Collection Gift Guide: The Pied Piper
12/01/2005
Piper Meridian Turboprop
Even when they take delivery on a new aircraft, many pilots are already
thinking about their next plane: one with more speed and enhanced capabilities.
Those who are trading up from a piston-powered single-engine airplane, however,
face a dilemma. Piston-powered twins—traditionally the next rung on the
ladder—have not been built in quantity for two decades, and the older,
maintenance-intensive aircraft may require extensive refurbishing. The
alternatives—a larger twin-engine turboprop or a light jet—might be too much
airplane, requiring additional flight training and perhaps a temporary second
pilot to satisfy the insurance company.
Piper’s solution for these pilots is the PA 46-500TP Meridian, a capable, high-flying, all-weather aircraft with simplified systems that ensure a comfortable transition for those moving up to a new, more complex plane. The single-engine turboprop features the powerful Pratt & Whitney PT-6 turbine engine; it offers speed, reliability, and smoothness with a large pressurized and air-conditioned six-passenger cabin.
The Meridian sits high on its landing gear and looks impressive on the ramp.
Entry is through an “air stair” door, the civilized entry portal usually found
on jets and other large aircraft. The spacious cockpit is geared to the
leather-upholstered pilot’s seat which faces an impressive array of avionics.
The Meridian employs the Avidyne FlightMax Entegra Flat Panel Display System as
its standard avionics suite; the fully integrated three-screen display carries
all of the aircraft’s operational, navigational, and weather avoidance
information, as well as an autopilot flight control system and comprehensive
airframe ice protection. In addition, the test aircraft included an optional
Enhanced Situational Awareness Package featuring Honeywell’s traffic and terrain
avoidance system, and a WX-500 Storm Scope, a second transponder, and C-Max
electronic approach charts.
With the 500 hp PT-6 turbine engine running and the avionics powered up, it
takes about two minutes for the Avidyne system to initialize its GPS and
stabilize the gyro displays. A quick run-up procedure checks the prop controller
and safety systems. Pushing the power lever provides powerful, vibration-free
thrust from the PT-6. Rotation is called for at 85 knots, and the Meridian lifts
with light control pressure. Once the landing gear and flaps retract, the
125-knot best-rate-of-climb speed is established, giving 1,500 fpm. Lowering the
nose for better visibility, I accelerated to 145 knots for a climb rate of 1,000
fpm in the summer heat. This performance can be expected all the way to a cruise
altitude of 25,000 feet without exceeding the turbine engine’s temperature
limits, an advantage of the understressed powerplant.
The Avidyne system displays operational and navigational data in high resolution. (
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Click image to enlarge.)The large, high-resolution Avidyne display panels carry all flight instrument information and the engine’s power setting. The center screen can be configured to display any combination of engine gauges, or show the pictorial moving map for navigation, along with the appropriate radio frequencies. During the flight, the Situational Awareness System chirps verbal call-outs for air traffic, heading, altitude, and terrain clearance. The comprehensive system monitors all aspects of the flight.
My first aircraft was a Piper Cherokee, and I was pleasantly surprised to see
the familiar Piper virtues of stability and solid instrumentation in the
sophisticated Meridian, which also continues the tradition of being easy to trim
and hand fly for long periods.
The big Piper is at its most efficient at a recommended cruise altitude of
25,000 feet, averaging 255 knots (293 mph) true airspeed and burning 250 pounds
(36 gallons) of Jet A per hour. With 175 gallons of fuel on board, the Meridian
provides about 4.2 hours of cruise with adequate IFR reserves remaining, and
works out to a range of 1,000+ nautical miles. This makes the Meridian ideal for
personal executive transport.
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Passengers enter via an “air stair” door. (Click on image to enlarge.)On approach to the runway, the wide blades of the large prop make specific speed brakes unnecessary. Turbine engines don’t suffer from shock cooling, and I found myself somewhat fast and high on approach; a tug on the power lever gave me the accelerated descent rate and speed reduction that I needed—a bricklike 2,000 fpm and 90 knots—to make the runway. The relatively high descent rate prompted the Avidyne’s female voice to chime in with an anxious “Descending! Pull up!” but I landed uneventfully in a flat attitude, the landing gear’s long stroke smoothing out the touchdown. It was an indication of the Meridian’s flexibility and exceptional flying qualities, and a tribute to its straightforward handling.
Moving up to a Meridian—priced at just under $2 million—can greatly extend a pilot’s reach with its speed, all-weather capability, comfort, and safety. And in the case of an entrepreneur, it means dinner at home with the family after a successful day of visiting far-flung clients.
New Piper Aircraft, 772.567.4361, www.newpiper.com