It has been awhile since I had been in one so I sat in a 22-G2 today. Equipped the same way as the one for sale. Very nice panel layout (the 20 I flew was 6-pack). The front seats are very comfortable and the cabin is plenty wide. The side sticks are nice and having the trim right on the stick for aileron is nice also. The fuel control is simple and the seat belts and airbags are nice. The rear seats have plenty of room, but they felt rather hard on the butt.

The baggage room is ample, but not huge. Overall, I like the modern look of the plane.

You mention a composite prop. Isn't that what is on it now?

Todd-

I don't know when they went to the composite prop, but I know the G3's have them. If the G2 has it (pretty obvious) then give it a try, I believe you'll find it makes a slippery aircraft a piece of cake to slow down.

Just so we're talking about the same thing, the prop I'm referring to is this one:

http://www.cirrusaircraft.com/sr22/learn/default.aspx

Here is the prop that is on it:

Looks like the same thing to me. I'll be interested to read your opinion when you fly it.

Don't know if I will fly it unless I get it bought. One thing is for sure, the prices are in the tank. There are 5 G2's prices under $200k and loaded up.

I think it might be kind of fun to instruct in this plane since it has some capability.

Thats the metal prop.

Avidyne has my attention right now.

On their website they claim you can have two new screens with redundant backup, new AHARS, new DFC100 autopilot, new QWERTY keyboard for data entry, 2 new 16-watt comms, and 2 new WAAS GPS systems, WSI weather, and FMS all for $59,000!

Now, does this mean you surrender the 430s, 55x, and screens from your old installation and does this include labor?

It looks like one heck of a system.

Todd, I don't disagree: at that price this is a hell of a lot of airplane. My point was that an SR22 and and A36 are very different planes. The 33 is a more fair comparison and, when comparably equipped and from the same year, fetches a lower price than the 36. (Had I been in the market for a 4-seat plane, the choices would have been 33, 35, SR22, and Columbia 350. That's a lot of great planes to pick from. The 36 competes with the 210 and Saratoga; I thought about the 'toga for a while, but at the end of the day it was an easy choice.)

And I couldn't imagine sinking $300k into any 33 with a run-out, NA engine, no matter what avionics it has. If glass and avionics were that important, it would argue pretty strongly for the Cirrus.

This is the Avidyne "Release 9" technology, and yes, it does away with the GNS430s. However, be warned that it adds quite a bit of weight; the school I used to instruct at switched our fleet of SR-20's to the R9, and we lost quite a bit of payload (And had to add permanent ballast to the tail). The 22 probably wouldn't be affected as badly, but loss of payload is loss of payload.

R9 is nice, but the only things that were substantially different were the fact that the autopilot would now fly full holding patterns (including the entry), a "speed mode," which allowed you to bug an airspeed and have the autopilot pitch to hold it (NOT autothrottle), a straight and level button apparently for VFR into IMC situations, and a nice go around button on the throttle which disengaged the autopilot and activated the missed approach portion of the instrument approach.

The QWERTY keyboard is nice, but not worth the money and weight gain, IMHO.

The R9 is an impressive system, and another plus for the G2 glass Cirrus. Yes, they keep your old stuff:
http://www.avidyne.com/products/release-9/r9-cirrus.asp

Thanks for that info.

It seems to me that $60k is not that bad of a deal when you consider that WAAS alone would be $10k and you are getting a better autopilot and brand new AHARS/Screens/Warranty.

If my friend buys this plane I think it would be best just to fly it the way it is and wait to make sure he wants to keep it and then decide. If it already had WAAS it would not be as big of an incentive.

I really like the keyboard, but the real upgrade would be touchcreen - can you say release 10...

I think the trade in value is less on the non WAAS boxes, so no free lunch. I would contact them before planning on any specific price. From what I've read I think the R9 is a great system. With the keyboard, I'm not even sure I would want a touchscreen.

There was a review in Flying magazine that was pretty good -even for Flying. But of course, I can't remember ever reading a negative review in Flying so take that for what it's worth.

Alex,

You made a good choice with the 36. I have owned a T-210, P210, Saratoga, and Lance. The A36 is hands-down the best piston legacy airframe out there in a 6-place airplane and since there are no new 6-place piston airframes it is the best period. The Matrix could be thrown into that group, though.

With that said, I do not think you can compare the SR22 to a 35 or a 33. Fixed gear, single power control, 23G seats with airbags, glass panel from the factory, 2 doors, modern cabin design with automotive style heat and accessory controls, parachute (not a big fan of this) and a fresh design airframe makes it a completely different bird from a comparison standpoint. The 35s and 33s are great, but just too different and from too different of an era to really compare. It is like comparing a 1967 Corvette with a 425HP tri-power 427 to a 2010 Corvette Z06.

I guess it does not matter - they already sold it

The market is good when planes are priced right

Did they share what price it sold at?