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The Avidyne Equipped Cirrus Upgrade

ByHank Gibson

A History Lesson

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 The Entegra system was way outdated by that point.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.

Want to read more? Check out Garmin’s website.

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  • Garmin Perspective Missed Approaches

    ByHank Gibson

    Are you a Cirrus pilot with a Garmin Perspective?  Still can’t figure out the use of the go around button?  Read on!

    When it comes to flying an instrument approach, we as pilots are assuming we are going to land.  Most of the time, we won’t even take off if the ceilings or visibilities are below the minimums for an approach.  95% of the time, we do land.

    There is the other 5% of the time when something unexpected happens, whether we get a full scale deflection, or we don’t see the runway at the published minimums, and we have to perform a missed approach.

    When instructing, missed approach procedures are actually what I see the most deficiency in when instructing an instrument rated pilot.  It’s not necessarily configuring the airplane for a missed approach procedure, it’s the button pushing involved in setting up the GPS properly.  When a pilot isn’t proficient in the button pushing, that button pushing distracts the pilot from actually flying the airplane, which can lead to a dangerous situation.

    I am going to spend a few articles on flying a missed approach with different GPS and different autopilot configurations.  Today, I will be addressing the Garmin Perspective with a GFC 700 Autopilot, which is what all Cirrus Aircraft after 2009 are equipped with.

    The Garmin Perspective Missed Approach Procedure

    Once the decision to execute a missed approach has been made, here is the step by step procedure:

    • Full Mixture and Full Throttle
    • Simultaneously push the Go Around button on the underside of the throttle.  This does the following:
      • Sets the Garmin Perspective Flight Director to Go Around Mode (7.5 degrees pitch up and wings level)
      • Takes the Garmin Perspective GPS out of Suspend Mode
      • Switches the CDI back to GPS mode if it is in a different mode
      • Garmin Perspective with GFC 700 Autopilot stays on
    • Flaps up
    • Confirm airplane is climbing
    • Set altitude bug for missed approach altitude (assuming it isn’t there already)
    • Set NAV mode and IAS mode on the Garmin Perspective GFC 700 Autopilot

    Garmin perspective

    That’s it.  When Garmin and Cirrus got together to create the Garmin Perspective with the GFC 700 Autopilot, they tried to make as simple but robust system as possible.  Once you have the procedure down for the right buttons to press, then the procedure is relatively straight forward.

    Are you a Cirrus pilot with a Garmin Perspective?  Still can’t figure out the use of the go around button?  Read on! When it comes to flying an instrument approach, we as pilots are assuming we are going to land.  Most of the time, we won’t even take off if the ceilings or visibilities are…

  • Medical Reforms Get Passed

    ByHank Gibson

    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.

    Doctor

    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.

    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…

  • Learning From Other’s Mistakes:  An Overview of the 2024 Piper PA-46 Accidents

    ByHank Gibson

    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:

    1. 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.
    2. 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.
    3. 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.

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  • Embraer Legacy 450

    ByHank Gibson

    Brazilian manufacturer Embraer recently received FAA certification for it’s “mid-light” Legacy 450.  Capable of Mach .83 and a 2,500 mile range, this is one sweet airplane.  Embraer designers gave passengers headroom as the cabin stretches up to 6 feet in height down the center.  Complete with fly by wire controls and a full glass cockpit configuration, Embraer did a wonderful job with this airplane.  The club seats even fold down to a bed!

    The airplane’s list price is $16.5 million.  To learn more about the Legacy 450, visit Embraer’s website.

    Embraer Legacy 450

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  • Oh, Deer (Part 2)

    ByAndrew Robinson

    Read Part 1 Here

    Only now did I begin to realize the severity of the situation. The deer had completely broken the left main gear off of the airplane. Obviously, landing in this condition would not be ideal. Landing without a nose wheel is one thing, but landing without one of the mains would be a very dangerous and undesirable proposition.

    The company’s maintenance guys arrived on the scene while I executed a few more low passes so that they could take a look. We all came to the same conclusion that the best situation for landing would be to retract the other two wheels so I could land on the belly. Unfortunately, the landing gear wouldn’t retract. Cranking the emergency gear handle didn’t work either as it is not designed to bring the wheels up, only to put them down.

    I flew circles around the airport for a while as different options were all discussed. I owe a lot to the guys on the ground who were digging through the manuals coming up with solutions. Eventually, it was decided that I would try cranking the gear up by hand, even though the checklist in the airplane said that it could only be used to lower the gear. Even if we damaged the hand cranking mechanism, it would be worthwhile…plus, I’d already torn off the left main entirely, surely a little damage to the retraction mechanism wouldn’t be the end of the world!

    Following the checklist, I pulled the CB for the gear motor and started cranking. To my great relief, the “in transit” light illuminated and the three green indication went away. It was difficult work to crank the gear up manually. The handle is in a very poor location in Barons and Bonanzas, plus I was working against gravity. It is also possible that there was some debris from the missing wheel causing friction or binding. While I was cranking, the rescue crews were being coordinated while extra vehicles and people had been called in from the city for support.

    After some time had passed, enough to get a slightly sore arm from cranking, the lights indicated that the gear was up and locked. I lined up for one more pass hoping to verify that the landing gear was up and the landing gear doors were closed. After the final go ahead from everyone on the ground, all that was left was the landing.

    I had been doing my best to keep the passengers informed of what was happening throughout the whole flight, but I felt bad for them as the news changed from the beginning of the flight: “precautionary landing” was quite different than the briefing I ended up giving them before we landed. I informed them that I was going to be “… killing the engines and landing with the gear up….” They did an impressive job of staying calm and being responsive. Before we landed, I made sure that they were all briefed on what to expect, how to unbuckle, and how to evacuate from the airplane. It is difficult to convince someone that everything is going to be fine when there are hordes of emergency vehicles (including ambulances) waiting next to the runway in anticipation of your landing.

    Shortly before landing, I went through my flows and callouts, then verified by use of the checklist to ensure I hadn’t missed anything. I distinctly remember sitting in the airplane preparing for the landing, all the while being in complete disbelief that this was a real situation. I never imagined that I could be flying an airplane that was missing a wheel strut. Previously, my assumption had been that if there was an event serious enough to shear off one of my mains, the airplane wouldn’t continue flying. It all seemed like a bad dream.

    I elected to use runway 26 since it was the longest. I wanted to be able to carry extra speed in order to give myself extra time between pulling the mixtures and landing so that I could feather the props and turn the fuel shut off valves to the off position (never thought I’d have to do that!) without being rushed. As I made my final approach with the engines shut off, I went through my final memory items and couldn’t help but laugh about just how backwards everything was from normal arrival procedure. GUMPS: Gas- Off (normally on the fullest tank), Under carriage- Up (Definitely not normal), Mixtures- Idle cut off (I normally save this for when I’m parked on the ramp), Props- Feathered (Again, never thought I’d have to do that in real life), Seatbelts- On (the only one that stayed the same!).

    On final approach for runway 26 with the gear up and the props feathered.
    Photo Credit: www.lancasteronline.com

    I’ve had several remarks about how quiet the airplane must have been during the final un-powered glide to the runway, and while that is absolutely true, I must confess that I never noticed. I was so focused on the task at hand that the silence in the airplane simply wasn’t something that stuck out to me. What did make an impression on me, however, was the acceleration the airplane experienced when the props were feathered. I’ve heard it preached many times the importance of feathering the propeller on a dead engine, but never truly appreciated the importance of it until I did it myself. I remember the airplane accelerating noticeably as though I had hit a boost button which was hidden somewhere in the cockpit for just such an occasion.

    Although I didn’t notice the lack of noise upon killing the engines, the sickening, deafening noise which was produced during the touchdown and deceleration is something which I will never forget. Another thing that surprised me was the smoke which filled the cockpit and cabin as we slowed down. This was produced by the friction between the belly and the runway, although nothing was burning.

    I don’t know how long the airplane actually slid for after touching down, but it felt like an eternity. However, when the noise subsided and the motion stopped everything returned to real time. I unfastened my seat belt, opened the door and climbed out onto the wing. I helped the passengers evacuate and we retreated to a safe distance on the side of the runway while the firefighters rushed in to do their job.

    It was 8:35 am. So, from the time we took off to the time we landed was almost exactly an hour and a half. Not surprisingly, the passengers elected not to continue on to Pittsburgh and instead accepted a ride home in a car. The rest of my day was a blur of paperwork, reports, and phone calls.

    To Be Continued…

    Read Part 3 Here

    Andrew Robinson is an airline pilot for Piedmont Airlines.  He is a former 135 Charter Pilot and flight instructor who lives with his wife and 2 daughters in Pennsylvania.  He instructs in Beechcraft Bonanzas.

    Read Part 1 Here Only now did I begin to realize the severity of the situation. The deer had completely broken the left main gear off of the airplane. Obviously, landing in this condition would not be ideal. Landing without a nose wheel is one thing, but landing without one of the mains would be…

  • As Fast as a Cirrus — Better Tech, and Less?

    ByHank Gibson
    2008 Cessna 400 Corvalis TT N422TJ on the ramp — a faster, better-value alternative to a Cirrus SR22T
    2008 Cessna 400 Corvalis TT (N422TJ) — 235 KTAS and Garmin G1000 glass, priced under a comparable Cirrus.

    If you’re weighing a Cessna 400 vs Cirrus, start here. The 2008 Cessna 400 Corvalis TT cruises at 235 knots true — the fastest fixed-gear piston single ever certified. It’s faster than a turbocharged Cirrus on the same fuel and the same class of engine, and it costs less than a comparable SR22T. If you’re shopping a high-performance single for speed and value, N422TJ deserves a hard look.

    The Airplane Cirrus Shoppers Overlook

    The Cessna 400 is a Lancair design — a clean-sheet, all-composite airframe built to go fast. Cessna certified and refined it, and built N422TJ in 2008. It seats four, carries a real load, and handles weather. Most buyers shopping a high-performance single default to Cirrus, so airplanes like this one get overlooked. That’s where the value is.

    Faster on the Same Fuel

    The 400’s 235 KTAS is a true max cruise at 25,000 feet on oxygen. A 2011–2012 Cirrus SR22T (Gen 3) trues about 211 KTAS. Both burn 100LL and run turbocharged Continental engines in the same ~310-horsepower class.

    That’s about 24 knots up high — roughly 45 minutes off a 1,000-nautical-mile leg — with no bigger engine and no more fuel. And it isn’t only a flight-levels number: at 10,000 feet the 400 still trues about 180 KTAS, roughly 10 knots faster than an SR22T at the same altitude.

    Side profile of the all-composite, fixed-gear airframe
    Lancair-designed, all-composite, fixed-gear — the airframe that makes 235 knots possible.

    The Value Gap

    N422TJ is priced at $350,000. A comparable Gen 3 SR22T typically trades between $450,000 and $550,000 used. (A new SR22T is a $1M-plus airplane — not the comparison.) Against the newer turbo Cirrus, that’s roughly $100,000 to $175,000 less for a faster airplane.

    Cessna 400 Corvalis TT N422TJ on the ramp, front three-quarter view
    N422TJ — no damage history, complete logs since new, Van Bortel-maintained.

    Cross-Shopping a Turbonormalized Cirrus SR22

    A lot of buyers looking at N422TJ also weigh a Cirrus SR22 with the Tornado Alley turbonormalized engine. It’s a fair comparison — the same ~310-horsepower-class Continental, the same all-composite fixed-gear layout, the same 100LL — so here’s the honest math.

    Speed and engine: the turbonormalized SR22 trues around 211 KTAS; the 400 does 235. The 400 also runs a true twin-turbocharged TSIO-550-C, not a turbonormalized system — a true turbo makes boosted power up high, which is a big part of that speed edge.

    Avionics and price — 2006–2008: those Cirrus came with the Avidyne Entegra panel. N422TJ’s Garmin G1000 with WAAS and Synthetic Vision is a clear step up — better glass for comparable or less money.

    Avionics and price — 2009 and later: Cirrus moved to Garmin Perspective (G1000-class) glass, but the price moved with it. A 2009 SR22 turbonormalized with Perspective typically runs around $400,000 or more — one representative listing is $429,900. N422TJ is $350,000: less money, comparable glass, and 24 knots faster.

    The SR22 still brings the CAPS parachute and the Cirrus owner community. But on speed, engine, and price, the Cessna 400 stays ahead.

    MetricCessna 400 Corvalis TT (N422TJ)Cirrus SR22T — Gen 3 (2011–2012)Cirrus SR22 Turbonormalized (2006–2009)
    Max cruise (25,000 ft)235 KTAS~211 KTAS~211 KTAS
    Cruise at 10,000 ft~180 KTAS~170 KTAS~170 KTAS
    EngineTwin-turbocharged Continental TSIO-550-C (true turbo, ~310 hp class)Turbocharged Continental (~310 hp class)Turbonormalized Continental IO-550-N (~310 hp class)
    Glass panelGarmin G1000 — WAAS + Synthetic VisionCirrus Perspective (Garmin)Avidyne Entegra (2006–08) / Garmin Perspective (2009+)
    Fuel100LL100LL100LL
    Airframe / gearAll-composite, fixed gearAll-composite, fixed gearAll-composite, fixed gear
    Useful loadComparable (often equal or a touch better)ComparableComparable
    Whole-airframe parachuteNoYes (CAPS)Yes (CAPS)
    Typical used price$350,000~$450,000–$550,000~$300,000–$450,000 (est.; 2009 Perspective ~$400K+)
    Cessna 400 Corvalis TT vs. Cirrus SR22T (Gen 3) and the turbonormalized SR22. Speeds and prices are typical estimates; verify against the aircraft records and current market.

    The fastest fixed-gear piston single ever certified — and it out-runs a turbo Cirrus on the same fuel.

    The Avionics You Can’t Buy Anymore

    Garmin G1000 glass panel with WAAS and Synthetic Vision (SVT)
    Garmin G1000 with WAAS and Synthetic Vision (SVT) and the GFC-700 autopilot.

    N422TJ has a Garmin G1000 with WAAS and Synthetic Vision (SVT) and the GFC-700 autopilot. WAAS gives you LPV approaches — near-ILS precision at runways nationwide.

    This matters because the WAAS upgrade path for the G1000 in these airframes is closed. A Cessna 400 that left the factory without WAAS can’t be upgraded — it will never fly an LPV approach. So a WAAS-plus-SVT 400 like this one is a scarce find. You either buy one that has it, or you don’t get it.

    Glass cockpit with dual Garmin G1000 displays and leather interior
    Both G1000 displays with synthetic vision — a modern, integrated flight deck.

    Built to Actually Go

    This airplane is equipped to be flown hard and often:

    • Thermawing electric de-ice with a backup alternator — a de-ice system (not certified known-ice)
    • Factory air conditioning
    • Speed brakes
    • Hot prop, built-in oxygen, and ADS-B Out
    Cabin door open showing cabin access and seating
    A comfortable four-seat cabin built for real trips.

    The engine is a twin-turbocharged Continental TSIO-550-C with about 1,503 hours total time — the original engine, 1,503 since new. No damage history, complete logs since new, maintained by Van Bortel.

    Leather interior seating
    Leather interior, comfortable for four.

    An Honest Word: What the Cirrus Does Better

    One thing every Cirrus has that the 400 doesn’t: the CAPS whole-airframe parachute. Pull the handle and the airplane comes down under canopy. For a lot of buyers that’s the deciding factor, and it’s a fair reason to choose a Cirrus. Cirrus also has a large owner community and a strong support network.

    Useful load is comparable across all three airplanes — the 400 is often equal or a little better. If the parachute and the community are your priorities, a Cirrus may be the right airplane, and we can help you find one. If your priorities are speed, avionics, and value, the 400 is hard to beat at this price.

    Cessna 400 vs Cirrus: Quick Answers for Shoppers

    Is the Cessna 400 faster than a Cirrus SR22T?

    Yes. The Cessna 400 Corvalis TT trues up to 235 KTAS at 25,000 feet versus about 211 KTAS for a Gen 3 Cirrus SR22T — about 24 knots faster on the same 100LL and the same ~310-horsepower class of turbocharged Continental engine, or roughly 45 minutes saved on a 1,000-nautical-mile leg. At 10,000 feet the 400 still trues about 180 KTAS, roughly 10 knots faster than an SR22T at that altitude.

    How does the Cessna 400 compare to a turbonormalized Cirrus SR22?

    The Cessna 400 trues 235 KTAS versus about 211 KTAS for a turbonormalized SR22, and it uses a true twin-turbocharged Continental TSIO-550-C rather than a turbonormalized system. A 2006-2008 SR22 turbo has the older Avidyne Entegra panel, while the 400 has a Garmin G1000 with WAAS and Synthetic Vision. A 2009-and-later SR22 turbo with Garmin Perspective glass typically costs around $400,000 or more, versus $350,000 for N422TJ. The SR22 still offers its CAPS whole-airframe parachute.

    Does the 2006-2008 Cirrus SR22 have a Garmin G1000?

    No. Cirrus SR22s from 2006-2008 typically came with the Avidyne Entegra glass panel; Garmin-based Perspective glass arrived in 2009. The 2008 Cessna 400 came with the Garmin G1000, and N422TJ has the WAAS and Synthetic Vision version.

    How much less is a Cessna 400 than a comparable Cirrus SR22T?

    N422TJ is priced at $350,000, while a comparable 2011-2012 Cirrus SR22T (Gen 3) typically sells for about $450,000 to $550,000 used — roughly $100,000 to $175,000 less for a faster airplane.

    What is the fastest fixed-gear single-engine airplane?

    The Cessna 400 Corvalis TT, at 235 KTAS maximum cruise, is the fastest fixed-gear piston single-engine airplane ever certified.

    Does the Cessna 400 have a parachute like the Cirrus?

    No. A whole-airframe CAPS parachute is the one meaningful capability the Cirrus offers that the Cessna 400 does not. On speed, avionics, and useful load, the 400 matches or beats a comparable SR22 or SR22T.

    Can the Cessna 400’s Garmin G1000 be upgraded to WAAS?

    No. The WAAS upgrade path for the G1000 in these airframes is closed, so a non-WAAS Cessna 400 can never gain LPV approach capability. N422TJ already has WAAS plus Synthetic Vision, which makes it a scarce find.

    Does the Cessna 400 carry less than a Cirrus SR22?

    No. Useful load is comparable — the Cessna 400 is often equal to or a little better than a comparable SR22 or SR22T.

    Contact Texas Top Aviation

    ✈️ See the full N422TJ listing, specs & photos →

    Call to see N422TJ or to talk through the Cessna 400 vs Cirrus decision: (512) 270-1298 · txtopaviation.com. Austin & San Antonio, TX.

    The 2008 Cessna 400 Corvalis TT (N422TJ) trues 235 KTAS at FL250 — faster than a Cirrus SR22T — for roughly $100–175K less. An honest speed-and-value comparison.

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