Cirrus Tow Bar For Sale
In the market for a tow-bar? This one is basically brand new and hasn’t been used all that much. It has the Cirrus connections on it as well.
For more information, contact Texas Top Aviation.
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Stratos 716X
Cirrus Vision Jet, meet your competition.
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.
Cirrus Vision Jet, meet your competition. 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…
AOPA’s Year In Review
AOPA recapped the year in the general aviation industry recently. A lot happened in 2016 including the certification of both the Cirrus Vision Jet and the Honda Jet. Several other manufacturers debuted new models, including Mooney with their Ovation Ultra and it’s 2 doors and Cub Crafters with their faster XCub.
To read the full year in review, you can read the AOPA Article here.
AOPA recapped the year in the general aviation industry recently. A lot happened in 2016 including the certification of both the Cirrus Vision Jet and the Honda Jet. Several other manufacturers debuted new models, including Mooney with their Ovation Ultra and it’s 2 doors and Cub Crafters with their faster XCub. To read the full…
Learning From Other’s Mistakes: An Overview of the 2024 Piper PA-46 Accidents
The Piper PA-46 series, which includes models like the piston engine Piper Malibu and Piper Mirage, and the turboprops Piper Meridian, M500, and M600, is a popular choice for private pilots and business aviation. Known for its impressive speed, range, and pressurization, the PA-46 is a very capable single pilot aircraft. However, like all high-performance aircraft, it presents its own set of challenges and risks, especially when pilot error or adverse conditions come into play.
The 2024 PMOPA (Piper M-Class Owner’s and Pilot’s Association) Convention was the first weekend in November and one of the sessions every year is the PA-46 Safety Review. Sadly, in 2024, the accidents involving various PA-46 models pointed out several areas related to decision making that all pilots need to put be aware of. These accidents highlight critical issues in weather awareness, pilot training, and decision-making, and they provide valuable lessons for other pilots in any type of aircraft.
Overview of the 2024 Piper PA-46 Accidents
The Piper PA-46 is generally regarded as a reliable and capable aircraft, but the safe outcome of a flight often times depends on the pilot’s decision making. There always can be mechanical malfunctions, but those still require good pilot decision making to be able to walk away from the accident.
In 2024, multiple accidents occurred involving different variants of the PA-46, with many of the accidents occurring during critical phases of flight like takeoff or landing. Some of the key factors contributing to these accidents included:
- Weather Challenges: In several cases, adverse weather conditions, such as low visibility, thunderstorms, or high winds, contributed to accidents. Despite most PA-46’s being equipped with NexRad and weather radar, pilots sometimes underestimated or misjudged the weather risks.
- Pilot Decision-Making: A recurring theme in these accidents was pilot error—specifically, poor decision-making when faced with challenging conditions. In some cases, pilots continued flights despite deteriorating weather or failed to react appropriately to emergency situations.
- Mechanical Failures: As with every airplane, systems fail on a Piper PA-46. Several accidents were due to engine power loss. Proper training teaches pilots how to have the right mindset and skills to handle those engine power loss situations, taking a bad situation and having the best possible outcome due to good decision making and gliding skills.
Three Key Lessons for Pilots
The Piper PA-46 accidents of 2024 serve as valuable reminders about the importance of pilot preparation, decision-making, and risk management. Here are three critical lessons pilots can take away from these accidents:
1. Prioritize Pre-Flight Weather Planning
Poor weather conditions were a significant factor in some of the crashes in 2024. Pilots of high-performance aircraft must place a strong emphasis on weather pre-flight planning, especially when flying into regions prone to rapidly changing weather or severe conditions and across frontal systems. Pilots should:
- Stay up-to-date with weather briefings before and during the flight, including calls to Flight Service Station if there is serious weather along the route.
- Be proactive in altering flight plans or delaying departures when weather conditions become unfavorable.
- Utilize onboard weather radar and other tools to monitor changing conditions in real time and avoid nasty looking weather systems. ADS-B and XM Weather are delayed information. They are not meant to be used to find holes through storm systems.
- Finally, don’t try to shoot through holes! They are called sucker holes for a reason.
2. Master Emergency Procedures
Pilots of all aircraft, not just PA-46 models, need to practice engine-out procedures multiple times a year with an instructor, not just at recurrent training. The goal is to make emergency procedures second nature which creates the right mindset to handle the emergency, creating a much better outcome. Training should focus on:
- Engine-out procedures immediately after takeoff, climbing out at low altitude, and at cruise.
- Performance with the propeller feathered and unfeathered, recognizing how the feathered prop increases glide range.
- Practicing forced landings and other emergency scenarios regularly to build confidence and competence.
3. Always Plan for an Emergency Landing
It is very important to know your options in the event of an emergency. When flying over mountainous or remote areas, pilots should always have a contingency plan for where to land if something goes wrong. An emergency engine out brief should be a part of every pre-takeoff briefing to put the pilot in the right mindset. Pilots should:
- Brief an engine failure on the runway, low altitude, and at an altitude that allows for a safe return to the airport in the event of an engine failure as part of every pre-takeoff briefing.
- Study the flight route in detail and identify suitable emergency landing sites along the way, especially when flying in areas with limited options.
- Consider the terrain, weather conditions, and available options in the event of an engine failure or other emergency.
- Use terrain awareness and other onboard tools to help identify suitable landing areas in real-time, including the ForeFlight Glide Advisor.
Conclusion
The Piper PA-46 series, while a capable and reliable aircraft, demands a high level of skill and preparation from its pilots. The accidents in 2024 serve as a sobering reminder of the critical importance of weather awareness, emergency training, and proper flight planning. By learning from these accidents, pilots can make better decisions, have the right mindset, and reduce the risk of similar accidents in the future.
By prioritizing weather awareness, mastering emergency procedures, and always having a contingency plan for forced landings, pilots of the Piper PA-46 can improve their ability to handle the challenges posed by these high-performance aircraft. These lessons are not just for PA-46 pilots, but for all pilots striving to fly safely and confidently.
The Piper PA-46 series, which includes models like the piston engine Piper Malibu and Piper Mirage, and the turboprops Piper Meridian, M500, and M600, is a popular choice for private pilots and business aviation. Known for its impressive speed, range, and pressurization, the PA-46 is a very capable single pilot aircraft. However, like all high-performance…
What’s Going On With the Airplane Market?
An Airplane Market Update, Q2 2026
I get asked some version of the same question almost every day right now: “Hank, what’s going on with the airplane market?” Owners are nervous. The market has definitely slowed down, and the second quarter has been especially quiet. So let me give you a straight read on what’s actually happening, why, and what it means for your airplane.
Here’s the short version: don’t panic. A slow market is not a market crash. It’s a market that rewards sellers who price realistically and buyers who are ready to pull the trigger. Patience is the name of the game right now.
Where values have actually been heading
Used airplane values shot up through the COVID years, peaked somewhere around 2022, and have been softening ever since — really since about 2023. That’s carried into 2026. But in most piston airplanes, it looks a whole lot more like a slow, steady give-back than a crash.
Now, here’s where I’d rather look than at asking prices. An asking price is just what a seller is hoping — or dreaming — to get; it isn’t what the airplane is worth. What an airplane is actually worth is what VREF tracks. And when I pull the VREF values on the single-engine pistons I’ve been appraising lately, a clear pattern shows up:
- Older and less expensive airplanes are holding up the best. A clean normally-aspirated G1, G2, or G3 Cirrus SR20 or SR22 is down about 3% over the last twelve months. Older, more classic airplanes — Bonanzas, a Cherokee Six, a clean P210 — are flat to down just a few points. One outlier is the Cessna/Columbia 400 market — those are down about 13%.
- The newer and more expensive, cabin-class singles have dropped more. A pressurized Malibu Mirage is down around 12% on VREF value, with other PA-46 pistons and turbines valued a little better, but still down between 8–12% over the last year.
Call it roughly 5% on average across the segment. That’s more than the under-1% you’d guess from asking prices alone — but it’s still less than 15% down over the last year, not a crash. The rule of thumb: the older and less expensive the aircraft, the better the values are holding; the newer and more expensive the aircraft, the more the value has dropped over the last year.
What a Crash Actually Looks Like
Worth being precise about what I mean. A real crash — like 2008–09 — is sudden and disorderly: values plunge almost overnight, financing dries up, buyers walk away from their deposits, and airplanes sit because there’s no one to buy them at any price. New business-jet deliveries fell nearly 34% in a single year, and it took years to climb back. What we have now is the opposite on every count — value drops of 15% or less, financing that’s tighter but still available, and airplanes that are still changing hands. That’s a soft, orderly market, not a crash.
Why Q2 got so quiet
A handful of things piled up at the same time. None of them is a disaster on its own, but together they explain why the phone has been ringing less.
Rates didn’t come down the way everybody expected. Oil shot past $110 a barrel after the conflict with Iran, inflation came roaring back, and the Fed stopped dropping rates — so financing an airplane still costs more, and that takes the urgency out of buyers. Financing also got tighter; the days of 100% loans with no money down are basically over, and lenders want bigger down payments.
The tax rush already happened, too: when the One Big Beautiful Bill brought back 100% bonus depreciation, it set off a mad dash to close before year-end, and a lot of the folks who’d have been shopping this spring already bought last winter. Plus, there are simply more airplanes to choose from now, which hands buyers options and pulls pricing power away from sellers.
So what should you do?
It depends on which side of the deal you’re on.
If you’re selling, price to today’s market — not the 2022 peak, and, unfortunately, not what you paid for the airplane. Realistically priced airplanes are still selling; the ones that sit are the ones chasing a number the market left behind. Keep your logs complete, stay current on inspections (don’t forget those 24-month IFR inspections!) and ADs, and present the airplane well. Have a thorough annual done before putting it on the market. Keep it clean and do whatever cosmetic or avionics fixes or upgrades you’ve been neglecting — you want it to show as well as possible, because there’s a lot of competition out there.
Re-dyeing the leather seats is a cost-effective way to spruce up the interior without replacing the seats. A good wash will certainly help the exterior. Glass in the panel always shows better than steam gauges, so even something simple like an Aspen upgrade, two Garmin GI 275s or G5s, or a 7-inch Garmin G3X will bring value to your airplane and make it show better — any of those are less than $10,000. If you do still have a Garmin 530W or 430W, consider changing them out for a newer Garmin or Avidyne IFD unit; Garmin won’t support the 530W/430W anymore. And Avidyne is quietly ending support for the Entegra system this fall — but the good news is the Avidyne Vantage panels are finally certified.
And if you can wait, give it some thought — the back half of the year is shaping up stronger. The fourth quarter is traditionally the best stretch for used sales, and now that bonus depreciation is permanent, that year-end push resets every fall.
If you’re buying, this is your window. Higher rates have thinned out the competition, there are more airplanes to pick from than there have been in years, and sellers are more willing to deal. If you’ve got cash ready or financing lined up, you’ve got leverage you didn’t have eighteen months ago. Be picky — buy the clean one with good records.
If you’re just holding, relax. There’s no reason to panic-sell. Most piston values are easing off slowly, not collapsing. Patience wins here.
The right move always comes down to your specific airplane, your timeline, and what you’re trying to accomplish. If you’d like a current valuation — or just an honest read on where your airplane sits in today’s market — give me a call. That’s what we’re here for.
An Airplane Market Update, Q2 2026 I get asked some version of the same question almost every day right now: “Hank, what’s going on with the airplane market?” Owners are nervous. The market has definitely slowed down, and the second quarter has been especially quiet. So let me give you a straight read on what’s […]
MMOPA Vision Video
The Malibu & M-Class Owner’s and Pilot’s Association recently released their MMOPA Vision Video. It is a great video detailing the history of the Piper PA46 & the history of MMOPA. The PA46 would have ceased to exist without the founding of the original Malibu Coalition.
Checkout the video above (and Texas Top Aviation’s Hank Gibson even gets a cameo!).
The Malibu & M-Class Owner’s and Pilot’s Association recently released their MMOPA Vision Video. It is a great video detailing the history of the Piper PA46 & the history of MMOPA. The PA46 would have ceased to exist without the founding of the original Malibu Coalition. Checkout the video above (and Texas Top Aviation’s Hank…
Wind the Clock
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.
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…
