The engine costs more, the insurance is double with a lot of companies requiring mandatory training, and it burns more gas. The maintenance is not significantly higher, so that's a wash...

It's also 20 knots faster and carries a couple of hundred pounds more payload, and that matters to a lot of buyers. In addition, I don't know of a turbocharged option for the SR20, and that makes a big difference to folks out west.

 

[peppy]

I really miss my SR 20. It was a great XC machine. The only issue with the plane is it didn't have A/C. I flew 145-155 TAS all the time, anywhere from 8.4 - 11 GPH depending on altitude. While the SR 22 is a nice plane, its not worth the extra $$ in my opinion. The engine costs more, the insurance is double with a lot of companies requiring mandatory training, and it burns more gas. The maintenance is not significantly higher, so that's a wash...

Currently SR22 insurance is about like other planes and hull value driven. While the SR20 fuel burn is a little better than an SR22 at that speed the difference isn't much. A 2006 SR20 costs about like a 2004 SR22. The speed difference means less to me than the climb rate and good performance even when at places like Leadville. Then again it isn't something I'm religious about. Different people give different attributes different weighting. The fuel burn you list shows why Cirrus aircraft are so nice despite the gear being fixed.

 

[jmp470]

And since the topic is thoughts of SR 20, I wanted to get back on topic. The SR22 is a great plane, but so is the SR20. If you fly on the east coast and never get into the teens, than their is not a significant difference between the two. Also, weight is family dependent as my family of 4 is 425lbs. But we have a 2 year old and a 4 month old, so it is still growing. My SR20 was able to carry about 525lbs with full fuel. Some had lots of options when we would load 3 guys and golf clubs for a quick flight to a different course.

 

[murphey]

SR20? Is that like a little bitty SR72?

 

[zaitcev]

The only weird part was that I couldn't figure out what to do with my right hand after bringing it off the thrust levers at V1.

Funny you should mention that. I suffer from a restless right hand. In Arrow it ends between seats on the trim wheel.

 

[Ghery]

I though the side stick was a joy but I'm a lefty. Then I got into the right seat and it was not a lot of fun....

As you well know, Bruce, everyone is born right handed. Only a select few overcome the handicap.

Based on maybe 5000 hours in the left seat of aircraft with a yoke in front of the pilot and throttles in the center, and a couple-three thousand more watching from the right seat as people do that in the left seat, I'd say yes. Exceptions include giving the left hand/arm a break, reaching up to punch the clock or fiddle with the TAS ring (on some airspeed indicators) in the upper left corner of the panel, grabbing the chart laid up in the left corner between the glareshield and windshield, etc. And, of course, lefties when they're writing.

Trim! Trim! You must learn trim! Only then can you easily write left handed in the airplane. The right hand must always be guarding the throttle from the CFI(I) in the right seat. Never may you relax your guard.