Cirrus SR20/22
flying with EFIS and sidestick

 

The first impression when you enter the plane: it is different from the planes we all know. The Cirrus is very spacious, with comfortable seats and overall a very beautiful styled interior.

As a ferry pilot it makes you some problems because of the use of white leather and white headliner in this brand new aircraft. Protective seat covers, cardboard on the floor and bubble rub plastic in the baggage compartment is a must to keep it perfectly clean for the new owner.  

 

The transition from yoke to the side stick is a no-brainer. Even if insurances will tell that you need a course to learn to fly the plane. The side stick is intuitive, a natural flight control from the first take off.

 

But you can not say this from an all glass cockpit EFIS system and the autopilot management in our case a Avidyn Flightmax Entegra / EX5000 combined with the S-TEC 55. Here some training is advised. Knowing the Garmin 430/530 GPS helps to reduce the workload and a computer training disc is available.

 

Hand flying in IMC or at night is a delight and a whole new game when compared to the 3" bad lighted horizons of the past.

The attitude is the most present information but after some minutes airspeed, altitude and vertical speed are easy picked up. What takes longer to appreciate is the use of all the other information available. The wind information, the HSI pictogram, with projected course line, finding the slip indicator (hidden in a small black and white triangle) and the Speed and Altitude trends both new in light aircraft cockpits are all great features.     

It is a pleasure to fly the plane and to use all the gadgets. Regarding performance: The Cirrus is fast and even considerably faster when light but it doesn’t like to be overloaded, that explains why the SR20 holds only 56Gal of fuel. But with this it has still a sufficient range for day to day flying, not for Atlantic crossings. It get worse when packed up with ice, here a C182 is doing a much better Job. You ether stay out of the freezing levels or the TKS system might be the solution for pilots that intend to fly in weather.

Flying the plane coupled is a little like playing a computer game, you have to know to push the right button. For this kind of flying a TCAS should be on board because head down time is definitely increased. Not necessarily the fault of the plane, it might be just more interesting to watch the artificial information than the reality outside.

The only draw back with the new EFIS system was the start up in Goose Bay with the -30°C cold soak instruments.

There is no information given in the POH if preheating the cabin would help and what to heat. Finally after 15minutes the plane was ready to leave America. (Or was it mentally preparing itself for the North Atlantic :-)        

 

pilot@utility-aircraft.com