Spoke with a flight school and took a ride in a Cirrus SR22

Good luck to you and welcome to the club!m
Cirrus makes some great aircraft (the ergonomics are amazing), ake sure that you study, remeber a Monkey can fly a plane but when your training will come into play is when the **** hits the fan.
O and Enjoy it.... I wouldnt do anything else.

 

Good for you. Best of luck in pursuing flying.

Not that you asked for any advice, I'm going to give you my $.02. Unless you have money to burn I would not do your training in a cirrus. Sure it is nice and has all the bells and whistles, I think it is much better to get your training in a trainer (152, PA 28, or 172) where you have the time to learn and once you become more experienced, then switch over to the Cirrus. They are very nice airplanes.

 

+1

did mine in a 150 / 152.

 

Just a comment - I was told when I started my training that the FAA check test can include anything included in the aircraft. The less gizmos, the less to trip up on. Just my $.02, I don't know how truthful that statement was. IMHO, the 150/152 is good trainer as long as you and the instructor are relatively slender dudes.

 

Tillman:

The advice you received is correct. If you don't have the equipment installed on your checkride aircraft, you are not responsible for operating it or knowing how to shoot an approach in the aircraft, although you are responsible for knowlegde during the oral portion of the checkride.

When I was instructing, one of the harder concepts for students to learn was ADF holding. Unfortunately the older airplanes at the school I worked for in Florida had ADFs and not GPSs. We had to teach NDB approaches and holding. From a practical standpoint I think I did one NDB approach (out of the simulator) as a commercial airline pilot and it was a non-event with the FMS. ADFs are being phased out and as I recall all of the NDB approaches at DTW were replaced with GPS.

 

They have been saying ADF's are going to be phased out for the last 15+ years and guess what... they are still there.

Lots of good advice in this thread.

 

I got my license in a C172;
I learned how to really fly later in an Aeronca 7AC Champ without an electrical system or radios. Sadly, I think that is simply impractical in today's airspace.
My only advice: Mostly look outside, feel and fly the plane.

You're going to have a great time!!!

 

I have been doing my training in a '76 172 and a 2006 172 G1000. By far, the newer Cessna with the G1000 is great. I have also had the fine experience of flying in a nearly new SR22 Turbo for a total of about 4 hours. Its a GREAT bird! Ergonomics are the key, and it climbs like crazy. The Garmin system in that is even more amazing as well. That, and it gets some attention, as its beautiful to look at, especially with silver paint. However, I couldnt justify paying 450-500/hr or more vs 110-160 for training.. Agree - keep the training on the simpler aircraft

I may go in on a SR22 with my uncle down the line.. love the plane.

 

Do yourself a favor and learn to fly a real airplane...aka taildragger. I trained in a 172 and have 700 hours in Cirrus aircraft, I thought I knew how to "fly" an airplane until I was humbled by an Aeronca Champ! I've flown Cheyennes, Citations (Mustang and 501), Arrows, C90s etc and the little Champ has made me realize what flying is...and made me a better pilot.

BTW, be careful considering a Cirrus...IMHO there are better built aircraft out there. The SR line is a disposable airplane, take a look at one 5-8 years old. I saw the SatsAir fleet when they were closing and it was appalling how the fleet had aged. My current bird is 3 years old and is hangered...all decals are peeling and have been replaced. Steps are rusting and have been replaced. MFD and PFD have been replaced multiple times...I could go on and on.

Get your PPL and fly all you can as often as you can in as many planes as you can and you'll find the right one for your mission.