May 2004
Mooney 201
Subscribers Only Fast, economical and cheap to operate, the J-model remains a strong seller on the used market.
Tanis Cabin Heater
Subscribers Only These pad-type heaters warm gauges and avionics for toasty takeoffs.
High-Performance ANR
Subscribers Only In a market flooded with expensive choices, Bose remains the standout but Telex and LightSPEED are good values.
Shopping for Tires
Subscribers Only Sometimes the cheapest tire isn’t the best deal. What matters most is tread depth and the more, the better.
Garmin GPSMap 296
Subscribers Only If a G1000 were a portable, this would be it. Look for the usual aviation features but heavy on terrain display and warnings.
Cylinder Survey
Subscribers Only ECI and Superior lead the customer satisfaction parade but two-thirds of Continental buyers say never again.
Letters: 05/04
Loser Indeed Reading your characterization of the Cirrus SR22 as a “loser” in terms of fuel efficiency in your March issue, I had to wonder whether you were even talking about the same airplane as the SR22 I’ve owned for a year. I routinely see 13 NMPG-plus at 172 to 175 KTAS, running lean of peak (LOP) in my Cirrus. I typically flight plan 175 knots at 13.8 GPH at 10,000 feet, providing me an endurance of 5.8 hours and a comfortable no-wind range of 850 miles with legal reserves. At 6000 feet, your test altitude, I get 175 KTAS at 15.7 GPH. Why anyone would opt for ROP operation at 19 GPH for an additional 2 to 5 knots is beyond me and my view and mode of operation i...