I to read the requirement as anolog instruments with a big GPS and had in mind the latest Garmin touch screen unit.
What I had not done was invented a requirement that matches my own aspirations!
The DR400 matches MOST of the requirements the only place it fails is fuel consumption, and that not by a lot.
The one thing that can be relied apon with the DR400 is that the maintenance costs are known, the wooden airframe is very robust and it takes short grass runways in its stride, the new generation of aircraft are an unknown quantity when it comes to maintenance, those with a good record are the more robustly constructed and these lack the performance of the very lightly built aircraft.
Each time I try to replace my DR400 all the alternatives fall short on one thing or another, last week I was flying a Cirrus, very nice with a full glass cockpit and all the things that seem to be deemed essential on these forums if you want to go south of the channel.
However the Cirrus won't even look at some go the airfields that I use and despite my DR400 being equipped with no glass screens it is still IFR approved with GPS approach and BRNAV (and according to the flight manual flight in MNPS airspace but I have no idea how I would get the thing to an oceanic entry point!).
When I read some of the things written above about having glass cockpits and the like I am left wondering how I ever got my DR400 to Malta before it was fitted with a GPS.
Last edited by A and C; 6th Sep 2012 at 07:57.