I was a member of US AOPA for a number of years and rate their series of safety related videos which are well worth watching.
This case was excruciating to watch and one cannot help but feel that the relatively inexperienced pilot was given the runaround by ATC which contributed to the stress that might have precipitated this pilot's error. What do folks here think?
Caco
Re: AOPA Safety Series
Posted: Sat Dec 22, 2018 10:53 pm
by fin
You're right Caco. That WAS tough to listen to. Sad event. Sorry she did not know how to perform a forward slip to lose altitude without gaining additional airspeed.
But then, maybe what is easy in a Cessna 172 is not possible in a Cirrus.
Re: AOPA Safety Series
Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2018 4:22 pm
by Cacophonix
Yes, I agree it is hard to judge, having never flown the Cirrus myself. Apparently they are quite slippery and the descent needs to be well planned according to a pilot I know who owns one. Raising the flaps in the go around at low speed is a no, no. I really felt for the pilot in this case though. We all make mistakes and it is awful hard when the outcome of such a mistake is so brutal and terminal.
This is what US AOPA has to say about the SR22
An SR22 could be used for instrument training, but both Marc and Mike wouldn’t recommend it for primary training. “The reason it has a parachute is if it gets into a spin, you’re not going to get out of a spin,” Mike said. “It’s a very slippery airplane. Going from a 182 to an SR20 there was still a big learning curve.”
Descent management and power management are much more critical and the sensitivity of the brakes while taxiing make it more challenging for a novice pilot. Things move a little faster than other aircraft and it is less forgiving than a Cherokee or a 172. Another aspect is the learning curve to get comfortable with the advanced avionics – one of the aircraft's main selling points. It’s got everything, but you need to learn how to use it.
Despite that, Marc said it is an easy airplane to fly and people do get their private and instrument ratings in Cirruses. He noted the plane’s simplicity compared with a Bonanza with its cowl flaps, gear, yaw dampers. There’s less to forget, but you do need to stay ahead of the airplane.