Lycoming also offered its engine in a 350 horsepower version, which made the PA46 look even better on paper.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. An active instructor in the PA46 and King Air markets, he has accumulated 14,300-plus hours of flight time, with more than 5,200 dual-given as a flight instructor. Today, with the addition of the Garmin G1000 NXi avionics, Piper renamed the Mirage the “M350,” and it is a fabulous airplane.The M350 that rolls off the assembly line in Vero Beach today is the best version in a long line of incremental changes in the PA46, and it is exquisite. 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. The owners of the Malibu and Mirage aircraft banded together to save the PA46, and in doing so created an organization that has become the flagship of OPAs (Owners and Pilots Associations).
We have 29 PIPER MALIBU SERIES Aircraft For Sale. Deliveries started two months later. A Malibu at FL250 will cruise at 210 KTAS and sip 15.5 gph.
If the performance issues were not enough, the Lycoming engine presented an internal problem for Piper.The Mirage engine had huge crankshaft troubles in the early 1990s. The Malibu was a fabulous design well received by the market.The original engine selection for the Malibu was the 310-horsepower Continental 520. With well over 2,000 airframes on the market since 1984, the PA46 fleet enjoys robust consideration from STC-developing entrepreneurs. It is a mature product that performs extremely well.So, which PA46 should you consider buying/operating? When Mr. Piper introduced the Piper Cub in 1937, he had a dream – the freedom of flight for everyone. 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.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. For a 1,000 nmi (1,900 km) trip, block fuel is 985 lb (447 kg) at 233 kn (432 km/h) block speed, while its maximum cruise speed is 260 kn (480 km/h).Piper Aircraft no longer refers to their top-of-the-line aircraft with the names Malibu, Malibu Mirage or Malibu Meridian. 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. The Malibu- for example- manages about 210 to 220 knots true airspeed up at about FL230 while consuming about 22 to 24 gallons per hour. Over 130,000 aircraft later, generations have lived that dream. The only way to decrease the excess TIT is to lower the power (at the sacrifice of speed) or enrichen the mixture and cruise (at normal cruise power setting) with a fuel flow of 21 to 22 gph.So, despite the increase in 40 HP, the Mirage is no faster than the Malibu and climbs no better than a Malibu – it only burns more fuel. The sweet spot for a Malibu is the upper teens to lower 20s. The M600 has 600 hp (447 kW) and a price tag of $2.82 million. Many simply closed their doors. In 1986, a new hydraulic system was installed. To compound the problems, there were some fatal accidents in the early 1990s that caught the attention of both the public at large and the FAA. The performance of the bigger 350 HP engine was also offset by the addition of about 200 pounds of nicer interior. The G1000 NXi system includes an automatic wings-level function and control override to prevent exceeding the plane's flight envelope. That silver lining was the formation of the Malibu/Mirage Owners and Pilots Association (MMOPA). Training in Pipers. 1 - 24 Piper emerged out of bankruptcy and production continued.As with most dark clouds, there’s typically is a silver lining. Search our listings for used & new airplanes updated daily from 100's of private sellers & dealers. © 2018 Twin & Turbine - All Rights Reserved | Both are fabulous airplanes that flat-out perform. 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. The PA-46 line of aircraft, as of 2015, is now referred to as the Piper M-Class. Those who migrate to the Malibu are driven by efficiency. The piston PA46, whether Malibu or Mirage, is an excellent airplane for the owner that wants long-range, all-weather, IFR capability. It needs about 2-550 feet of take-off space to clear a 50-foot obstacle and climbs at about 1-200 fpm. The M350 is fitted with the same 350 hp (261 kW) turbocharged Lycoming TIO-540-AE2A engine and The M500 is an updated version of the Meridian. This is one of my favorite engines because it can be flown lean of peak, which allows for super efficient operations. Contact Joe at joe@flycasey.com or 903.721.9549. Phone: 1-800-773-7798
EDITORIAL OFFICE • 2779 Aero Park Drive • Traverse City, MI 49686
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. 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.With 120 gallons of fuel available, the Malibu can stay aloft longer than any bladder reading this article.
But, this creates a TIT that is far too high to ensure engine longevity. THE MALIBU. The M350, M500 and the newest M600 make up the entire M-Class line. And in the same year Piper went to electric flaps. But, the Malibu literally saved Piper. 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.