Like Jonzarno, I'm happy to fly a Cirrus in lower IMC conditions than other aircraft. That's not really to do with CAPS - it's more because of the situational awareness that the avionics provide, the autopilot, the flight director, and the benign handling which makes it easy to transition to VMC at minimums and make a nice landing even in very unpleasant weather. I now fly a Mooney, and it is much harder work than the Cirrus - so my personal minimums are higher in it.
Despite the strong opinions that get expressed every time there is a Cirrus accident, there is no evidence in the accident data to suggest that Cirrus pilots are using CAPS to get out of situations that other pilots don't get into. For sure, some of them do stupid things - but sadly so do pilots of any other aircraft.
Adrian
You are inadvertently arguing one of the points that worry me
Your minima on an approach should not be determined by whether you have an all singing and dancing glass cockpit or a conventional steam driven variety!
They should be treated exactly the same regardless with regard to minima.
what you are saying is that in the cirrus you are more confident to descend lower on an approach because of the situational awareness that aircraft gives you while with the conventional Mooney you are less confident and hence won't descend as low on the approach?
That to me says that the aircraft determines your minima not your flying skills fine while the all singing and dancing cockpit sings and dances but not so fine when the singing and dancing stops which take my word technology does let you down big time whether in light singles or even in the jets I fly.
I have had an autopilot and flight director failure in a steam driven Citation and had to hand fly down through a solid 20K of cloud to a 200 foot overcast and minima on RVR into Germany! My minima was the same as had it been a fully working singing and dancing state of the art biz jet. I am nothing special its what is expected for safe IFR flight.
The aircraft should compliment your skills not the other way around
your skills set your minima in an IFR equipped aircraft not your technology
You are confirming the very point that technology is compensating for pilot skills and luring pilots into situations where they would not be comfortable without that technology.
that is a dangerous game! your points above in a very mild way others in a much more serious way and yes in the same way I am sure the BRS does lure pilots into a false sense of security making them fly in conditions they would be wary of in conventional aircraft.
I am no different as I know in my heart when I take up my 50 hrs Cirrus time I will be far more relaxed flying at night knowing I have the BRS than I would be in a conventional light single where I would turn away from a night flight of any distance.
Also as a pilot getting older it is a big comfort to know if the ticker goes bang my passengers have a relatively safe way of getting down
Pace