There is no way it works. The kids are 6 and 1, which you would think would leave more room, but once you add in the car seats (you have to drive when you get there!) and all the other kid junk..

+100

Matt

I love 55 barons but being a realist and putting brand/model loyalty aside I think the Seneca will handle this mission the best.

Agree with this. I was not a fan until I heard they were turbo charged. That makes more sense.

Growing family, Bahamas over water ... get the Seneca. Much better interior access and space, more ability for people to move around inside, 2nd engine & redundancy. You need an SUV for your family not a sports car. B58 would work also.

You were wrongly taught to land at too high a speed, like I was. When I bought my Cirrus, the Cirrus CFI I was with on my first landing told me to keep the speed up at 85K crossing the threshold and into the flare. Having flown many airplanes over the years, the sight picture and control response was all wrong, and we floated down the runway and did not make a 4000 foot turnoff. Ridiculous, and I told him so. So when I got home I did some stalls, confirmed that 1.3 Vso at max gross was around 77K with full flaps, but at typical weights 75K or less, just like POH said. So 75K with full flaps is my speed on final, give or take 2 knots depending on weight, and the SR22 has a ground roll well under 1500 feet at sea level. in any piston single you should be able to touch down within 500 feet of the threshold. Making a taxiway at 2500 feet is easy. 2000 feet can be done routinely with no special technique. Brakes are no factor - you don't need them until the turnoff. Just don't get too slow on final and watch your airspeed (or better AOA if you have it) - the Cirrus control feel is just not there.

High winds out of the North (which is where they usually come from) makes for vicious high seas in the Gulf Stream. Not usually an issue in the summer when simple ocean breezes are the norm unless under a thunderstorm. But in winter when such conditions can occur, you might think of going another day as you should expect things to end badly with engine failure over the open ocean in any piston single. If you'd rather not have to occasionally postpone the Florida to Bahama leg in winter due to winds and wave heights, get the Seneca and eat the extra operational costs. Otherwise, the SR22 will do fine with 2 adults and 2 kids -- but not 4 adults when they get older.

I'm no pet owner, but I'm not so sure about a dog in an SR22 or Seneca, unless it's tiny enough to hold on your pax's lap in turbulence, or can be tied down somehow in the baggage area.

Yes, I saw this one as well but the additional narrative from the pilot to COPA was that the water was relatively shallow there and the aircraft didn't submerge. Maybe the wing dug into the sand?

Regarding the SR22 landing distance, thanks for the feedback on the ability of the plane to use minimal runway.

Regardless, I think there is consensus here on the best fit for the mission and I have come to the same conclusion. I've scheduled a series of lessons in the local club Seneca II, so multi-engine here I come!

Same here, had a nice Seneca III with air conditioning but my useful load was over 1,600 lb. Mine ran LOP at 9.5 GPH per side for 165 KTAS. For the room in those things, with the huge back door and club seating for families, it sounds perfect for your needs.

I have enough Seneca time to say this, it's a four seat airplane. Two in front, two, not so tall in the rear seats and in a pinch, two kids in the middle row with school bus seating. In the club, two slightly taller adults can sit in the middle row facing aft. Zero fuel weight in the Seneca II will realistically limit you to four adults.

All that said, it's reasonably quiet for a GA plane. The front row is very wide and for a twin has a reasonably good view all around. The middle row is wide enough, but when facing forward, there is practically no foot room. Think the same as a 1968 Arrow. In the club configuration, the leg interlock business really limits the aft four seats to two adults or in a pinch, two adults and two kids. The aft row of seats really has a low ceiling. Thus, in a school bus configuration, the third and fourth adults need to be shorter of stature.

My experience with the Cirrus is limited. But, my take is the Cirrus is noisier than the Seneca. and the four seats are better designed for adult passengers. Useful load, another question completely. It's all a compromise. I tend to prefer Barons and Bonanzas or the Cessna 310.