Piper Malibu PA-46: XNUMXth aircraft rolled off the assembly line

The PA-46 model is better known as the Piper Malibu. The car is apparently named after the American resort on the Pacific coast, famous for its beaches and the TV series. This is not surprising: initially aircraft, developed by Piper Aircraft, was intended for recreational travel.


The aircraft was conceived in 1977 as a competitor to the increasingly popular Cessna 210 Centurion (produced from 1957 to 1985). The business jet first took to the skies in November 1979, and its mass production began in 1983.


The plane was developed from scratch: maybe that is partly why it became popular. Today, its modifications fly all over the world. Piper Malibu is used by private individuals and air carriers for local flights. The machines were exclusively piston-engined, only comparatively recently a turboprop version appeared.

Development of the model

The pre-production model made its first flight in 1982, and the type certificate was received the following year. A month after the official "recognition" of the aircraft, its deliveries to customers began: first with a Continental TSIO-520 engine (it was installed on the first 404 units of equipment). The power unit had a turbocharger and developed 250-310 "horses". Quite a popular engine, the production of which began back in 1964, and, with minor changes, continues today. For example, it is equipped with the Tecnam P2012 Traveller. The power of the internal combustion engine was subsequently increased to 375 hp.


But at that time this engine did not have such "horses", and the manufacturer of "Malibu" installed on its plane TSIO-520BE, developing 310 hp. The machine received the index PA-46-310P. On it, pilot Steve Stout even set several speed records in competitions for single-engine aircraft. His Malibu N9114B flew from Seattle to New York, developing 402,336 km/h. And the pilot covered the distance from Chicago to Toronto in 1989 at a speed of 706,52 km/h.

Engine problems

Despite the advertising records, Piper Aircraft was forced to abandon the internal combustion engines produced by Continental Aerospace Technologies back in 1986. This was due to a number of engine failures that led to accidents and disasters. As a result of one of the incidents involving the crash of a Malibu due to an internal combustion engine failure, the pilot managed to sue the engine manufacturer for $32 million. However, experts were sure that the malfunctions were related to improper operation of the engine, designed for the use of a lean mixture.


At that time, most pilots preferred the usual enrichment mode - rich side of peak TIT. This caused a sharp increase in temperature and pressure in the cylinders, which led to engine failure. As practice showed, those pilots who followed the manufacturer's recommendations operated Continental engines without problems. And yet, Piper Aircraft decided to release the next modification of the business jet with a different power unit.

PA-46-350P «Mirage»

The aircraft received its own name – Malibu Mirage. The aircraft has been on the assembly line since 1988. Now it was equipped with a Textron Lycoming TIO-540-AE2A engine, producing 350 “horses”, which is recorded in the product index. The turbocharged engine allowed the aircraft to reach speeds of up to 408 km/h.


In case of failure of the power unit, the aircraft, thanks to its excellent aerodynamics, could glide from a height of 6,7 km to a distance of up to 90 km. The flight range is 2491 km, and the maximum ceiling is 7,62 km. The machine is made airtight: the pressure inside is the same as at an altitude of 1800 m above sea level. This prevents the ears from "blocking" when the model moves vertically.

M350

A modified version of the Mirage. It has the same engine. The main difference is the Garmin G1000 NXi instrumentation with an anti-icing and hypoxia system. In the latter case, we mean the pilot losing consciousness. Then the Malibu will automatically go down.


Despite the comfort and more powerful engine, the aircraft was considered a "workhorse" - it was eagerly bought by everyone: both businessmen and air carriers. In 2013, Piper Aircraft proudly announced to the media that the 800th Mirage model had rolled out of its gates.

PA-46-500TP "Malibu Meridian"

In 1997, the manufacturer of the popular brand decided to equip the aircraft with another engine - a turboprop Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-42A with a capacity of 500 "horses". In the cockpit - avionics Garmin G1000 with autopilot GFC 700 from the same manufacturer. Also appeared winglets on slightly larger wings. A satellite system, air conditioning, anti-icing device and much more are optionally available.


The spacious interior, designed for five people (the number may vary depending on the layout), has leather seats that can be adjusted in tilt and height. Each seat has individual lighting and air conditioning controls.

M500 and M600

A pair of upgraded versions of the Meridian, which, like the M350, received Garmin G1000 NXi avionics with hypoxia protection, like the M350. The engine is the same Pratt & Whitney PT6A-42A, with a fuel consumption of 140 l/h. The second version, presented in 2015, has the full name PA-46-600TP.


It has a more powerful 600 hp engine. The flight range is 2748 km, the maximum speed is 507 km/h. Since 2020, the manufacturer has been offering the option of integrating an automatic landing system into the avionics.

Piper PA-46R-350T Matrix

The machine was presented in 2007 and surprised with unexpected characteristics. Everyone is used to the fact that each subsequent model surpasses the previous one in some parameters. And here the manufacturer talks about the release of an aircraft with a power reduced to 350 hp and a cabin without pressurization.


The goal of Piper Aircraft is obvious: to make an airplane for a niche of aviation enthusiasts who do not require high altitude or flight speed. For such people, cost-effectiveness, convenience and affordability of equipment are more important. And indeed: with excellent comfort for less money, the buyer received a reliable (which has been tested for decades) machine with relatively low fuel consumption.


The Matrix looks exactly like the Mirage. The chassis is folding, the number of seats is 6. The refusal of pressurization allowed to reduce the weight of the aircraft, which made it possible to take on board more cargo.


All other main technical characteristics of the updated machine are the same as those of the Mirage. Maximum fuel economy is achieved when flying at an altitude of 3,6 km with a cruising speed of 349 km/h. The empty aircraft weighs 1,362 tons, and the takeoff weight is almost 2 tons.

M700 Fury

The model was introduced last year and is intended to replace the M600. As can be seen from the index, it has a 700 hp engine. On board is the G3000 avionics.


In February, the aircraft received FAA 29 certification, and in August, another FAA document allowing the model to be operated on airfields with unpaved runways. The aircraft went into production: the first example that rolled out of the factory gates became the 1000th aircraft under the Piper Malibu PA-46 brand.