Cirrus Aircraft you HAVE to change this...

What changes are coming to the Cirrus SR22 G7 version. What upgrades need to be made, a new engine, a different fuel type, upgrades to the cockpit and payload capabilities? How should the new aircraft be different to the current line of Cirrus Aircraft? What do Cirrus need to do to the already very popular General Aviation Aircraft?

This is just my thoughts on what I'd like to see in the new Cirrus SR22 G7 aircraft. I understand it's a very first-world video at times but for fellow aviation lovers and pilots alike, I'd like to encourage aircraft manufacturers to keep pushing innovation in this industry we all love, hence the video.

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VERY IMPORTANT: I am a private pilot and am NOT qualified to give flying instruction. This video, like all videos on this channel, has been significantly edited from the original source footage and is provided for entertainment purposes only. Many radio calls and procedures have been omitted. If you have any questions about anything you see or hear, please speak to a Certified Flying Instructor first.

[StefanDrury]

Hands up if you're here after watching the 2024 G7 announcement...

[mattgirgenti]

I love the list. Some of the end (pressurization, rear door, etc.) require complete structure redesign and would be a new certification. Not something any successful manufacture wants to take on. To go there, I think you'd see a stretched, 6-seat model. Same path Beech went. I believe there is lots of room in that space for a 6-seat Cirrus with CAPS without taking away from SF50 sales.

CD300 or a Turbine would be amazing. Turbine is not efficient enough at most of our altitudes and the entry cost is not practical. CD300 is damn near perfect fit.

Now the reality. The only real competition Cirrus has for the SR22 is existing owners not upgrading. There is no real competitor, in the certified space, offering the speed, options, support, and CAPS. Cirrus has little to no reason to risk a solid, very active sales base. I wish that were different and they had major incentives to expand or revolutionize, but with a 2-year sales backlog, they are clearly not losing ...

[spiro]

Hey Stef, transplanting a turbine into your plane would mean round the world flight takes a big step forward. Thanks mate

[nichall]

Hey Stef! Honestly you... Yes you! are the reason I've become so invested in with aviation. All your videos are just so down to earth and easy to listen to. I genuinely mean it when I say you're the reason I'm going to go for my RPC (and maybe beyond who knows!) at some point in the future when I'm either rich or it gets cheaper to do as a hobby (lol).

As a bit of feedback for the videos... just keep doing what you're doing! I honestly love these videos just as much as your flying videos, so if you ever think "will the audience like this" the answer is most likely yes.

PS: You should make some merch, I'd totally buy some.

[MinionMasher]

Very informative Stef!
I am 14 years old and aspiring to become an aviator, Your vids are really good and are giving me inspiration to follow my dreams!!

[TrizzaW]

It would be great to see more Jet A1 aircraft around! Having trained in a DA40NG, I can confirm that full FADEC diesel burners are great to run. Super easy to start, super easy to operate, barely sipping the fuel. Zero to think about regarding leaning etc. Of course, weight is an issue. I do wish STCs were more available for Jet A1 retrofits..

[iceymanz]

On the topic of buttons vs touch screen. There are some arguments (mostly around cars like telsas) that a touch screen requires more cognitive load on the driver and you need to put your attention on the touchscreen to ensure it's doing what you intend. So my question is, in an emergency when you have many things going on - are there situations where as a pilot buttons are preferable for some functions?

[letsseeif]

I used to flight many fully retractable GA types last century. About 1970 the aviation manufactures seemed to put retractables in 'the too hard basket'. Thanks Stephan for your videos. Keep them coming.

[marsgal]

Step zero is a more GA-friendly regulatory environment so things can get done with fewer zeroes on the price tags.

My plane’s new engine a couple of years ago required a new throttle cable. Unobtanium from Beechcraft, so we got a custom one from the OEM who make them for all the manufacturers. The paperwork (and pricetag) was pretty intense... 🤯

[scottjessett]

Love the video Stef! Totally agree- especially on the new engines running FADEC and burning Jet A1. Thanks for keeping up the high quality videos:)

[JLFerguson]

FADEC!!! It’s absurd it hasn’t been done yet. Great video!

[patrickmooney]

Agree 100%, Stefan. Thanks for putting this out there. I hope Zean Nielson and team are listening.

[albertoc]

I’ve been flying Cirrus SR20/22 for a while and agree that significant upgrades are overdue. My gripes are: For the price, the paint quality is low, especially its ability to withstand corrosion around fasteners and skin. Efflorescence starts bubbling thru within months. Another gripe is the interior paneling low quality. Seat are good and comfortable but the door and side panels are substandard. Fit and finish C- at best. I agree with your payload increase (3600 max could stretch to 3800 and solve the fuel vs passenger dilemma). My wishlist: Speed above 200 and yes I would love retractable just because a fixed landing gear looks primitive. I object to your trailing link comment. Just learn how to land by accurately managing your speed. Cirrus are taught and flown by the numbers. Thanks for your videos and for being a Garmin ambassador. Agree on making the G3000 standard. It’s 2023….Cheers Mate from Miami Florida KOPF.

[xbrules]

Piper are well ahead with some of their new Archers running Diesel Jet A1 burning engines with FADEC. They do some great videos on tiktok showcasing them as well.

[harrisonc]

Hey Stef, great video and great to hear your viewpoints! Are you going to be at Avalon this year? If so, i'd love to see a vlog series like last time.

[rmd]

I love the Cirrus SR22. I have never flown on it but I would love to do so one day. Keep it up!! Great video!! 😍😍😍

[alexbauer]

Over that past 2 years I have transition over the SR20 to the SR22T mostly G6. And I must agree: these Cirrus aircraft are very advanced until you have to deal with the engine. You did not mention the care and attention it takes to keep the engine operating at the right temps. Yeah, FADEC may remove much of that, but it is still a regular piston engine. I would love to see a G8 or 9 with hybrid or full electric with the same, or slightly better performance in terms of range, speed and useful load. Keep on flying

[flantc]

Weight! A few people have already mentioned this, but wanting more payload is antithetical to almost everything else you want. The CD-300 weighs about 75kg more than the IO-550. In addition, while the CD-300 technically has the same maximum HP as the IO-550, it can only maintain it for 5 minutes. The additional weight in the nose of the plane needs to be countered with more weight aft or more trim, both of which will add more drag.
A trailing link gear also has more weight. It could be minimized with a significant redesign, but that would have design consequences that cascade through the entire airframe.
I think the CD-300 would be great in an SR-22 but it would ultimately be a slower plane with less payload and cost more. It would be a DA50 without the retractable gear.

[MikeKobb]

Hey Stef. I also fly a Cirrus. A G5 in my case. I’m with you on the desire for a FADEC Jet-A engine. Some thoughts on your other items:
- Although I would love the FADEC Jet-A engine, if we assume it’s something like the CD-300 turbo diesel, the challenge is weight. Those engines are heavier than the current engine, so it’s going to hurt payload.
- The Cirrus landing gear was very carefully designed for aerodynamics to achieve the speeds it does with a fixed-gear plane. I’m not sure what effect the trailing-link design would have, but I suspect it would hurt the aero.
- I would like a mix of touch screen and hard buttons. I’d say keep the current FMS keypad, which makes it easy to enter things like frequencies even in turbulence. But being able to pinch-zoom and pan the maps, for example, would be awesome.
- Why do you care if the satellite phone is standard? I personally don’t want one. I don’t want the expense or the weight. It’s available as a nicely integrated factory option for those that want it.
- Pressurization is absolutely not going to happen. They’d have to redesign the fuselage, shrink the windows, and make other major changes to withstand the forces. And (yet again) it would be heavier.
- Cirrus already did a payload increase with the G5. 200 pounds. It required beefing up the wing spar and the flaps, and increasing the size of the parachute and the deployment rocket motor. They also had to change the flap deployment angle to ensure that it met stall speed requirements. Increasing the useful load is not trivial to do. The G5 can carry four adults with fuel to tabs. The turbo version can’t, because the combination of the turbo and the ice protection weighs about 200 pounds. Swap out the engine with a FADEC turbo diesel, it will be heavier still.
- Factoring in all of the above, I think if you wanted a FADEC turbo diesel that can carry four adults with reasonable range, you’d have to boost the weights by probably at least 400 additional pounds. That’s a huge increase, and would be quite an engineering challenge to pull off.

[mikejones]

Hi Stef - I have a G3 SR22 and for every one of the the reasons you have highlighted I have ordered a Diamond DA62, also add Radar to the essential options list.