The 2012 Cirrus SR22 is a very different animal from the one Cirrus launched amidst much fanfare and controversy some 11-odd years ago.
The 2012 edition of the Cirrus SR22 — the turbocharged version, the Cirrus SR22T, is shown here — is the culmination of several years of improvement to everything from the landing gear to the ice-protection system.The Cirrus SR22’s is the world’s most advanced single-engine panel, with satcom, EVS, syn viz, TAWS, TCAS, ADS-B, envelope protection and extensive vertical navigation.The three-place rear bench in the Cirrus SR22 provides plenty of room for two adults and a child or three kids with auto-style shoulder harnesses for each occupant.This year’s Cirrus SR22 model features the option for a three-place bench seat in back with a 60-40 split.**In order to get a fifth seat in there, Cirrus didn’t have to change the airframe. It instead modified the interior side panels, making them slimmer and more tapered.
**The three-seat bench allows a great deal of flexibility in loading the Cirrus SR22 by folding down part or all of the seat backs.Cirrus SR22 performance is stellar, with 200-plus-knot cruise speeds at less than 18 gph.The Cirrus SR22’s factory turbocharged Continental is reliable, smooth and simple to manage.The Cirrus SR22 X-Edition interior is reminiscent of a luxury sports car, with two-tone leather, contrast stitching, carbon fiber trim and suedelike headliner.The Cirrus SR22 Robert Goyer and fellow occupants flew, N987CA, over the South Coast of Florida on a previous photo shoot. There’s no way to tell from the outside if it’s a five-seater or not. You’ve got to take a peek inside.Coming into Mobile as the short day winds down, they dodged storms using the XM WX and Global Satellite weather to make their way between the cells. By the time they made it to Baton Rouge, it was dark night. The infrared camera, which displays on the MFD, came in handy for taxiing around the dark ramp, which was under construction, at KBTR.The Cirrus SR22’s three occupants — Flying Editor-in-Chief Robert Goyer in the left seat, Adam Hahn in the right and Jeff Johnson in back — on their way home to Texas from a fuel stop in Baton Rouge.Goyer had the opportunity to fly the new five-seat Cirrus SR22T from Central Texas to Central Florida and back again for Flying’s evaluation of the airplane. Even though there were just two of them on the way out east and just three on the way back home, the extra space and the fold down seats gave them much greater flexibility than with the stiff-backed seats.Here’s something you’ve probably not seen on a Garmin display before, a symbol showing that mail has arrived. The SMS-based mail worked reliably during their Cirrus SR22 trip and came in quite handy on a couple of occasions when they had to get in touch with people to tell them they couldn’t make it due to storms in the area. You can also make voice calls through the audio panel or send text messages.
