"Michael" wrote in
Have you flown the Cirrus?

I have. My first flight in one involved bailing out the pilot, who
botched the ILS so badly he pegged the GS needle. It made me
understand why the accident rate was what it was.

Let me tell you, a 1969 Arrow sucks rocks in comparison.

Wrong comparison. The right comparison is a 1965 S-model Bonanza with
the IO-550. Which does NOT suck rocks. And a REALLY nice one, decked
out and with everything in great shape, is still less than half the
cost of the new Cirrus.

All Arrows suck compared to either Cirrus or Bonanza. Thing is, when I
fly with people in their Arrows, I don't have to bail them out.

You're suggesting that the problem is the airplane? I've flown the new
SR-22 and it's awesome. For sure, people accustomed to slower planes will
need to be careful landing it. And, in a spiral, airspeed builds up in a
heartbeat so recovery procedures are to be taken seriously. But there's
nothing inherent in the design that makes it less safe to fly than any other
fast light single.

All that aside, one big plus the Cirrus has going for it is its
attractiveness as a partnership machine. The warranty, level of factory
support plus the range of toys seems to generate more interest than
functionally similar older planes and refits of older designs.

The engine issues are still a drag. But there's nothing comparable in terms
of performance and servicability at that price.

moo