Ever wanted to be a Cirrus owner, but the economics of being a single owner just don’t make sense for you? If you’re in the Houston area, you now have a chance to join a Cirrus SR22 partnership at the West Houston Airport, KIWS.
The group, CirrusShare, is a 4 member group, but one of the members is looking to sell his share. The airplane is a 2007 G3 SR22. It is in excellent condition, with dual WAAS 430s and air conditioning.
In July, Stratos Aircraft completed the first test flight of the single engine Stratos 716X personal jet. Stratos, based in Redmond, OR, is taking a page out of Epic Aircraft’s book in how the company is planning on bringing the Stratos 716X to market.
Epic Aircraft first released the Epic LT composite single engine turboprop in the early 2000s as an experimental. The first kit was completed and flying in 2005. Epic’s goal was to bring the airplane to market as a certified aircraft, a feat that took them almost 20 years to do, achieving full certification earlier this year.
Stratos Aircraft is hoping to learn a lot from their Bend, OR neighbors. The 716X is going to start off as a limited release experimental kit, while the company is working on achieving certification for the airplane. Once the plane is certified, it will be dubbed the Stratos 716. The 716X experimental kits will be assembled through a factory builder assist program (no garage built single engine jets here!). The kit will cost $2.5 million assembled, while the expected cost of the certified Stratos 716 will be $3.5 million.
Now, let’s talk about the airplane. 400 KTAS. One engine.
That’s right, you did hear correctly. The Stratos 716X is expected to cruise at 400 KTAS on only one engine. Compared to the Cirrus Vision Jet, that’s 100 knots faster. Think, “I’ll be relaxing at the hotel pool with a drink in hand when you are landing” type speeds. The fuel burn of the Pratt & Whitney JT15D-5 engine (3,000 lbs of thrust) is about 25 GPH more than the Vision Jet (the Stratos 716X will burn about 98 GPH of Jet A while the Vision Jet averages about 75 GPH of Jet A).
Comparing the two engines, the above numbers start to make sense. The Williams FJ33 engine on the Vision Jet only puts out 1,850 lbs of thrust, significantly less than the 3,000 lbs of thrust that the Stratos 716X Pratt & Whitney JT15D-5 puts out.
What does that mean to the pilot? In the Stratos 716X, it means less takeoff roll, better climb rate, faster cruise (as evidence by the 400 KTAS expected cruise speed), and a better payload. More power = more weight carrying capacity. And, the 716X is expected to have a service ceiling of 41,000 feet. I probably wouldn’t want to go that high single pilot with one engine, but I’d be very happy with that speed in the mid-30s.
The cabin, based on the pictures I’ve seen, looks very comfortable. The Stratos 716X seats 6 and can be configured in several different ways. Baggage is no problem as Stratos Aircraft stretched the fuselage from their original 714 Proof of Concept aircraft, adding a very roomy baggage compartment above the engine compartment. The passenger compartment is as big as a Phenom 100, providing more leg and head room than the Vision Jet. The front seats have plenty of legroom too, as Stratos has opted for a side stick instead of a yoke.
The avionics for the Stratos 716X are expected to be the Garmin G3X Touch for the panel which will be driven by a Garmin GTN 750 GPS. Autopilot will be integrated within the G3X. I would imagine that once the plane is certified, the panel will be switched to a Garmin G1000 NXi and a GFC 700 will be installed.
The genius of the design of the Stratos 716X is the aerodynamics of the engine placement. Instead of hanging the engine out in the slip stream and going with a drag inducing V-Tail like Cirrus did, Stratos took some notes from the myriad of single engine military fighter jets out there, placing the engine inside the fuselage. The fuselage is then built around the engine with two air scoops for intake directly in front of the wings. With two intakes instead of one, that leads to more air flow, which again, means more power. The Vision Jet has only one.
I’m going to keep tabs on the Stratos 716X (as I kept tabs on the Epic E1000). I’m hoping Stratos gets several flying soon (the company expects to do 3 kits a year till the airplane gets certified) and certification comes quickly after.
I got to stick my head in the mockup of the Stratos 716X when I went to Osh Kosh in 2018. I was very impressed and was excited to see the airplane was finally airborne this summer.
For more information about the Stratos 716X, check out the Stratos website.
Flying a missed approach can be stressful enough. When you haven’t done one in a while and your GPS isn’t showing you how to get to the missed approach point and you can’t remember which button to press, that adds a lot more stress. Recipe for disaster? Quite possibly!
No need to fear, we are here to help. The procedure for getting a Garmin 530 or 430 to give you missed approach guidance is actually simple and straightforward, if you know what to do!
Note:Because of the variety of different autopilot configurations in different airplanes, this article will focus solely on the GPS.
What the GPS is Thinking
The way Garmin designed the Garmin 530 and Garmin 430 is to be as helpful to pilots as possible. Their thinking was, 95% of the time, a pilot will make a landing on an instrument approach. This is pretty accurate as most of the time, this is what happens. Most general aviation pilots don’t fly approaches to minimums all that often, thus negating the need for a missed approach.
Garmin designed their software with this in mind. When an airplane crosses the missed approach point, the GPS will go into what’s called suspend mode (a SUSP annunciation appears above the OBS key). It will keep the missed approach point as the active waypoint because it assumes the pilot is going to land.
This can be confusing to pilots. This is what happens when software engineers and pilots come together. Engineers often believe they are smarter than pilots! (See the Airbus fly by wire roll out)
The Procedure
In the case of a missed approach, the button pushing on the GPS is actually relatively simple. There is no SUSP key to take the GPS out of SUSP mode (thanks Garmin!). Instead, you press the OBS key. This will take the GPS out of SUSP mode, making the first waypoint on the missed approach procedure the active waypoint. Your GPS will now give you guidance on the missed approach procedure.
If you are going missed off an ILS, LOC, or VOR approach, then there is one more key you’ll have to press. Your CDI needle (whether it is digital or analog, an HSI or just a CDI gauge) will be reading off the NAV radio and your CDI indication on the GPS will be VLOC. After you press the OBS key, press the CDI key on the GPS so you will start getting course guidance from the GPS again.
That’s it. Button pressing on the different autopilots will vary, but if you are familiar with yours, you’ll be able to tell it to follow the GPS and climb to the proper altitude.
The Garmin GFC 700 Autopilot is an amazing machine. Fully digital and fully integrated with the Garmin G1000 glass panel, it makes a pilot’s workload a lot easier, especially in busy airspace.
I train a lot of pilots in airplanes that have the Garmin GFC 700 autopilot. The Cirrus SR22, the Columbia 350 & 400, the G36 Bonanza, and the Piper Mirage and M350 to name a few. The most common problem I see for pilots transitioning into the Garmin GFC 700 equipped aircraft is that it doesn’t act like other autopilots.
STECs and DFC 90 Autopilots function like this: you push the button for the mode you want on the autopilot controller and that turns the autopilot on.
Not so on the Garmin GFC 700. If you push the button for the mode on the GFC 700, then the flight director engages, but not the autopilot. This confuses folks a lot who move up from different autopilots because their autopilot primacy side of their brain is telling them the autopilot is on whenever they push one of the buttons on the GFC 700 controller.
Here’s an example: A pilot has just departed and is ready to turn on course. In his old airplane with an STEC 55x autopilot, the pilot pushes the direct to key to go to his first waypoint, then pushes NAV on the autopilot controller and the STEC 55x comes on and starts flying on course. Then he presses VS and ALT to initiate a climb.
With the same scenario and a Garmin GFC 700 autopilot, the same pilot (who is used to a 55x), pushes the direct to key, then pushes NAV on the autopilot controller and pushes IAS or FLC to initiate the climb. He lets go of the flight controls thinking the autopilot is engaged. The airplane starts nosing over and he starts panicking.
Why did this happen? The pilot in the second scenario never pushed the AP button on the Garmin GFC 700 so the autopilot never engaged. All he did by pressing the NAV button and IAS button was to turn the flight director on.
How to remedy this? Get in the habit of checking your scoreboard. On the top of the G1000 or Garmin Perspective PFD, there is an autopilot annunciation strip (or scoreboard as I like to call it). In the very middle of the scoreboard is an area to show if the autopilot or flight director is engaged. AP means the autopilot is on; FD means the flight director is engaged but the autopilot is not.
I teach pilots to be in the habit of checking your scoreboard each time you get done pressing buttons on the autopilot controller to ensure the Garmin GFC 700 is in the proper mode. This saves some of those panic moments when it is supposed the AP is engaged, but it’s only the FD.
On July 15th, the medical reforms that AOPA and many other aviation advocacy organizations had pushed so hard for were passed into law. President Obama signed the medical reforms law on the 15th, but, before practical application of the law takes place, the FAA has to translate the law into regulations.
What do the new medical reforms mean for medical certificates and flying? First, you still have to get a medical examination at some point in your flying career. Student pilots will still need an initial medical examination. Initially, for pilots who have held a medical certificate at some point over the previous 10 years, a new medical examination may not be needed (this still has to be regulated by the FAA so exact details aren’t known yet).
So, if you’re medical certificate has expired but you have had one in the past 10 years, you qualify. But, if you have had your medical certificate revoked, suspended, withdrawn or denied, you don’t qualify.
Once that student pilot receives the initial medical certificate (or the experienced pilot decides to start flying again), all that needs be accomplished is to take a free, online course on aeromedical factors every two years and meet with a physician at least once every four years.
There are some operating limitations that will be put into place for folks operating without a third class medical. Pilot’s can operate aircraft with no more than 6 seats that weigh less than 6,000 pounds, can carry 5 passengers, and are able to operate in day or night VFR or IFR conditions. Pilot’s may not operate for hire, nor climb above 18,000 feet or fly faster than 250 knots.
It will take some time for the FAA to put the regulations in place, but the process has begun.
A Cirrus is an electric airplane. There are no vacuum pumps and therefore no vacuum driven instruments. The Klapmeier brothers did this on purpose, trying to make it a modern airplane. No vacuum systems means no vacuum pump failures, hence there is a lower likelihood of instrument failures in IMC.
What Cirrus did instead was put a lot of electricity producing and storing devices in the airplane. All SR20 and SR22s are equipped with 2 engine driven alternators and 2 backup batteries. Alternator 1 is a 28 volt alternator (the amperage varies based on whether or not you have an air conditioner) while Alternator 2 is a 28.5 volt alternator. There are 2 24 volt backup batteries, as well. Battery 1 is also used for starting.
In traditional airplanes that have 1 alternator, an alternator failure can affect a lot of things. Depending on how many electronics are in the airplane, the battery can get depleted quite quickly.
The Cirrus electrical system is quite ingenious. It’s a little bit different based on whether you have an Avidyne Cirrus or a Garmin Perspective Cirrus. I will discuss that further below.
The main goal of this article is to talk through what happens in the event of a #1 Cirrus Alternator Failure (an Alternator 2 failure actually isn’t a big deal at all, though Alt 2 is required for IFR flight), the procedure for trying to fix it, and a technique I have developed that makes the pilot’s job easier. First, let’s go through the #1 Cirrus Alternator Failure procedure.
Alternator 1 Failure
In either avionics configuration, the Cirrus Alternator Failure procedure is the same.
Check and reset the circuit breaker for Alternator 1 (Reset only once)
Cycle the Alternator 1 master switch
If Alternator 1 doesn’t come back online, leave the Alternator 1 master switch off and shed load on the battery
Avidyne Entegra
The Avidyne Entegra has 2 busses, the Main Bus and the Essential Bus. Alternator 2 isn’t set to come on until the engine RPM reaches 1700. While on the ground, Alternator 1 runs both the Main and Essential Buses. In the air, Alternator 1 runs the Main Bus and Alternator 2 runs the Essential Bus. Since Alt 2 is 28.5 volts, the higher voltage won’t allow the power from Alt 1 to cross over and run the Essential Bus. There are also 2 one-way directional diodes that prevent the voltage from Alt 2 to cross over and run the Main Bus.
Having said all that, when Alternator 1 fails, Battery 1 is now running the items on the Main Bus. There are a significant number of items on the Main Bus which causes the 24 volt battery to quickly lose it’s charge. This precipitates the need for shedding load. Items like GPS 2, the air conditioner and aircraft lights can all be turned off.
In the above scenario, Alternator 2 is running the Essential Bus still that has all the Essential items on it. Those include:
The PFD
Flight Instruments and associated Avidyne computers
Engine Instruments and associated Avidyne computers
GPS 1
Com 1
Nav 1
Autopilot
Stall Warning
Charging Battery 2
Note 2 important items that are not on the Essential Bus: the flaps and the landing light (which is very handy at night). Those two are only on the Main Bus, which Battery 1 is now powering.
Let’s further enhance our scenario. You are flying over Nevada (quite remote and not a lot of airports) at night, 30 minutes from the nearest airport when your Alt 1 fails. When you get to the airport you are planning on landing at, you want to have your flaps and your landing light, but we don’t know how long Battery 1 will last.
The solution (this is where my technique comes in): Turn off the Battery 1 master switch. This is an easy solution to ensuring you have battery power to use your flaps and landing light. Instead of going through and shedding load, simply turn off the source. You’ll still have all the above items on the Essential Bus, which is all you need to keep safely flying. Then, when you get to your landing airport, turn Battery 1 back on to utilize your flaps and landing light.
Garmin Perspective
Cirrus wired the Garmin Perspective plane a little bit differently. There are now 2 Main Buses along with the Essential Bus. Alternator 1 runs Main Bus 1, while Alternator 2 runs Main Bus 2 and the Essential Bus. Both Alternators are running all the time. The Alternator 1 Failure procedure remains the same.
The cool thing that comes along with the second Main Bus in the Perspective is the amount of items you still have available to you in the event of an Alternator 1 failure. The only items you lose will be:
Yaw Damper
Landing Light
Air Conditioner and associated components
EVS Camera
12 Volt power supply in armrest
Everything else is powered off of Alternator 2. That’s not much. The only item you really want on the above list is the landing light if you are going to be landing at night.
Follow the Alternator 1 Failure procedure, then do my technique again. Turn off Battery 1 to save the battery power in order to use the landing light when needed.
Cirrus did a great job creating an all electric airplane with plenty of backups in case something fails. I focused mainly on the Alternator 1 failure here. If Alternator 2 fails, the system is wired for Alternator 1 to run everything while still charging Battery 1 and 2. No big deal.
In my experience, turning off Battery 1 to conserve battery power is just a simpler solution when shedding load in the event of a Cirrus Alternator Failure.
11 years ago, in April of 2009, the Avidyne Corporation unveiled the much bally-hooed Release 9, or R9 as it is commonly known, as a hardware replacement for the Avidyne EX5000 Entegra system in Cirrus Aircraft. The Entegra system was way outdated by that point. Even though Avidyne was the first company to put together a glass PFD in a single engine piston airplane, the company had quickly fallen behind Garmin in keeping up with the ever changing technology landscape.
Rewind to 2008. Cirrus had been going strong with the Avidyne Entegra since the SR20 and SR22 went to full glass in 2003 (a PFD and an MFD; prior to that, Cirrus aircraft only had an MFD with steam gauges and a Sandel Electronic HSI). Cessna, on the other hand, vaulted past the Avidyne Entegra and went straight to the Garmin G1000 in it’s aircraft, starting in 2004 with the 182 G1000 and 2005 with the 172 G1000. Beechcraft and Columbia went to the G1000 (Columbia started with the Avidyne as well) in 2005.
Garmin’s technology in 2007 was so much better than Avidyne’s technology that Cirrus decided to switch. I’m sure there were many promises made by Avidyne to Cirrus about what Avidyne was working on (the R9), but the G1000 was out there, available, and being used in a lot of different airplanes with very good results.
So, in 2008, Cirrus made the switch from the Avidyne Entegra to the Garmin G1000, dubbing it the Cirrus Perspective by Garmin avionics package. Avidyne finally got the R9 to market in 2009, but by that time, Piper was the only airplane manufacturer left putting factory Avidyne panels in their airplanes, and they switched to G1000 later that year.
The R9 is a fabulous product. It’s fully integrated, has great graphics, has fully redundant displays, a QWERTY keypad (which, by the way, Garmin didn’t do for another 8 years), and a lot of other neat features. There’s a bit of a learning curve, but it’s a really good product for what it is.
Avidyne, though, was late to the game with their technology. By the time it debuted in 2009, all the GA aircraft manufacturers had long since switched to the Garmin G1000 and weren’t looking back. That left Avidyne with the retrofit market for the many different Avidyne Entegra Cirrus aircraft out there. The only problem was, the retrofit was $80,000 ($95,000 if you wanted to throw in the DFC 100 Autopilot, which is a must have) and not many owners were up for paying that much money, then or now.
To sum up our brief history lesson, Avidyne knew the Entegra needed to go, but couldn’t get the R9 out quickly enough to convince anyone to stick with Avidyne products. The retrofit market didn’t amount to many sales, so Avidyne doesn’t even make the R9 anymore.
As a side note, I really, really like the Avidyne R9 and am sad that it didn’t make it into more airplanes.
So, when the Avidyne Entegra starts to have issues, what’s an owner to do? Keep reading!
There is Hope
There are thousands of Cirrus aircraft out there flying with the Avidyne Entegra instrumentation, which is basically 20 year old technology (I’ve had a computer engineer tell me the programming in an Entegra is Windows 98 tech). These things are going to start having problems at some point (many already have), but what solution do owners have that is cost effective and get’s them new technology?
Remember that little company named Garmin? Well, they have come through again. Announced this summer, the Garmin G500 TXi is now certified as a replacement in the Cirrus Avidyne Entegra equipped aircraft. This means pulling out both the PFD and MFD and replacing them with the G500 TXi on both sides. Engine data is also displayed on the G500TXi MFD, including the percent power and TIT indications, if equipped.
Cirrus SR22 Equipped with Dual G500 TXi Screens and Dual Garmin GTN 650Xi GPS Units
The cost for the panel? Two 10.6″ G500 TXi’s run about $16,000 apiece for the units, not including labor. $32,000 for a brand new panel isn’t terrible. Plus, the G500 TXi’s work with the DFC90 autopilot if the Cirrus is already equipped with it. If not, the Garmin GFC 500 autopilot is now approved for the Cirrus at a relatively low price of $7,000, including the servos.
Still have the original Garmin 430s in your Cirrus? Upgraded to the Avidyne IFD 540/440 stack? Put in dual GTN 650Xi’s? Put in a GTN 750Xi? All are compatible with the G500 TXi panel.
Want to upgrade everything? It does get kind of pricey at that point, but for just equipment, the cost for a complete panel conversion is somewhere in the area of $65,000 plus labor, still below what the R9 cost, but not cheap either. That would include 2 G500 TXi’s, 2 GTN 650Xi’s, a GFC 500 Autopilot, and all the engine monitoring equipment that the G500 TXi would need.
Cirrus SR22 Equipped with Dual G500 TXi Screens, a GTN 750Xi, and a GTN 650Xi
Thankfully, some new technology has finally come to the Generation 1-3 Cirrus. Oh, and by the way, your steam gauge Cirrus is fully upgradable as well.
