Thank you both but that is not EC Regulation nor it provides a reference to one (or some EASA document stipulating this). Or have I missed it? They mention a derogation, so it’ll be in the Article 6? I’ll wait for the updated consolidated version.
This is a good comparison of the different aircraft vs the Cirrus SF 50.
Please note that Flying corrected the Cirrus data since they mixed up the “Payload with full fuel” and the “IFR Range” .
Payload is 560lbs and IFR range is 1,200 nm
http://www.flyingmag.com/aircraft/turboprops/daher-socata-tbm-900-versus-world-comparison-specs
I guess the thing that strikes me is the price differential. The Cirrus seems very under priced at $2 million vs $3.7m for the TBM 900 and $2.2m for the Meridien.
I imagine the Eclipse would stack up pretty well against these aircraft although price is $3 million and you do have to wonder about the company long term viability.
The Cirrus seems very under priced at $2 million
If that data was right one could say the opposite:
(above routing was done for a TB20 but the SF50 would not fly much differently, and the GC overhead is only 4% here)
Based on this I would call the SF50 a cafe racer 
What is the likely zero fuel range of the SF50? That is what determines what flights can be done in the real world, especially in Europe.
With 2 people on board and little luggage you can fly 1200 NM @ 210 KTAS
The NBAA IFR Range with four occupants and baggage is proposed to be approx. 800nm.
It will definitely fill a gap in the market and provide a nice step up airplane for Cirrus pilots like me who are running out of payload as the kids grow.
Peter finds it hard to accept that there might be people who don’t care about 7 hour flights :-)
For most of the routes I fly the jet would have just the perfect range, and the payload is sufficient.
But then, I don’t have to cross 2/3 or Europe to reach the mediterranean …
Peter wrote:
What is the likely zero fuel range of the SF50? That is what determines what flights can be done in the real world, especially in Europe.
Not in a jet Peter (obviously it does correlate to an extent but isn’t really helpful to the analysis IMHO). Fuel burns increase so much down low you need something like NBAA method to be accurate about what is really achievable.
With 2 people on board and little luggage you can fly 1200 NM @ 210 KTAS
So much like a PA-46 Mirage then? Or actually much like an SR22
I see the NBAA method is required to compare products on the market but nobody I know uses the NBAA range to work out whether they can do a given flight safely. They use the climb fuel burn, cruise fuel burn, etc for the planned destination and alternate.
Let’s assume a free climb to the best-economy altitude (which may be subject to RVSM and other European ATC practices*) and then a descent to destination, and then some plausible assumption (which one was used in the NBAA calculation for the SF50?) about a flight to an alternate.
Peter finds it hard to accept that there might be people who don’t care about 7 hour flights :-)
The max range is what you can do in e.g. unexpected headwind conditions. Nobody wants to abandon a flight and land in some god forsaken hellhole of an airport (i.e. most airports) just because it’s going to take longer.
If you plan say a 5hr flight (my usual max figure) and halfway through it becomes apparent it will take 7hrs, and you present your passengers with that OR
then IME all of them will go for the extra 2hrs in the air.
I don’t have to cross 2/3 or Europe to reach the mediterranean
I didn’t say it won’t sell.
* I knew somebody with a twin turboprop Commander who got sick of never getting more than FL200 or maybe 250, due to his “low” speed.
So much like a PA-46 Mirage then? Or actually much like an SR22
Yes, for THAT scenario.
But you can also use 300 KTAS and fly to Split from Munich in 1:15 with 5 friends.
Is IS a compromise, but for many it will work.
I estimate that more than 90% of GA flights are less than 3 hours and probably 95% are less than 4 hours. Lets face it, we are limited by our bladders.
There was a study of 2 years worth of Mustang flights in the USA and the vast majority were less than 450nm.
4 adults plus baggage and 300 ktas high speed cruise will cover the payload/distance envelope for 90% of missions.
