BeechTalk - BT

Username Protected · **Posted:** 16 Apr 2017, 21:57

Username Protected wrote:

anemic climb rate. Ugh. I think my Baron is anemic. I haven't been happy with climb rate since I sold my SX.

Ok. You guys already talked me out of it.

Friends don't let friends buy Pipers! :tape:

Username Protected · **Posted:** 16 Apr 2017, 22:38

I am 6'3" and about 240. I could not get into the co pilot seat when the pilot who is a little shorter but more tank like was in the left front. As it was I was bumping the overhead in the rear facing seat . Very nice otherwise but I would not swap my Baron for one. I have another friend who has one that needed a new engine and it set him back about 90 Amus. It was a mid lifer making metal. Not fun.
Very comfortable in back though

Username Protected · **Posted:** 16 Apr 2017, 23:52

Username Protected wrote:

you can easily maintain for less than 10k per year assuming you do a good pre buy going in and don't have a windshield go out.

Many people who buy them seem to like service centers. The systems are all simple, any mechanic who works on a turbo cirrus can maintain. Join MMOPA and your mechanic can call kevin Meade for free, anytime. That saved me a lot of money. Read the forums, there are virtually zero issues you would have not documented there. Much cheaper to tell a mechanic to do X or Y vs paying them to troubleshoot and replace perfectly fine parts.

And for those who think I skimped on maint, Kevin Meade did my pre buy and the one for the next guy. Only issues found at the end was a leaky primer valve which had surfaced on my last flight pre pre buy for the new guy.

Hey Anthony,

Thanks for chiming in. I joined MMOPA and know that you are not the only person with that sort of an experience. TBH, I was a little surprised at Kevin's' quoted number. That said, Chad talked me through the number of recommended replacements etc from Piper for these birds and gave me the sense that, while his shop isn't cheap, it isn't making up the things they do either. For me, I ultimately decided I almost certainly needed a lot more experience of ownership before purchasing a PA46, even if the continental powered version would be a great fit for my mission.

Adside - both Chad and Kevin were incredibly helpful and generous with their time as I researched the malibu option. I recommend getting in touch with both if you get serious about buying one.

Cheers,
Chris

Username Protected · **Posted:** 17 Apr 2017, 08:24

Mirage and not a Malibu, but another reason to get a Bu is a screen shot like this.

My Mirage ran well LOP, but 308 knots across the ground at FL250 burning 15.6 gph. Can't get that kind of efficiency in my Jeep

They are not cheap to operate, but then they have practically 90% of the utility of a SETP or pressurized piston twin. Compare the operating costs to those aircraft, and they are downright cheap.

Attachment:

Mirage.jpg

Username Protected · **Posted:** 17 Apr 2017, 08:54

I'm in the same crowd as some others here. TN A36 is an awesome machine for me and the friends I fly. The only problems are no AC and young children. They hate wearing O2 so we are looking. I'm looking at partnering on one and throwing the A36 into the partnership. When flying with adults in the A36 just put in a portable AC and get up to the cold air and life is good.

I think having a Malibu and a TN A36 in a 2 man partnership is a pretty awesome way to go. Now I just need to find the plane. And a hangar. Don't underestimate how easy it is to find one.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 17 Apr 2017, 21:21

Username Protected wrote:

I recently did a lot of PA46 research. IMHO, the problem with them is the maintenance costs. Kevin Mead told me that a caught up, well maintained bird will cost around 16k/yr. Chad at Malibu Aerospace told me his customers median annual spend at his shop (excluding major engine overhauls) is an eye popping 22 AMU.

Icing penetration speed also intimidated me some...

Chris

I find this terribly difficult to believe. I use Chad's shop. The flat base fee for a Meridian is $4600. For a Malibu/Mirage it is $4500. I took my Meridian in for the first time to Chad last December and it was about $17k with a ton of squawks. He even said he was surprised at the number of squawks. You would have to have a ton of issues to go from $4500 to $22k for an annual.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 18 Apr 2017, 12:11

Username Protected wrote:

I recently did a lot of PA46 research. IMHO, the problem with them is the maintenance costs. Kevin Mead told me that a caught up, well maintained bird will cost around 16k/yr. Chad at Malibu Aerospace told me his customers median annual spend at his shop (excluding major engine overhauls) is an eye popping 22 AMU.

Icing penetration speed also intimidated me some...

Chris

I find this terribly difficult to believe. I use Chad's shop. The flat base fee for a Meridian is $4600. For a Malibu/Mirage it is $4500. I took my Meridian in for the first time to Chad last December and it was about $17k with a ton of squawks. He even said he was surprised at the number of squawks. You would have to have a ton of issues to go from $4500 to $22k for an annual.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 18 Apr 2017, 12:15

Not sure what that may be outside of oil changes. $22k per year still seems way out of the ordinary to me. As a PA46T driver and a member of MMOPA I just don't see how that can be unless something major breaks every year. I had a B36TC for 10 years. Flat fee annual was $3500, 1 AMU less than a Malibu. Turbocharged engine. If I had a $6k annual, that was a lot.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 18 Apr 2017, 12:18

The meridian has a $30k windshield that maybe lasts 10-12 years. A $4k battery that lasts 2-3 years. $20k+ boots that last 10 years. It adds up.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 18 Apr 2017, 12:27

Hmmm. I have a 2006 with an 11-year old windshield. I hope it lasts longer. I also just replaced my battery a month ago, ironically. It was almost 5 years old and was $3500. I doubt they are that much for the Malibu, which is what the discussion is on. My boots are 11 years old and they seem to be in perfect shape. Not sure why they would only last 10 years if properly cared for. Outside of an annual inspection and a little turbine oil here and there I have found the turbine Meridian to be easy to maintain and about as cheap as you can get for a turbine. No phase inspections. Just an annual, like any piston plane.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 18 Apr 2017, 13:08

Username Protected wrote:

Hmmm. I have a 2006 with an 11-year old windshield. I hope it lasts longer. I also just replaced my battery a month ago, ironically. It was almost 5 years old and was $3500. I doubt they are that much for the Malibu, which is what the discussion is on. My boots are 11 years old and they seem to be in perfect shape. Not sure why they would only last 10 years if properly cared for. Outside of an annual inspection and a little turbine oil here and there I have found the turbine Meridian to be easy to maintain and about as cheap as you can get for a turbine. No phase inspections. Just an annual, like any piston plane.

Why are jet batteries so insanely expensive? Is that a rhetorical question? :scratch:

Username Protected · **Posted:** 18 Apr 2017, 13:44

Username Protected wrote:

I doubt they are that much for the Malibu, which is what the discussion is on. .

In that case

Winshield, $30K, good luck if you get 15 years out of it
Heated stall warning switch $2K
R&R cylinder $2K
new style fuel caps $700 each
overhaul gear pump, $6K

THose are the ones I remember.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 18 Apr 2017, 14:21

Username Protected wrote:

I doubt they are that much for the Malibu, which is what the discussion is on. .

In that case

Winshield, $30K, good luck if you get 15 years out of it
Heated stall warning switch $2K
R&R cylinder $2K
new style fuel caps $700 each
overhaul gear pump, $6K

THose are the ones I remember.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 18 Apr 2017, 14:50

Why is it that the windshields need to be replaced so much?

Username Protected · **Posted:** 18 Apr 2017, 15:05

Username Protected wrote:

Why are jet batteries so insanely expensive? Is that a rhetorical question? :scratch:

They are big.

They have to handle 1000+ amps starting current.

They are on jets and turboprops.

The technology and competition are pretty stagnant.

Mike C.

Malibubu