Author: Jeff Brewer

Jeff is an entrepreneur, pilot and aviation writer. He's the Founder of wikiWings. He’s enjoyed flying for over 20 years and has more than 1,700 hours of flight time in piston engine aircraft; including 500 hours in the Turbo Cirrus SR22TN-G3 Perspective, Cessna 152, 172, 182; Piper Warrior, Archer, Arrow and Aztec. He has been a member of Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association since 1992 and a member in several aviation type clubs. The author’s current home base is Houston, Texas.

Cirrus G6 Digital Autopilot

“Supreme accuracy. Building on smart servo technology commonly found in multi-million-dollar business jets, the fully digital, dual channel Automated Flight Control System (AFCS) delivers precise lateral and vertical navigation guidance for each phase of flight. The optimal automatic yaw damper is engaged and disengaged automatically at 200 feet AGL, reducing pilot workload and ensuring a smooth ride.”

“Commanding the architecture of each flight component with an ergonomic and thoughtfully placed mode controller, the autopilot also incorporates the industry-leading Blue Level Button, a Cirrus Aircraft standard since 2008. This active safety feature gives the pilot a single touch autopilot-engage button to roll wings level and pitch to a level attitude if momentarily distracted or disoriented.”

“Flight deck automation you can appreciate and count on.”

Reference: Cirrus Aircraft Corporation, The Cirrus Perspective+™ by Garmin, marketing brochure, p.18, 2017.

Cirrus Perspective+ Keypad Controller

“Designed to align the entire Cirrus family of aircraft and provide similarity between your aircraft and your personal electronic devices, the Cirrus Perspective+ keypad controller features a QWERTY keyboard with larger, more readable keys and additional, dedicated control knobs, including a button to bring you back to your default map. Welcome HOME.”

“Each button and knob is thoughtfully positioned to simplify interaction between the aircraft and the pilot through the intuitive layout and reduction of clutter. Responsive and simple, functions are easy to locate with shallow menus keeping the most frequently used functions at the top-level menu – allowing quick input without getting lost in the software.”

Reference: Cirrus Aircraft Corporation, The Cirrus Perspective+™ by Garmin, marketing brochure, p.16, 2017.

High Flight 2019

“Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;

Sunward I’ve climbed and joined the tumbling mirth
 of sun-split clouds, –
And done a hundred things
 You have not dreamed of —
Wheeled and soared and swung
 high in the sunlit silence.
Hovering there, I’ve chased the shouting wind along,
And flung
 my eager craft through footless halls of air . . .

Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace.
Where never lark, or even eagle flew;

And, while with silent, lifting mind I’ve trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and [sought] the face of God.”

In memory of the author: John Gillespie Magee, Jr. (b. June 9, 1922 – d. December 11, 1941); an American aviator with RCAF and son of Christian Missionaries.

I trust your flying in 2019 was memorable and I hope all your dreams of flight become reality in 2020. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

References: Isa 58:14; PS 19:1; Ex 33:18-23; 2 Chr 7:14

Cirrus Aircraft G6 Flight Displays

“LED-backlit flight displays are powered by optimized, efficient and powerful processors running next generation software. Crisp imagery and quick response rates enhance the flight deck experience, making the text more readable and critical data transfer to the pilot instantaneous. Now your flight deck thinks just as fast as you do.”

“Cirrus Perspective+ incorporates speed and flexibility in the cockpit to view the status of various aircraft systems as well as checklists, animated weather radar, moving map, traffic and more – all at once. Synthetic Vision Technology (SVT) provides a three-dimensional virtual image of ground and water features as well as obstacles and traffic.”

Reference: Cirrus Aircraft Corporation, The Cirrus Perspective+™ by Garmin, marketing brochure, p.14, 2017.

Cirrus Aircraft Stall / Spin Barrier System

“From the very early stages of Cirrus development, stall and spin prevention has been central to [their] aircraft design, avionics development and flight training philosophy. Every Cirrus SR series aircraft incorporates the NASA-developed wing technology with a “cuffed” discontinuous leading edge designed to minimize the potential for spin entry after an inadvertent stall.”

“The [G6] digital, three-axis autopilot enables the Electronic Stability & Protection (ESP) system which passively and unobtrusively corrects unusual flight attitudes even when the autopilot is not engaged. Providing both aural and visual alerts, the ESP system displays a pre-stall CAS message warning while the yoke automatically pushes forward to correct low airspeed conditions. Automated ESP supports the pilot and works to prevent the aircraft from entering a stalled condition.”

Reference: Cirrus Aircraft Corporation, The Cirrus Perspective+™ by Garmin, marketing brochure, p.13, 2017.

SR22 G6 Smart Redundancy

“Simply put redundancy is not enough. Cirrus Perspective+incorporates redundancy, fault tolerance and robustness to provide the safest, most reliable, all-digital flight deck experience available. Each Cirrus aircraft is equipped with two alternators, two batteries and multiple electrical buses to isolate essential equipment and insure that power can be supplied to critical components even if multiple power source failures are experienced. Dual Air Data Attitude and Heading Reference Systems (ADAHRS) are also standard equipment, ensuring the autopilot is available even after the unlikely event of an ADAHRS failure, providing the ultimate in flight deck reliability.”

Reference: Cirrus Aircraft Corporation, The Cirrus Perspective+™ by Garmin, marketing brochure, p.13, 2017.

SR22 G6 Intuitive Connectivity

“Designed to fit effortlessly into our increasingly wireless world, your aircraft is now an extension of your connected network. Keyless entry and remote accent and convenience lights establish your aircraft-aviator connection before you even enter the cabin. As you begin your flight experience, your mobile devices automatically connect to the flight deck via bluetooth enabling convenient and time-saving database transfer capabilities.”

“Throughout the flight, you remain connected. Global datalink weather provides updated enroute weather information, real-time traffic and terrain data are continuously displayed and tailored to the pilot’s preferences while satellite voice and text communication remain available via Cirrus Global Connect.”

“Connectivity is integral to your everyday life – pairing you to devices in your car, in your home and at your work. Why should your aircraft be any different?”

Reference: Cirrus Aircraft Corporation, The Cirrus Perspective+™ by Garmin, marketing brochure, p.11, 2017.

Thanksgiving 2019

It’s Thanksgiving week. A time to stop and be still. A time to reflect.

With gladness, our founding fathers acknowledged the benefits and mercies which God bestowed upon them. Let us not neglect praise to Him for our many good provisions. The ordinary and extraordinary – such as, General Aviation. Our opportunity to ride modern chariots in God’s magnificent heavens! And, to share that experience with family, friends and the next generation.

Hope you have a blessed Thanksgiving with family and friends (Ps 100:1-5; Ro 6:23).

Delivery flight, 2019 Cirrus Perspective+ SR22T G6, Mc Ghee Tyson Airport (KTYS), Knoxville, TN, photo credit wikiWings
Delivery flight, 2019 Cirrus Perspective+ SR22T G6, Mc Ghee Tyson Airport (KTYS), Knoxville, TN, photo credit wikiWings