Cirrus SR22T G7 Inspection At Bankstown
Cirrus Australia invited me to an inspection of their new SR22T Gen 7 model at Bankstown, on Friday 12th July 2024. Although I have photographed a number of Cirrus over the years, this was my first opportunity to get up close, inside and out. The SR22T Gen 7 is a low-wing cantilever monoplane of composite construction, featuring fixed (non-retractable) tricycle landing gear, with a castering nose wheel, and steering via differential braking on the main wheels. Gen 7 changes include a panel more closely aligned to the Cirrus Vision Jet, and other jet-like features such as a stick shaker, and automatic fuel tank selection. Thank you to Rebecca Penny & Graham Horne from Cirrus for this opportunity to inspect the aircraft.
SR22T Gen 7 Top Line Specifications
Max Cruise Speed - 213ktas
Max Operating Altitude - 25,000ft
Max Range (55% power) - 1,021nm
Useful Load - 1,246lbs
Horsepower - 315hp
More Cirrus SR22T Gen 7 Information
Pilot Graham Horne towed N20GH out of the hangar to allow another aircraft to depart, so it was a good opportunity to catch a few shots in full sun.
The Best Aviation B8 Tug makes moving the aircraft effortless.
Out on the Apron and in the sun, the Cirrus SR22T looks simply beautiful, the build quality is excellent, and it's packed with so many well thought out design features.
The Best Aviation B8 Tug has a horseshoe fitting to lock the castering nose wheel in place, then simply lifts the nose wheel off the ground for easy manoeuvring in the hangar or on the apron.
The Best Tugs B8 can tow up to 8,000lbs, and has a top speed of 2.7mph, perfect for GA operations (110-240V smart charger)
The turbocharged six-cylinder 315 hp Continental TSIO-550-K engine available on the SR22T increases the max altitude from the SR22 17,500ft to 25,000 ft, ideal for high-altitude airport training environments. The Hartzell 4 blade composite propeller significantly increases the useful load and adds ramp presence.
The External Ground Power socket is located at the rear of the engine cowl, on the port side. The Start Pac 24V mini power supply allows the aircraft’s electrical system to be powered up for GPS programming and light duty maintenance, bypassing the aircraft battery, and thus preserving it from unnecessary wear. The Start Pac 24V unit is available from the Cirrus Store.
Certified Flight into Known Ice (FIKI) is available on the leading edges of the wings and tail, providing the freedom to fly throughout the seasons. Improved manufacturing and assembly techniques allow the seam between the FIKI panel and the wing surface to be as smooth as possible, resulting in reduced drag. The NASA developed discontinuous cuffed leading edge, minimises the potential for spin entry following a stall.
The profile of the SR-22T is sleek and well proportioned, while the wings have a slight turn up on the wingtips. The white area between the wingtip strobes is a strip of LED Lighting, which looks very smart.
The flaps are extended here, and the large 50x50cm keyless baggage door behind the wings, provides access to a very useful cargo area (91cm L, 101cm W and 97cm H). Standard commercial carry on bags fit perfectly.
The CAPS Parachute System deploys from just behind the rear cabin window (CAPS Parachute Warning just noticeable behind the rear cabin window).
The cabin doors opening forward and up on both sides of the aircraft, makes it an easy one step entry to the cabin.
The easy to access fuel cap is about half way out on the wing, and the size of the slight flare up at the wingtip can be seen here.
Advanced fuel management automatically alternates between fuel tanks every five gallons during flight, which eases fuel management.
Powered headset jacks and lighted USB-C ports at each passenger seat keep everyone connected and entertained while reducing cabin clutter. Graceful accent lights, illuminated cupholders, and clever storage create a convenient environment for everyone on board.
Once those cabin doors are closed, the aircraft has a very clean aerodynamic look.
Rebecca and Graham from Cirrus did a great job demonstrating the aircraft.
The leading edge of the wing, elevator, and tail fin all have Certified Flight into Known Ice (FIKI) fitted. The system pumps a de-icing fluid out through hundreds of micro holes in the titanium leading edges, and each wing has a 4 gallon TKS De-icing Fluid tank, that auto level between tanks in flight, and provide 2.5hrs of operation.
The titanium leading edge de-icing strips can be seen here on the elevator and tail fin, while the CAPS Parachute Warning is visible behind the rear cabin window. A hand hold is fitted above the cabin window, to provide stability when stepping up onto the wing to gain access to the cabin.
High Performance Beringer Brakes are machined from aerospace grade aluminium , and the high performance brakes and wheels allow for lower weight, reduced maintenance, higher performance, long life, and no brake fade.
Wheel fairings have been redesigned with smaller gaps around the wheels, resulting in reduced drag.
The Hartzell four-blade, 78” diameter structural composite propeller has unmistakeable ramp appeal, however also provides smoother operation, better climb, faster speeds, and quieter flying (Hartzell).
Cirrus Perspective Touch+ by Garmin includes larger, more-colourful displays, and offers three times more resolution, making them ideal for viewing charts, managing your flight plan, or keeping an eye on the weather. A key feature is the Synthetic Vision Technology (SVT), which provides a 3D virtual image on the Primary Flight Display (PFD), showing ground and water features, obstacles and traffic, regardless of conditions or time of day.
Note the new split-screen capability on the PFD and MFD, which simultaneously provides up to three separate windows to present all the information you need while in flight. Other avionics features are 3D Safe Taxi and Taxiway Routing, Aircraft Systems Synoptic pages, and Alert Linked Checklists with Scroll Wheel. The Flap Airspeed Protection system monitors airspeed to protect from accidently deploying or retracting the flaps. In the case of an emergency, the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System can be operated at speeds up to 140kts, and the rocked deployed parachute will allow the aircraft to float to the ground safely.
Perspective Touch+ touchscreen controllers provide quick access to every function, and are conveniently placed at the base of the panel. Responsive, icon-based “touch keys” provide quick access to flight planning, mapping, procedures, audio controls, synoptic pages and more. Shallow menus ensure every function you need, and returning to the home screen is only a few taps away. Below the Perspective + touchscreens is the autopilot, providing precise lateral and vertical navigation guidance, while the Blue Level button provides an additional layer of safety.
Premium leather seats are handcrafted to perfection. Added details, including the integrated headset strap, minimize clutter and maximize accessibility. Bolstered, reclining seats embrace you with luxurious, hand-stitched European Leather. The rear seats have a 60/40 split, and fold down forward for longer cargo items.
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