44
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/ Vol. 5 / No.9 / SEPTEMBER 2013
simpler. Prime the engine with
the mixture and boost pump, set
the throttle an inch open and turn
the key. As it bursts into life, the
full screen instrument display to
my right immediately indicates
the engine's status to the smallest
detail. We're ready to go.
Cirrus in the Sky
With the G5 raring to go, I release
the park brake and test the ground
handling before we move forward
an inch. The aircraft has a castoring
nosewheel, but it doesn't feel
like it. With a nip of brake and a
touch of power, the Cirrus pivots
on the inboard wheel as if it's
tethered! It has a very impressive
radius of turn to say the least.
Taxiing is best achieved through
a small amount of power and then
reducing the thrust back to idle,
applying intermittent taps of the toe
brakes only when needed. Riding
the brakes against power on this
aircraft is not advised as they'll
overheat, but if you do, guess
what; there's a brake temperature
gauge and warning system!
In the run-up bay, the preflight
sequences are standard and assisted
by digital checklists on the Garmin
screen. Two notable differences are
that in the absence of a pitch lever
there is no propeller check, however,
the autopilot is tested by engaging
it and moving the heading bug.
The side-stick moves in response
as if the aircraft is turning before
autopilot disengagement is checked.
A runway change dictates an
extended taxi to the other end of the
airport, but offers another opportunity
to observe the gentlemanly ground
handling of the G5. However,
once the tower clears us for take-
off, the gentleman pops into
the back seat and the unbridled
stallion steps into the picture.
The throttle is advanced fully
forward and I am happily pressed
back into the seat as the G5
accelerates smoothly but snappily.
Minimal rudder input is required to
maintain the runway centreline and
I quickly achieve my `rotate' speed
of 77 knots. I ease back on the side
stick and the aeroplane smoothly
transitions into flight. It doesn't rear
its head up but climbs away in a
relatively nose-low attitude which
provides wonderful forward visibility
in the high traffic environment.
90 knots comes and goes in a
blink and I raise the take-off flap
setting of 50% before setting the
best rate of climb at 112 knots. A
sweeping left turn has me positioning
for departure and I reach 1,500 feet
just as I roll out on downwind. With
the power reduced to 70 per cent
with a constant 2,500 rpm, we are
indicating 150 knots before I raise the
nose and climb once more, this time
at a cruise climb speed of 120 knots.
This turbo-charged engine is
`leaned' in the cruise only, while
the non-turbo-charged variant is
also leaned on the climb; a task that
is made very easy by pulling the
mixture lever back to align a marker
on the engine display. This marker
indicates the optimum lean of peak
setting. (Sentence deleted here)
From the outset I am captivated
by the handling of this aeroplane.
It has a very stable feel to it, with
no tendency to wallow about or
be disturbed by the odd bump in
the breeze. The G5 is not heavy
on the controls at all, but offers
the comfortable ride of a much
heavier aeroplane. In many ways,
it `feels' like a small business jet.
I then set myself for some basic
handling and steep turns and receive
a very pleasant surprise. The roll rate
of the SR22 is quicker than any other
non-aerobatic light aircraft I have
flown. It is immediately responsive,
both on entry and recovery. There is
no lag, no tendency to overshoot the
desired angle of bank, just roll-stop-
roll again. This is great fun! And if
you wish to cheat, you can roll into
a steep turn, place the flight path
vector on the flight display's `virtual'
horizon and you'll hold your altitude
like a star. Be warned, I suspect that
this feature might be switched off
by your friendly flight instructor or
examiner; it makes it way too easy.
Should you become over-
exuberant and wish to roll the
aeroplane even further beyond 45
degrees, you will feel the side-stick
opposing you in an attempt to roll the
aeroplane back towards level flight.
Climbing up to 4,500 feet,
we assess the aeroplane's stall
characteristics. Even with full flap
deployed and around 60 knots
indicated, the `staged' leading edge
does its job and the inboard section
stalls first. There is no tendency
to `drop' a wing and even if it did,
aileron control is still available.
It is apparent that the G5 has the
ability to perform like a sports car,
but it is also comfortable at the
lower end of the speed spectrum.
While we're at altitude, we
also choose to enter an unusual
attitude and select the `LVL'
button. As advertised, the aircraft
automatically levels the wings and
pitches as required to establish level
flight with the autopilot engaged.
Despite the fun I'm having,
Graham insists on engaging the
autopilot to demonstrate some of
the many functions available. We
firstly attempt to climb in vertical
speed mode until the speed erodes
to the stall speed. The autopilot
pitches the aircraft down in advance
of this occurring to maintain
flying speed. Between this feature,
the roll protection and the `LVL'
button, there are a number of
levels of protection provided for
the pilot who gets into trouble.
The sun is starting to sit a little
lower, so I turn for home and a few
circuits to finish the day's flight.
I intentionally maintain a swift
cruise speed, partly for function
and partly for fun. We are cleared
for a straight in approach and I am
effortlessly indicating 170 knots in
a gentle descent towards the airport.
On reaching 1,000 feet, I level the
aircraft, set the power at 55 per cent
and the speed begins to erode.
As I pass through 150 knots I
can now comfortably select the first
stage of flap and the effort to slow
down is now over. The old flap limit
of 119 knots may have made this
somewhat more difficult, but this
new higher speed is an absolute
treasure in a high performance single
for pilots of all levels of experience.
Keeping the threshold steady in
the windscreen, I select the second
and final stage of flap passing
through 110 knots and settle on an
approach speed of 90 knots. The
side stick control is intuitive and the
G5 just sits there on-speed and on-
profile. I bleed the speed a little more
to reach the threshold at 80 knots and
the piano-keys pass beneath. This
is an aeroplane of substance, so it
is flown right down to the runway
like an aircraft of a greater scale,
touching down with a relatively
nose attitude for a light aircraft.
Power up and away we go again.
As with all aspects of this flight,
the G5 is a joy to fly in the circuit.
The ability to deploy the flaps at
a significant airspeed and their
subsequent effectiveness offer a
tremendous safeguard for anyone
who may approach the circuit a
little quickly in this full-blooded
aeroplane. Even so, should a go-
around be necessary, there were
no significant pitch changes with
flap selection and re-trimming was
easily achieved via the electric trim
switch mounted on the side-stick.
It's getting late and Graham
finishes off with an approach to keep
his currency from the right-hand seat.
It offers me the opportunity to look
up and appreciate my surroundings
and how easily the G5 works its
way around the circuit. Graham
eases the Cirrus onto the ground and
unfortunately the flight is at an end.
Style and Substance
The Cirrus SR22 GTS-G5 is
undoubtedly an aeroplane from the
top shelf. It has more equipment,
bells and whistles than most of the
jets I have flown. Even so, it is at its
core, still a turbo-charged, single-
engined piston powered aeroplane
with fixed landing gear. It is almost
a paradox, but somehow Cirrus has
managed to find the perfect blend.
You have to look beyond the
amazing level of interior finish and
equipment to truly appreciate the
aeroplane. The aircraft performs
like a sports car and handles like
a small jet, yet it still offers a
stable platform for instrument
flight, supported by all manner of
protections. Its speed is a cross-
country asset that can easily be
reined around the circuit by virtue
of the new top-end flap limit speed.
Like its predecessors, the G5
is a fine looking aeroplane with
a performance package to match
its looks. The designers have got
it right with this aeroplane. They
have created an aircraft with just the
right mix of style and substance. ·
Cirrus SR22 GTS-G5
POWERPLANT
Continental TSIO-550-K, 315hp (235kW)
PERFORMANCE (Manufacturer's Quoted)
Max Cruise 214kt
Rate of climb 1,203ft/min
Max operating altitude 25,000ft
Max range with 574kg useful load 1,021nm
WEIGHTS
Empty 1,062kg
MTOW 1,633kg
Useful load 574kg
DIMENSIONS
Wing span 11.68m
Length 7.92m
Height 2,7m
Cabin width 1.24m
PRICE
As tested US$716,900 excluding VAT & delivery
Standard SR22T US$561 900 excluding VAT and delivery
SOUTH AFRICA
CDC Aviation,
Lanseria Airport, Johannesburg
Tel: +27 11 701 3835