arj1 wrote:
And attract enroute charges while IFR (unless the 2T STC is applied)
It is a 10 minutes job to apply this STC.
It requires just entry into a logbook and some placards in the cockpit. You may reverse this operation in exactly same way.
As a pilot/owner of course. Adopt to your needs like Ryanair aircrafts – every flight – different MTOW 
For a good and cheap DA42 you would need about 300kEUR while PA34 – 200kEUR. Of course Piper will be older but at least metal fuselage
Then you have much more space inside and better landing/takeoff performance – 400 – 500meters of grass being enough to operate – provided you don’t have high obstacles.
Fuel consumption – yes TDI is always more conservative but with 100kEUR price difference you have some 45000 liters of Avgas – more than 600 flying hours.
Maintenance will be much cheaper on older Piper as well.
I like flying twins, I just love the sound and the feel. For that reason I would choose a twin over the SR22 (there’s nothing wrong with the Cirrus it is just my preference).
DA42 or Seneca. Well the Seneca is a very nice aircraft to fly especially the Seneca V. IMO all the pros and cons have been discussed already.
However, so far I have not found any great difference, working out price per hour between the DA42 and a Seneca old or new. I have only ever rented an SR22 but talking with the owner, his hourly costs seem much the same as a DA42 or Seneca. With everything included, including engine fund etc I cannot get it much below €350 to €400 per hour, with the hours I do(around 100hrs per annum), whether I own or rent.
I do, however, have an agreement with several friends to fly their small experimentals, or home built Jodels for short local flights at around €60 or €70 an hour.
Very few to add. I have done my IRME in a DA42 135, very nice pilot plane, but space and position behind is not really great for spending 4 hours. Rear seats are just correct, but not enough reclined and luggage space just good for 2 big cases. With 3 adults, you may be restricted. The DA42- 135 does 135kn IAS under 10k at 70% / 10.4 usg/h, 1785mk mtow which does 430kg usefull load (decied are at 1320kg dry). 50USG tanks on standard gives you 4 hours with ifr reserves, but there are versions with 2xAux tank of 13.2 each.
It’s not clear how much room and payload capability the OP needs. He just says that he does not need space for 6. Could be that two seats are enough, and then the Cirrus and the Diamond are just fine. He did mention sight seeing though, and in that regard the Seneca is clearly worse. It has pillars and relatively small windows, and the engine nacelles are lumpier and stick out more forward than on the DA42. That was one of the reasons why I only briefly considered the Seneca V back then.
The thing with twins is – once you’ve flown them, you don’t really want to go back to SEP!
There may be one more option for the OP – the Tecnam P2006T. The payload isn’t great and it does around 150kts, but it’s a great little airplane, can run on Mogas and sips 9 USG / hour – for both engines combined ! Visibility is great, thanks to the high wing and the cockpit is comfy and modern with Garmin 950 (i.e. a G1000 minus the engine instruments). These birds can be had for around USD 250-300k used.
Yes, that’s a possibility, but no anti-ice AFAIK.
sedatedokc wrote:
I am a new pilot and I do want a new modern aircraft with all the safety features, so no cool ideas like jetprops please :)
If I had a million bucks, I would not spend it on a piston plane. Especially an SR22. I’d get a Jetprop or maybe a Piper Cheyenne, so that I can fly pressurized and above the weather.
I understand that you’re not into old and complicated planes, so maybe a Kodiak? It is a modern design, G1000 equipped, with STOL capability and big wheels. Here’s one for sale: https://www.planecheck.com?ent=da&id=35699 It is VAT paid, so almost like 1m net
So would I, but VFR lowlevel flying is a joy in a 42.
Even if you can easily afford it, turbine fuel flows at 5000ft are just wrong, I think I couldn’t watch it ;)
aart wrote:
Yes, that’s a possibility, but no anti-ice AFAIK.
Yes, not sure if there’s a retrofit for that. Another option (used for around $ 500k) would be a Partenavia P68, these can be de-iced like this one. Of course you’re back in Lycosaurus territory with these ones.
Anyone wanting the Vulcanair twin might get a good deal from the English Police authority, which bought several and found them unsuited for urban surveillance.
