Plane & Pilot 2017 Buyer’s Guide: Single-Engine Piston Planes

Newcomers, upgrades, and old favorites: 20 piston singles for 2017.

Plane & Pilot

Tuesday, January 31, 2017 at 08:13 AM

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Key Takeaways:

The piston single aircraft market is characterized by significant updates to existing models, new certifications, and the continued market dominance of the Cirrus SR22 G6, which now features the upgraded G1000 NXi avionics suite.
Buyers have a diverse range of options, from utilitarian fixed-gear models like the Cessna 182 and Diamond DA40 to high-performance, pressurized six-place aircraft such as the Piper M350.
Many leading models, including the Mooney Acclaim/Ovation Ultra and Cessna TTx, are receiving major enhancements in speed, comfort (e.g., expanded cabins, additional doors), and advanced avionics to compete in the premium single-engine segment.

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Cirrus SR22 G6

Once again, the best-selling piston single is the Cirrus SR22. The 2017 model, the G6, has features that will attract new customers and get existing ones to trade up to this year’s model. The SR22, available in normally aspirated and turbocharged models, is a fast, high-flying single with a whole-airplane recovery parachute system. The big news this year is the avionics suite. Cirrus is the launch customer for Garmin’s brand-new G1000 NXi suite with its upgraded Perspective+ cockpit, a great upgraded edition of the avionics maker’s seminal flat-panel solution. With faster, sharper, more user-friendly and more capable functionality, Perspective+ will turn heads and attract even more buyers.

Niche: Premium fixed-gear

Base Price: $639,900

Competitors: Mooney Acclaim Ultra, Cessna TTx, Piper Matrix

Read our Cirrus SR22T G6 pilot report.

Cirrus SR22T G6 Specifications

Learn more at Cirrus Aircraft.