Sadly, in January, a pretty great airplane was put out to pasture. Textron (the conglomerate that now owns Cessna, Beechcraft, Hawker, and Lycoming) announced it was ceasing production of the Cessna TTx. With the end of the Cessna TTx production, an airplane that was the main “competitor” to Cirrus (if you can call it competition; Cirrus consistently outsold the Cessna TTx by a wide margin each year), it leaves the SR series to stand alone atop the High Performance piston single market.
I got to go through Cessna’s FITS Accepted Instructor (CFAI) course back in 2012 and have flown in the Cessna 350 and 400 (which is what they were known as at the time; the Cessna TTx name came around in 2011) for about 120 hours. I really like the airplanes. I’m partial to the Cirrus, but the Cessna 350 & 400 are fast airplanes and great for 1-2 people. I flew a 350 (the non-turbo charged version) from New York to San Antonio last fall and routinely saw 170 knots at 12 GPH.
Columbia started out making the 350 & 400 (the turbo-charged version) in the early 2000s, but went bankrupt in 2007. Lancair started Columbia to make a certified version of their popular kit planes. If you see a Lancair ES floating around, you would swear it’s a Columbia with only 1 door. Cessna bought the design from Columbia in 2007 to begin manufacturing the airplanes themselves.
Cessna then made a huge mistake as they moved the production facility from Bend, Oregon to Mexico. Production completely halted in 2009 as the planes coming out of Mexico were found to have defective composite work. The sales never really recovered, even though Cessna put the Garmin G2000 panel in the Cessna TTx, complete with a touchscreen key pad. A FIKI system was added as an option in 2012.
A prospective buyer can still get a great value on a used 350, 400, or TTx, as they are valued a little lower than a Cirrus. The 350, 400 or TTx all make excellent single pilot or two person speedsters with very comfortable amenities.
In January, Cirrus announced the Generation 2 SF50 Vision Jet. After getting the Generation 1 Vision Jet certified in late 2016, Cirrus didn’t waste any time in starting in on improvements.
The improvements are pretty sweet, making the G2 Vision Jet even easier to fly and step into for Cirrus’ target market, SR22 owners.
Here are the improvements on the G2 Vision Jet.
RVSM Approval
The G2 Vision Jet has received RVSM approval, allowing the airplane to fly at 31,000 feet. RVSM stands for Reduced Vertical Separation Minimums (read more about RVSM here). RVSM airspace starts at 28,000 feet, the G1 Vision Jet’s ceiling. Now that the G2 Vision Jet is RVSM certified, it can fly at 31,000 feet.
For piston pilots, you are left scratching your head as to the advantage of this. In a jet, the higher you go, the thinner the air, so the faster you go, and the less fuel you burn since the thin air needs less fuel to mix with. This caps out at a certain altitude and the speed begins dropping and you start losing efficiency (even though the fuel burn is quite low).
According to Cirrus, at 31,000 feet, the G2 Vision Jet cruises over 300 KTAS and gets a range boost to almost 1,200 nm.
Garmin Perspective Touch+
Cirrus & Garmin have taken the new NXi interface and paired it with the Garmin Perspective Touch to create the Touch+. You can read about the improvements on the NXi here, all of which are included in the Touch+ in the G2 Vision Jet.
The big improvement that is included in the Touch+ is Autothrottle capability. An Autothrottle is integrated with the autopilot. It automatically adjusts power settings and speeds based on the phase of flight without the pilot having to touch the throttle. Pretty cool.
New Cabin
The G2 Vision Jet has a redesigned cabin as well, making it an extremely passenger friendly airplane. The second row has been redesigned and equipped with a center console. There is also a drop down TV screen that allows passengers to connect their mobile devices to it to watch movies or videos while traveling (no internet on board, yet. That’ll probably be the G3 Vision Jet!).
Cirrus also put in more noise reduction in the cabin, creating a quieter ride for passengers. Cirrus also allows for multiple different seating configurations, depending on the needs of the owner.
As always, Cirrus is on the leading edge of airplane technology, creating airplanes that are easy as well as fun to fly. I’m excited to see how they continue to improve the design to both the SR22 and the Vision Jet.
I love cross country flights. Airplanes are designed to travel. When I was instructing private students, my favorite lessons were always the first cross country flights. I looked forward to getting my students out of the pattern, away from the practice area, and showing them what they could really look forward to as a private pilot.
When I was in college, my friend and I borrowed his dad’s Cessna 150, did a cross country flight in it from Indianapolis to Kitty Hawk, then down the coast to Florida. We camped in the grass next to the airplane wherever the airport managers would let us and had our own aviation adventure complete with mechanical problems, unexpected weather, and interesting people along the way. These types of trips have produced some of the best memories and experiences that I’ve acquired during my aviation career so far.
Unfortunately, I know many people whose only cross country flight experience is what was necessary to satisfy their Private and Instrument training requirements. Some of them are nervous about the idea of venturing away from the familiarity of their home airport, while others are relatively new pilots who simply don’t know where to start planning a long cross country flight.
I’ve taken some notes on my preparations for an upcoming cross country flight that I’ll be flying in my dad’s Bonanza. I’m hoping this checklist might help others feel a little more confident that they have everything they need to get going.
Oil
Its always a good idea to bring a few extra quarts of oil. If you stop somewhere and find you need some, its nice to have the right kind on hand. Never assume that the airport you’ll be landing at next will have oil available.
I like to keep a few extra quarts of 15W50 in the back of the Bonanza, just in case (photo from oil-store.com)
Fuel Stops
Here is an example of the 100LL price tool as seen on the Foreflight maps page
I’ve learned the hard way that calling ahead to verify fuel availability can be extremely important. I landed at an airport in Ohio one beautiful Sunday morning to find that the FBO wouldn’t be open until much later in the day. Naturally, there was no other fuel available on the field. I hadn’t called ahead to verify the hours of fuel availability (I assumed they had Self Serve) and had only 2 options: wait a while for the FBO to open, or try and find somewhere else nearby that had gas. As far as price, www.100LL.com is a valuable tool for finding cheap fuel. Foreflight also has posted prices for 100LL and Jet A, but it’s still a good idea to call ahead and verify price and availability.
Batteries for electronics
It’s miserable to run out of batteries for a noise canceling headset with hours remaining in your flight. Bring spares, not only for your headset, but for your flashlight and other gadgets as well. Make sure your hand held GPS, iPad, and Stratus are charged (if you have them). I like to carry a charge cable and adapter as a backup so that I can plug things into the cigarette lighter.
Jumper Cables
We always carry the ground power cable in the back of the Bonanza just in case we ever need a jump. Last month, when I was flying down to Texas, I was glad I had them; we had a dead battery after our fuel stop and had to borrow some power from an FBO worker’s pick up truck. Don’t assume that wherever you are stopping will have the correct cable to jump your airplane, especially if it requires a specific plug.
These are the cables we keep in the back of the Bonanza (photo from airchief.com)
Parking Fees
Every airport is different. I like to call ahead and find out how much the FBO is going to make me pay in landing/overnight fees. When I flew up to Buffalo last summer, I paid 25 dollars for parking at Niagara International (IAG). Had I parked at Buffalo (BUF), they would have charged me over $200.
Approach plates and charts
Make sure you have current approach plates and charts either physically available or downloaded before you blast off. Having a copy of an AFD is a good idea as well, be it digital or paper.
Rental cars
If you arrange it beforehand, many FBO’s will have the car ready for you upon arrival. You may also be able to drop the car off at the FBO when are finished, instead of taking it back to the rental agency. It sure is nice to have the car pulled up next to the airplane when it’s time to unload.
Hotels
Bigger FBO’s may have discounted rates with local hotels. If you call the desk and explain your needs they may offer to book it for you, or at least point you in the right direction. It may be worth picking an airport with more expensive fuel if it puts you closer to the hotels or restaurants you want to go to.
Come back next month for Part 2!
Andrew Robinson is a 135 Charter Pilot and flight instructor who lives with his wife and 2 daughters in Pennsylvania. He flies Pilatus PC-12s and instructs in Beechcraft Bonanzas.
MMOPA will be hosting it’s second Safety Standdown event at many locations across the country for Piper PA46 owners and pilots. The first iteration of MMOPA Safety Standdown in the fall of 2019 was a big hit. Each event was very well attended by MMOPA members.
What is Safety Standdown you ask? Safety Standdown was put together as a mid-year training event as part of the MMOPA Master Aviator program. It’s goal is to allow PA46 owners and pilots to fly in to a location at a reasonable time (the event starts at 10am local time), received some good quality ground training over relevant safety topics by highly experienced PA46 instructors, have a free lunch, then depart mid-afternoon to arrive back home before dark.
The event is free to all attendees. Lunch will be provided at each location. This event is not exclusive to MMOPA members, either. Any PA46 owner or pilot, or just anyone interested in the PA46 world, are invited to attend.
Texas Top Aviation is hosting the South Central Region Spring Safety Standdown at the Henrickson Jet Center at the Austin Executive Airport (KEDC). Hank Gibson and Pedro Vargas-Lebron will be presenting on the following topics:
MMOPA Operational Practices review and importance of stabilized approaches
Crosswind Takeoffs and Landings
High Density Altitude Operations
A discussion of thunderstorms, resources in the cockpit for weather avoidance, and accidents that have occurred involving thunderstorms
The MMOPA Spring Safety Standdown will take place on Saturday, April 18th, 2020. Registration is required for the event. The link for registration can be found here.
Come on out for some high quality training and free BBQ with 50 of your closest PA46 buddies!
Want to make it better than a Cirrus or a Cessna TTx?
Meet the team at RDD creating the LX7. Just make sure you are sitting down as you are about to be blown away.
RDD (Research. Design. Development) is a professional building company for the Lancair line of experimental aircraft (Lancair unveiled the Mako at Osh Kosh this summer, which performs slightly less than the advertised values of the LX7, but is available as a new kit). For those unfamiliar with the experimental world, when an experimental kit is bought, the owner/builder can build the entire aircraft himself, partially build it then send it to a completion center, or have a professional build company put it together. This last option is what RDD did with Lancair aircraft before Lancair moved from Oregon to Uvalde, TX.
Once Lancair was sold, RDD started thinking on how to make the IV-P better. Boy, did they. What resulted is the LX7.
The LX7 is a retractable gear, single engine piston, pressurized aircraft that sits 4. See it on the ramp and it looks like a Lancair or a Columbia. Sit in the cockpit and you’ll know something is different.
Starting with the power plant, RDD put a Continental TSIO 550-E engine in the IV-P airframe, giving the airplane 350 HP. They redesigned the wing to hold 180 gallons of usable fuel and a much better stalling envelope (anyone who has looked at a Lancair IV or IV-P wing knows that there isn’t much wiggle room with angle of attack on those airplanes), lowering the stall speed to 62 knots dirty.
The cabin is roomier and the panel is beautiful. Equipped with 2 or 3 Garmin G3X Touch panels (the experimental equivalent of the G2000), plus a GTN 750 and a fully digital backup flight instrument from Grand Rapids, plus ESP technology built in to the autopilot, this plane seems like a pilot’s dream.
I haven’t even gotten to the best part: the speed. Being pressurized, the LX7 has a 25,000 foot service ceiling where it can achieve cruise speeds of 260 knots at best power (24 GPH) and 250 knots at best economy (18 GPH).
Yes, I did just say 250 knots at 18 GPH in a single engine piston.
Worried about an experimental? The airframe is equipped with a full BRS system similar to the Cirrus SR22, keeping everyone safe and sound.
There is one flying LX7 currently and RDD is working on 3 more. The price tag for the full conversion is $550,000. The kicker is, the owner has to provide the Lancair IV-P airframe. There are currently 10 Lancair IV-Ps for sale on Controller, varying in price from $200,000-$400,000, bringing the total price of the project to $750,000-$950,000. Owners who already have a IV-P or a IV-P kit can send it on over to RDD to get started on their project.
We have all seen the little first aid kits that a pilot can get to carry in an airplane. It usually has some bandaids, maybe some gauze, and some antibiotic ointment. Very helpful in the even that your paper VFR chart cuts your finger when you are unrolling it.
What happens if you crash in a harsh environment and you have some actual injuries to take care of?
Enter the Guardian Seven Trauma G7-Alpha Trauma and Egress Kit. It literally is a First Aid Kit on steroids.
Guardian Seven Trauma has put together a kit that contains just about anything you need to take care of an injury from an airplane crash. Plus, the kit only weighs less than 2 pounds. It easily mounts in an aircraft and can be opened with only one hand.
There is truth in the old adage that 99% of flying is routine while the remaining 1% holds the potential for events that cause those who fly to hold themselves above mere ground-bound mortals. My 37 years of military flying might have distorted that ratio a fair bit given the complexity of high-energy fighter aircraft and the uncertainties of combat, but rest assured we all earn our right to be proud of our wings every time we fly.
The requirement that a single-seat fighter pilot be able to handle rapidly evolving emergency situations and complex systems diagnosis sets a high bar for any who join that group. However, the lessons we learned and techniques we developed for making fighter aviation significantly safer than in yesteryear have direct applicability to general aviation.
Prioritization and compartmentalization are two important skills that every pilot should have. These skills amount to the ability to look at a complex problem, quickly determine the most critical elements, and mentally set aside those things that can wait so as to deal with highest priorities first. While this does not sound like rocket science, the art is in the doing!
The technique for dealing with the immediate onslaught of information, such as when that caution tone or caution light presents and different gauges or displays go haywire, provided the title for this piece.
All flight training will, at some point, involve what is called situational emergency procedures training, know to military aviators as SEPT. We do this type of training in a simulated cockpit that has all the dials and switches for our particular aircraft. None of the switches and dials do anything, some are just decals on a wooden dashboard, but the presentation allows the SEPT victim to reach for the appropriate switch or lever, while telling the instructor what and why they are doing so.
One of the most common mistakes new trainees make is that of trying to act too fast, before they have fully and correctly analyzed the situation at hand. Herein lies the titled technique. After blurting out a quick and incorrect answer, the instructor would admonish with: “rather than try to react instantly, maintain aircraft control, analyze the situation, then take appropriate action. The best thing you can do is to reach up and wind the clock. This will give your nervous energy some place to channel itself, while your brain takes in the full situation.”
Winding the clock might seem like an archaic notion, but, amazingly enough, even our most modern aircraft have the same clock we flew with as far back as the 1960s. The Waltham A-13A aircraft clock and timer is a wind-up device that only uses power to light up at night. Unless your emergency involved some type of catastrophic impact to the instrument panel, you could count on at least your clock to be functioning normally. Thus, reaching out and winding it was unlikely to cause any worsening of your evolving emergency and would distract your brain from the need to take some poorly-thought-out action, too quickly.
Now, in most aircraft there are a few emergencies that will require immediate, reactive actions. In fighters, we call these Boldface Emergencies. For each type of fighter, we memorize, to the letter, the few key actions that have to be instinctive, to prevent disaster. For all other emergencies, there is time to reach out and wind the clock while assessing all instruments and lights to fully understand your situation.
For your aircraft, know those Boldface or Critical Action Procedures, but for all other emergencies, take the time to maintain aircraft control, “wind the clock” while you analyze the situation, then take appropriate action.
Mike Hostage is a retired USAF pilot with 37 years of experience, flying a wide variety of aircraft. An instructor pilot for more than half of his 4800 flight hours, Mike is currently qualified in a Cirrus SR-22T and regularly flys his two homebuilt sailplanes.
