The post This 2005 Cirrus SR22 G2 Is a Value-Priced ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.
]]>Today’s Top Pick is a 2005 Cirrus SR22 G2.
During the 1970s, when Queen drummer Roger Taylor sang about “the machine of a dream, such a clean machine,” he was referring to a car. Today a whole lot of pilots might hum the same tune while thinking about the Cirrus SR22.
A tour de force of design, performance, and innovation, the Cirrus is among the most popular general aviation aircraft of all time because it has what pilots want—cross-country speed, great looks, and a parachute that can save the day in an emergency.
Now that the SR22 has been on the market for more than 20 years, there are many used examples available for a wide range of prices depending on their age and equipment. The earliest first- and second-generation models often come up for sale at prices similar to those of other fast piston singles that often are decades older.
The 2005 G2 example for sale here is equipped with the Avidyne primary flight and multifunction displays typical for that generation of SR22. Later versions received more advanced and increasingly integrated Garmin avionics, however, a pilot would be fortunate to find anything close to this aircraft’s Avidyne panel in other used piston singles.
This aircraft represents a significant value for pilots who like the SR22’s modern design but are not ready to spend up to $1 million or more for a newer model.
This 2005 SR22 has 3,136 hours on the airframe and 220 hours since overhaul on its 310 hp Continental IO-550 engine. The aircraft is equipped with a TKS deicing system, and its parachute was recently repacked, so the next owner will have about 10 years before the next repack is due.
The IFR panel features an Avidyne Entegra PFD and Avidyne EX5000 MFD, dual Garmin GNS 430 GPS/nav/comms, one with WAAS, PMA 8000 audio panel, transponder with ADS-B Out, L-3 Skywatch Active Traffic system, WX 500 Stormscope, Emax engine monitor, Cmax electronic charts, and S-TEC 55 autopilot.
Pilots looking for the advanced design, efficiency, and performance of a Cirrus SR22 at a price point more in keeping with a Cessna 210 Centurion or an older Beechcraft Bonanza should consider this 2005 Cirrus SR22 G2, which is available for $349,000 on AircraftForSale.
If you’re interested in financing, you can do so with FLYING Finance. Use its airplane loan calculator to calculate your estimated monthly payments. Or, to speak with an aviation finance specialist, visit flyingfinance.com.
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]]>Looking back now, it dawns on me that most of what I know today did not come from the normal, required syllabus training but from life experiences, along with an occasional hair-raising event, one of which I can finally share.
Like many pilots, most of my private pilot training took place in a two-place Cessna. My CFI actually weighed a morbidly obese 350 pounds and was in his upper 60s. Were we always overloaded upon takeoff? No, because being a hard-working, skinny, 25-year-old, I carried maybe 120 pounds. My first solo, however, gave me a startling surprise, though, when the Cessna 150 trainer shot up so rapidly…I had just shedded 350 pounds and struggled to acquire the new, lighter “feel.”
Transitioning from a lighter to a heavier single is a process we learn largely on our own without much training. Check rides are a helpful measure of safety and highly recommended. The larger the aircraft, the heavier the controls, and while often more stable, it is always different. Moving up to more advanced aircraft enhances our joy of flying. Plus, the heavier the airplane, the more sophisticated it often is. Constant-speed prop, retractable gear, etc. Even more challenging are those “category/class” transitions (seaplane, twin-engine, etc.) that take us to the next level.
By the time I had accrued some 140 total flight hours, a friend mentioned that his wife and her sister were returning home from a trip back east. It was late June. To save them the expense of a night’s lodging in Dallas, I agreed to fly to Love Field (KDAL) and fly them back to the now long-abandoned Butterfield Trail Airport just north of Abilene. I had never met the two passengers-to-be, but Phil, a nonpilot, was a fit, lean, future Navy sailor who spoke often of his active wife and sister-in-law. I was ready to log some additional quality time in my flying club’s Cessna Skyhawk 172 (N3707R).
At this point, I had been checked out in the club’s Cessna 182 Skylane and its mighty 210 Centurion, but I didn’t see the need for a larger, more expensive option. Now I was in for a gut-wrenching surprise. My lack of experience caused me to select an aircraft unsuitable for the flight.
The flight to KDAL with Phil was pleasant and uneventful, and I anticipated the return flight would be equally smooth. Love Field was Dallas’ primary airport in 1967, and there was no delay entering its airspace and getting taxi clearance to the general aviation area. We did not wait long at the GA terminal for our passengers to arrive.
What I felt when first meeting Tillie and her sister, Emma, was a sense of astonished shock. These women were not obese. They were, well…ladies of significant size. And they each had a fairly large, old-style heavy suitcase. I’m sure I silently gasped when I realized suddenly that our little Skyhawk was destined to be dramatically overweight. Overweight, that is, if we could even fit them into the rear seats with their bags. We were going to be massively overloaded and probably out of balance. Should I tell my passengers, “No, I’m sorry. We cannot do this”? Should I warn them of the risk?
As a weight/balance experiment with satchels of bowling balls, I had once safely “test-flown” a friend’s Skylane while being perhaps several hundred pounds over the maximum takeoff weight. Perhaps somehow by having completed this ill-advised and unauthorized experiment, it validated my faulty decision to proceed.
Even if we could shoehorn the passengers and baggage in, I knew we might have to abort. The Skyhawk baggage area was about 90 pounds maximum, but the space was too small to accommodate a large suitcase. We discovered that we could partially squeeze one into this minuscule space, thereby sacrificing a good deal of headroom. The other bag would just have to ride on their laps. Very uncomfortable, but it was only for an hour and a half. At this point, I was just concerned whether we could get airborne.
The weather briefing confirmed widely scattered showers with hot, very humid conditions, and calm winds. Not helpful conditions, to be sure, with high density altitude in effect.
I taxied to Runway 18, 8,000 feet in length, as I recall. The tower said, “Cleared for takeoff. Right turnout approved.” We started our takeoff roll. And we rolled. I was ready to abort if necessary. We kept rolling.
Not expecting to use more than about 4,000 feet, but already passing that halfway point, I became aware that we might not be airborne anytime soon. But lots of pavement still remained. Finally, though, our speed was sufficient and we lifted off, albeit very slowly. But what is this? We weren’t climbing! If anything, we were just mushing along. And we’re running out of runway!
Clearing the fence and crossing Mockingbird Lane, we couldn’t have been more than 50 feet above passing buildings. Any additional problem at this height could have been catastrophic.
Some 20 minutes later, we were level at 6,500 feet msl. Reaching the cooler altitude made things easier. My passengers were silent but likely aware that we had just been given a free pass by the powers that be. We were grateful for our good fortune.
But the day was summed up with some valuable lessons subtly delivered and taken to heart. First, I learned to never assume your passengers will weigh the average standard of 170 pounds, as it was then. Don’t be reticent about asking their weight and baggage sizes. Second, know your aircraft’s capacities. It might be helpful someday to know your storage area dimensions. Finally, and perhaps most redundantly, always be prepared to cancel your plans, even if that means unhappy passengers and a bruised ego and wallet.
This column first appeared in the September 2023/Issue 941 of FLYING’s print edition.
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]]>The post 1978 Piper PA-32RT-300 Lance II Is a load-lifting ‘Aircraft For Sale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.
]]>Today’s Top Pick is a 1978 Piper PA-32RT-300 Lance II
Piper developed the retractable Lance in the mid-1970s from the fixed-gear Cherokee Six in an effort to boost cruising speed and efficiency. The company also wanted to compete with other six-seat retractables like the Cessna 210 Centurion and Beechcraft A36 Bonanza. Pilots liked the Lance’s wide, comfortable cabin and SUV-style, load-carrying capacity. The model later evolved into the Saratoga, which Piper produced through 2009.
When this Lance II rolled out of the factory, Piper was on a T-tail kick, applying the jet-like design feature to a number of its piston aircraft. The T-tail on this Lance II gives it a stylish look that stands out on the ramp and recalls a particularly vibrant era in general aviation.
This Lance II has 3,409 hours on the airframe and 1,369 hours on its 300 hp Lycoming IO-540 engine. The panel includes a Garmin 530W and G5 HSI, Garmin 350 HC audio panel, GTX345 ADS-B transponder, Century III autopilot, and JPI EDM-900 engine monitor.
Pilots with the desire to transport large families or bulky loads in a high-performance single should consider this 1978 Piper PA-32RT-300 Lance II, which is available for $189,000 on AircraftForSale.
You can arrange financing of the aircraft through FLYING Finance. For more information, email info@flyingfinancial.com.
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