First Flight in Cirrus SF50 Full Motion Simulator

Aero Poznan in Poznan, Poland, is not only the world’s only Full Motion 6-axis Full Flight Simulator for the SR2x series – since spring 2016 it is also home of the first Full Motion 6-axis Simulator for the upcoming Cirrus SF50 Jet. In June 2016 Piotr Dlugiewicz, the CEO of Aero Poznan, gave me the opportunity for a first familiarization flight in the new sim.

This was really just a first introductory flight in the SF50 Simulator – without any preparation or briefing. So, I did get a first impression of the airplane and it’s systems. In short:

• To start the engine you switch on the batteries (with two switches more or less identical to the ones in the SR2x), turn a knob to “Run” and press a key above that knob that says “Start”. That’s it, engine running.
• The “Cirrus Perspective Touch” Avionics by Garmin are based on the logic Garmin uses in all his other stuff, especially in the GTN series touchscreen navigators. I was led through setting them up by Aero Poznan CEO and Head of Training Piotr Dlugiewicz, so i cannot really say much about it, but I think a couple of hours of practicing should do.
• The visibility from the Cockpit is superb! You’re sitting there like in a cinema and you have a great 180 degree view through the windshield
• The cockpit looks very well organized with a minimum of controls and knobs. Sure, there’s hundreds of features controlled by the touchscreens but the rest is really simple: a gear lever, a flap lever a fuel switch, the parking brake. And two very well positioned circuit breaker panels on the left and right sides of the cockpit. Plus a small overhead panel for lights, oxygen masks and some other controls.
• The control forces of the side sticks (no side yokes like in the SR2x) are higher, but that was expected from a 3 ton aircraft.
• Landings seem to be a piece of cake, really. With the setup we used, 2 guys in the cockpit, no passenger, full fuel, I flew the final approach with 100 knots, the feeling was similar to my SR22.
• Rotation on Takeoff is 90 KIAS, best rate of climb for our weight was 115 KIAS if I remember correctly (have to check that one).

Here’s two short video clips that include a landing at JFK’s runway 22L and a takeoff from runway 04 at La Guardia. The videos are not edited, so please excuse my mistakes and some stupid chatter ;-)