If your dividing line between "an airliner" and GA is a spin, I guess I'm guilty as charged. We used it as a primary trainer with zero time students. Steep turns, stalls, etc. I didn't like the feel of a stall, not a crisp onset indication. With the stall warning computer I don't know how you'd get into a stall, that thing would wake the dead. While I didn't like the stall characteristics, I found it easy to avoid inadvertent stalls.

I don't know your definition of a short approach so I can't speak to that.

Personally, I didn't like it much. I found the sidestick intuitive, but I hated the spring loaded flight controls. But while I didn't like it, I never felt it was unsafe. And we solo'ed lots of folks in it.

The last report I had read on safety record was in avweb a year or so back. Perhaps the report was wrong, I was under the impression it had a pretty good record over last few years.

Don't you love controller tantrums? It's our fault anyway for disabling the auto-block inhibitor software on our radios.

Maybe if more people would figure out how to use a radio, the controller wouldn't get so frustrated. When will people understand that hurrying to get your call in, doesn't work?

Ha. You posted that as I was typing. It really does get embarrassing sometimes.

You can tell the NYC based pilots from those not based there by how they deal with JFK and LGA ground.

And this guy too. I just knew somebody would chime in with a L2RADIO comment. I suppose every pilot at JFK was an idiot who didn't understand radio etiquette. This was a tool controller, end of story.

He wasted half his radio time trying to get some WB past an RJ that wasn't even on freq. Had to listen to the controller tirade about the RJ when he could've had a warm cup of STefU and actually moved aircraft that were capable of moving. The entire problem was caused by the controller, made worse by the controller, and complained about by the controller.

I go up and spin Super-D's occasionally, got my tailwheel endorsement a long time ago, makes one a better pilot. You can guarantee I'm going to fly a plane that can't recover from a spin, and does things like Shyguy's accident post, in a much different way than a decathlon. I wouldn't do steep banks or load the wing close to the ground, but again I safely would do this in a plane I'm very familiar with and has benign approach to stall characteristics.

I agree.

Turning base right after the numbers to have minimal to no final approach segment. Often with steep bank such that overbanking tendency is apparent and opposite rudder needed. Less room for error but can easily and safely be done. I'd NEVER attempt it in a cirrus. Never. High performance airfoils will have flow separation suddenly happen and a (unrecoverable) spin can occur low to the ground. That's what I mean by "airliner" as opposed to "fun flyer".

More on that "over the top" stall/spin:

Cirrus Stall - AVweb Insider Article

There are no sharp borders between "safe" and "unsafe". For me, I also hated the spring controls. I'd rather have a "feel" of an aircraft than, say, an AOA guage or computer-assisted accelerated stall warning system.

There was a big push for more training particularly in 'chute deployment over the past few years. When I looked to buy one the safety rate was quite poor and it was alarming a lot of people and scaring away buyers like me. Reportedly it is a bit better nowdays.

Beware the "Safe" Airplane
Anyhow we should start a separate thread if we want to discuss Cirrus more, maybe in safety forum.

There have been times when I'm tempted to believe that they're all idiots. I wasn't there on the day in question, but I have been there during a push, when everyone wants to be first in line. All that happens is that transmissions get blocked.

Meanwhile, I just sit and wait. It keeps my blood pressure low, and I get paid by the minute anyway.

Valid.

I seized my opportunity after the 2nd scolding by the controller. After the 1st one nobody talked for like 10 seconds so right after he berated everybody the 2nd time I was able to get my callsign out there. I didn't say anything for about 3 minutes and out of the blue he cleared us to taxi .

That said, when captain Happy had his tirade we all (rightfully) berated him. While the controller didn't stoop to that level of toolery, he was out of line in the way he was acting. It's not always our fault when things go wrong. No need to defend a ground controller when he crosses the line past unprofessional and deep into tooldom.

As an aside, it gave the captain and I something to joke about for the rest of the night.