Yesterday after lunch I made my way to DKX for an open house. A sales group from Atlanta (PDK I believe) brought a number of aircraft to show. They also had representatives on hand to discuss and for those so inclined buy the aircraft. Planes interest me in general, but I am exceptionally interested in buying planes so I set out for the airport after lunch.
The pouring rain concerned me, but I went anyway. It was fortunate that I did, as there was about a 45 minute break in the rain. I checked in and picked up some promotional materials. After a brief discussion about their flight in, I set about looking at the aircraft on display. It didn’t take very long for me to figure out that there wasn’t much of a chance of me buying anything today although I did overhear some people looking to partner up on a Cirrus. Since it was a no pressure environment, I went around to all the aircraft and took a look.
I started with the Husky. It looks so much better in person than in pictures. I poked my head inside and looked at the Garmin G500 makes the panel look very clean. The tundra tires were a nice touch and provide a suitable platform for getting into the front seat, but the back seat not so much. What I really liked was the ample storage below the rear seat and there is still a separate self contained storage area accessible from either side. On the whole, I still like the Husky and would love to have one for fun flying.
The next plane was 650,000 worth of Cirrus. It’s a nice plane and plenty fast, but I’m just not into the car in the sky lifestyle. Don’t get me wrong, I would love to have one to fly, but I’m not likely to buy one for myself. Nonetheless, the size of the prop blades on the three bladed prop was mind blowing. Each blade was something like 8 inches wide. The other thing was the BRS parachute. I’ve always wondered what amount of control one had during the descent under the canopy. I’m not thinking powered parachute, but rather “what if I’m headed toward a large building or a stand of trees?” I’m of the opinion that a little directional control would improve the system for that type of situation.
The next in line was a Piper Meridian. It is a very nice plane inside and out, but I was struck by how much smaller it seemed compared to the size I thought it was. In the picture you can see it between the DA20 and DA40. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it did seem a little tight with two guys in the back. The G1000 based cockpit was spectacular and if I won the lottery, you better believe I’d be on my way to Vero Beach. For now, this plane remains way outside of my price range.
The fourth aircraft, and one that I was most interested in was a Diamond DA40-180. I’ve flown a DA20-c1 Eclipse and I find it very enjoyable, but a bit short on cargo space. This is fine for a trainer, but I was concerned the DA40 might have a similar issue, so I asked. It turns out, the DA40 has quite a bit of space behind the rear seats. More importantly to me, the rear seats fold down individually and there is a panel that separates the two cargo compartments. These two features really allow tweaking to fit different cargo and people configurations. I also like the electrically adjusted rudder pedals in contrast to the mechanically adjusted pedals in the DA20. It’s just easier. Everything else is basically like the DA20 but with four seats. In fact, the DA40 isn’t too much heavier than the DA20 so it should be just as easy to handle on the ground.
The last plane was a Mooney Ovation and all I can say is that it definitely looks fast. Unfortunately, it looks small and cramped too. Also, there wasn’t anyone to really talk to about it so I just looked around. I’m a big fan of Mooneys and their look, but I like to have space in the cockpit. On the other hand, if you get to your destination quicker a cramped cabin might be more bearable.
On the whole, I had a good time and I saw some great aircraft. I’m definitely interested in aircraft ownership, but I’m not exactly in a place where $250,000 is feasible. Nonetheless, we all need something to dream about. For the time being I’ll just hope any of the manufacturers take me under their wing (pun intended) and sponsor me in the form of a free airplane or at least some flight time.