I am a partner in a Piper Archer and a Cessna Cardinal. I greatly
prefer the Cardinal, and my passengers like it even better.

Aesthetics are in the eye of the beholder, but with a new paint job
many of my passengers think my airplane is newer and faster than a
Cirrius parked on the same ramp. I know because I ask them to guess.
The Cirrus is a great plane, but its not a really pretty one. I
parked next to a new Columbia the other day, and that airplane is
really pretty (at the cost of passenger comfort). I have to admit that
I might not have won that beauty contest.

The key to making a high wing pretty is to move the wing as far aft as
possible. Not only does this look better it greatly improves visiblity
and gives a better cg range. If you've only flown 152/172/182 you
haven't flown a properly designed high wing airplane.

Now sweep the tail, install a stabilator, saw off the struts, make the
tiedown rings retract, and use mostly flush rivets and your high wing
airplane is now a stunner, with far more ramp appeal than a clorox
bottle with wings. In other words, make a Cardinal.

I'd suggest Cessna take the already clean and fast Cardinal, make it
even slicke. Aircraft design has come a long way since 1968, there are
a n easy 15 knots left in the basic airframe. They should sell the
fixed gear version with a 200hp motor and the retract with a 230hp
turbocharged motor. Throw in glass and FADAC. Lower the glareshield,
as Mooney did recently, giving even better visiblity.

Cessna would be swamped with orders for a plane like that.

Cirrus wouldn't be killed, but it would be hurt really really bad.

Jim Howard