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Cirrus, and pilot training

Since the Cirrus is normally flown on A/P

I do not fly the Cirrus any more on autopilot than any other aircraft with a good autopilot... and I have seen pilots over-rely on autopilot on something as modern as a Cherokee Six.

Quite to the contrary, I hazard a guess that most Cirrus non-owner pilots don't even use 20% of the capability of the G1000 and the autopilot.

Biggin Hill

That might be true, because you simply can't get good with the G1000 if you don't fly it a lot. Mine has an Avidyne cockpit plus DFC90 autopilot and while that combination is much easier to learn - it still takes time until you can fly it SAFELY. There's some dangerous traps to avoid and even if the Avidyne Entegra is much more simple it has enough features to confuse the newcomer. And you have to be really good with those GNS430s!

By the way, the sidestick is a life saver. Now, when you crash you don't have that steering wheel in front of you to cause injury. As said before, I fly over 300 hours per year in the Cirrus and love the aircraft and its features, but it is an advanced aircraft and the G1000/Perspective systems is not a beginners system. Taken that, I would not want to fly another aircraft or it must be a TBM850/PA46 for that matter or the upcoming Cirrus jet.

EDLE, Netherlands

Let me add: it always bothered me when people use TWO hands to fly a Cessna or Piper. The second hand MIGHT be necessary sometimes in the flare while landing a Seneca or Baron - with a light single enginge It should (i think) stay on the throttle.

I have to keep one hand on the throttle in the C150 I hire as the friction nut is either so tight you cannot operate the throttle or so loose that the throttle rod just falls in/out by itself.

But then was always taught to fly with one hand on the yoke and one hand always on the throttle unless trimming, changing frequency, blowing your nose etc

EGBJ, EGBP, EGTW, EGVN, EGBS
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