This article is mostly about older G2 and G3 models. Some aspects apply to all generations.
Many pilots who are first time Cirrus buyers have little or no experience with the type. The airplane is not overly complicated and the available documentation is extensive and good.
If you are a serious buyer then the best advice I have for you is: Join COPA! For a yearly membership fee you not only get a monthly magazine – you have access to an enormous knowledge base that covers every aspect of Cirrus flying – and owning.
For a start here’s a ten checklist with ten points you might not be aware of when you are in the market for a used SR2x:
1. The airplane is not airworthy with an expired CAPS system. You need a ferry permit from your CAA to fly it to a Cirrus Service Center. This does not only apply for the parachute and rocket but also about the so called “Line Cutters”, small pyrotechnic devices that cut certain lines while the parachute unfolds.
2. The same applies to both the Controller and the Inflators of the seat belt Airbags. If the airplane has the seat belt airbags then they must be working and up to date, because these components are required by Chapter IV of the Maintenance Manual.
3. The SR2x you found has “new paint”? That is great if it is done well – but you have to make sure that the materials prescribed by Cirrus were used. An SR2x that was painted with material not listed in the maintenance manual (the paint has to come from the manufacturer listed!) loses airworthiness automatically. Some shops will ask for the documentation of the paint job when the plane is in for the annual – and there have been cases where the Airworthiness Certificate was refused. I personally would not care if the wheel pants or a fairing were painted by a car shop.
4. If you buy an older Avidyne equipped SR2x with either the “Entegra” or the “R9” (rare!) system, check if the owner has a “AEROPLAN” warranty for the glass cockpit. The warranty goes to the new owner and it can save you $ 10,000 in case only the backlight of your PFD or MFD fails and you have to send it in for repair.
5. You found an older SR2x that is already upgraded to WAAS? It is a topic of constant and never ending discussion – but from my point of view (and Cirrus says that in their SB) – it is mandatory that the WAAS antennas are on the outside of the fuselage and not under the glareshield. There are many good solutions for that – but of course the installation, the cables and the antennas and the certifications cost money.
6. The SR2x you found has WAAS already (like with IFD4/540s or GTNs) but it still has the old S-TEC55X autopilot? It will work – but after only a short time you will want the DFC90 digital autopilot … which is (for the most part!, see #7) “plug and play” with the S-TEC55X. It has many advantages, is super precise and it transforms your SR2x to the mini-airliner you wanted. It is the BEST upgrade for any old Cirrus plane.
7. If the DFC90 is already installed – then ask the seller if the “flap wire” for the DFC90 was installed. It is not easy to do, so some owners skip that, which is a mistake. With the flap wire the autopilot recognizes the flap setting and lets you (for example) fly a coupled approach even with full flaps. It will also take into account the speeds flown and the flap setting, It is a MUST.
8. The plane you found is great but the interior is completely worn, warped from the sun and bleached? Don’t take that too lightly, the interior parts are super expensive (some stupid plastic fairings cost thousands of dollars at Cirrus!). If you have to redo the interior ask for an appropriate discount, this is is not something that can be done for little money.
9. If the plane has a TKS system … run it at least on the ground. It is a mess and many owners hate to do that (it will later drip for hours in the hangar) … but if the TKS does not work you are in for a very expensive repair. And a super-expensive one if the TKS system is of the “FIKI” type. When were the filters (which are super expensive) last changed? Was the fluid (which goes bad) ever changed or was the system not used for 5 years?
10. Does the plane of your dreams have Air Condition? Many first time owners do not even think about A/C in a small plane, they are not used to the idea. My opinion: Although you lose around 50 lb of payload the A/C is one of the BEST things to have in a SR2x. It is not common in SR20s, but many SR22s have it. It makes a huge difference in passenger comfort – and any Cirrus pilot who has ever had it will never again buy an SR without A/C … outside of Alaska that is.
I will make another buyer’s Checklist for the ENGINE and the PROP!
