1/8/2023 0 Comments Piper meridianThe increase of 40 HP with the Lycoming engine did not translate into increased performance. Sales did increase, but not all was well. So, in 1989 the Malibu Mirage entered the marketplace with the Lycoming 350 HP engine, a newly styled interior, a heated windshield (as opposed to the hot plate found on the Malibu), and a lot of hope that sales would increase. Lycoming also offered its engine in a 350 horsepower version, which made the PA46 look even better on paper. This gave Piper the push to consider another engine manufacturer, and Lycoming was ready and willing to offer up their TSIO 540 for the newly styled Malibu Mirage. Purportedly, Continental had some quality control issues in the late 1980s with the manufacturing of its engines. The Mirage has changed over the years in terms of styling, avionics and interior – but it still has the same proven airframe as back in 1989. And in the same year Piper went to electric flaps. In 1986, a new hydraulic system was installed. I normally fly a “cruise climb” of about 140 KIAS all the way up to the cruising altitude.Īs time progressed, Piper wanted to make the Malibu better and some upgrades came along. Takeoff performance in a Malibu is certainly not brisk, but you’ll get off the ground in less than 1,500 feet and climb out initially at 700 to 1,000 fpm depending upon weight and density altitude. The range is never an issue with the Malibu, so you’ll rarely tell the line guy to top it off as you do with most other airplanes. If your airplane has the optional STC to add 20 additional gallons of fuel, you can go even further and give your posterior chain a real test. I don’t know of any piston airplane that even comes close to that range capability. Even at normal cruise power, the Malibu can fly for over seven hours (1,400-plus nm), but if you pull the power back to economy cruise, you can fly for nearly nine hours and go over 1,500 nm. With 120 gallons of fuel available, the Malibu can stay aloft longer than any bladder reading this article. You’ll fly in the sweet spot regularly and still see cruise speeds of 195 to 200 KTAS with the fuel burn being 15.5 gph at all cruise altitudes with “normal cruise” power selected. The sweet spot for a Malibu is the upper teens to lower 20s. And the engine (especially the turbochargers) are working hard five miles up in the sky. But, the Malibu is not going to be flown at FL250 very often as it takes a long time for the Malibu to climb to FL250. I regularly see that kind of performance on every Malibu I fly. That’s stunning performance – literally the best efficiency of any airplane I’ve flown. A Malibu at FL250 will cruise at 210 KTAS and sip 15.5 gph. This is one of my favorite engines because it can be flown lean of peak, which allows for super efficient operations. The original engine selection for the Malibu was the 310-horsepower Continental 520. The Malibu was a fabulous design well received by the market. Because of liability laws that saddled manufacturers with horrific legal expenses, the mid-1980s was a time that saw most aircraft manufacturers slow production. The Piper Malibu was first available for purchase in 1984, and initial sales were strong as compared to other aircraft manufacturers. The Malibu Mirage first entered the marketplace in 1989 with the Lycoming 350 HP engine, newly styled interior and a heated windshield – with Garmin avionics later integrated. Yes, there is the Cirrus SR22 series and the Beechcraft Bonanza (both unpressurized), and the Cessna P210 (less-than-desirable pressurization), but there is no competitor that offers as complete of a package as the PA46. The PA46 is in a niche by itself, and this has placed Piper in the envious spot of having no true competitors. Simply put, there are other single-engine pressurized piston airplanes, but none that have the excellent pressurization, greater than 1,000 nm range capability, FIKI operations, cabin-class passenger comfort and flight control harmony that makes the piston PA46 a solid IFR platform. Said another way, the piston PA46 performs as a “big airplane” on a budget, and this has made it a sweet spot in the market.Ĭreated by a brilliant design team led by Jim Griswold and included present PA46 instructor and aerodynamicist John Mariani, this team dreamt big, producing a clean-sheet airplane that continues to stand the test of time. They fit a nice niche between the unpressurized semi-cross country piston airplanes and the pressurized “big airplanes” that are sometimes multi-engine and often turbines – but that always come with a hefty operating price tag. I think the piston versions of the PA46 are some of the sweetest airplanes on the planet. Editor’s note: Though neither are twin or turbine, these two make an exception to be included in this piston series.
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