Pick a Cirrus Beater

[dell30rb]

My dad is a 1,000 something hour private pilot, but has not been current since he sold his 172RG in 1996. He's been flying with me some and wants to get back into flying.

He really likes the new Cirrus airplanes, and wants something along those lines. (FAST, nice interior, cool avionics) However he is a bit dismayed by the safety record (I explained to him that by taking extra training he could offset this). I don't really like the cirrus airplanes either, so that is why I am starting this thread.

I have seen some great restorations and refits of some older aircraft (the AOPA featured "vegas viper" comes to mind, a restored comanche) and just wanted to hear some opinions about some older aircraft that might be able to fit the bill.

Requirements would be something like:

Single engine
150kts cruise (or better)
under 14gph
4.5 hours fuel or more with 4 170lb pax
Glass panel (maybe steam gauges and a new touchscreen in-panel GPS)
Nice leather interior
Good looking paint
Low time or newly overhauled motor

Total budget = price of a mid time used cirrus, about 200k

What can we come up with here? I'm thinking a mooney or maybe even bonanza would probably fit the bill. Not sure buy a 182RG may work nicely as well. The idea is to pick an older airplane and restore/refit it to like new condition. The budget should allow for all the work to be done by reputable shops. A 1970's or 1980's aircraft with a complete refit and zero time motor would probably be less maintenance cost than buying a mid time used cirrus as well.

If anyone has links and or pics of old airplanes that have had major work done it would be appreciated!

 

[Jim Logajan]

He really likes the new Cirrus airplanes, and wants something along those lines. (FAST, nice interior, cool avionics) However he is a bit dismayed by the safety record (I explained to him that by taking extra training he could offset this). I don't really like the cirrus airplanes either, so that is why I am starting this thread.

The January 2012 issue of The Aviation Consumer magazine (http://www.aviationconsumer.com/) has a timely safety review article on the Cirrus as it compares to comparable airplanes that you may want to read (a truly modest investment of dollars.) It includes a discussion of many factors, including the theory of risk homeostasis. Bottom line is that the safety record of the Cirrus has been average - but could have been superb had more pilots deployed the parachute. It appears to be a cultural or ingrained habit to spend too much time trying to save the situation.

According to the article "If just one-third of the fatal accidents had been CAPS saves instead, the Cirrus fatal rate would be well below the GA average, thus delivering the level of safety many thought that Cirrus promised in the first place." The chute is not a passive safety device - so without pilot training and conditioning in its use, it appears it is unable to live up to market expectations.

 

[Jim Logajan]

And because Bo's don't have an auto-burn function when they crash.

According to the January 2012 Aviation Consumer article:

• The Cirrus SR22 has a 16% rate of post-crash fire.
• The Columbia has a 14% rate.
• Mooney M20s, the Cirrus SR20, and Cessna 182 all come in between 11 or 12%.
• The DA40 has no history of self-ignited post-crash fires. (Diamond informed the writers of the article that one DA40 did suffer a fire after striking powerlines, but the accident isn't in the NTSB database.)

Bonanza's weren't included in the article, but it is unlikely they would fair better than the Mooneys or 182. The SR20 and SR22 collectively do not have a statistically meaningful predilection to post-crash fires than other popular comparable models.

 

[Jim Logajan]

Textron owns Cessna, and they are US based.

Ah, but where is the Cessna Skycatcher built?

 

[Jim Logajan]

What certified plane makers are US owned now?

(I'm not asking that sarcastically.)

Someone with more time on their hands than I may want to scan this list of U.S. aircraft manufacturers and determine which planes they make are made mostly in the U.S.:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Aircraft_manufacturers_of_the_United_States

 

[Jim Logajan]

American Champion Aircraft is U.S.-owned, as far as I know. Coincidentially, they are selling the cheapest certified airplane: Champ is listed $109k. The cheapest 172 was $270k, last I checked. What's interesting, the cheapest Cessna, 162, is not certified like Champ (it's produced under ASTM consensus), and yet it's more expensive than Champ - even was more expensive before the recent bump in price to $145k.

P.S. Oh bugger, Champ flies on a Chinese engine TCM O-200-D.

Maule is still allegedly a family owned company whose aircraft use Lycomings.