Nice plane, I considered one for Basic med. For me I can’t make the 380 pound UL with full fuel work and for tall pilots it’s a problem getting in the front seats.

According to Flightaware….it flys at 175-185 kts in the high teens.

Full fuel useful should be over 500 lbs equipped with everything. Full fuel gives you 4.5 hrs range with IFR reserves so easy 800 nm. Farther if you pull the power back. As to normal cruise speed in basic med levels, should get 192 KTAS at 18,000 feet and increase or decrease about 2-2.5 knots per 1000 ft above or below that altitude. If you can run LOP range increases significantly, but not all run well LOP.

I was going to say about 190kts or so. We have been flying a lot of max weight flights in the AZ heat recently. The plane has a lot of gas and runs great ROP/LOP. It has a lot of range and flexibility to get where you need to go.

Very nice

I'm ignorant of the Piper line, for the most part.

What is the difference in Malibu and Mirage, and how do they compare to the Meridian (other than the turbine engine)?

Also what kind of fuel burn do you see at cruise?

Malibu is powered by the continental 520/550 with 310 HP. The Mirage with the Lycoming 540 and 350 HP. Most Mirages have the stronger wing spar developed for the Meridian. The Meridian is a purpose built Turbine with a new tail and wing as well as more robust systems and a 500 HP PT6-42. There are a lot of other differences, but those are the bigger differences.

On the Mirage ROP I would see fuel burn of 20.4-22 gph to keep CHTs below 380. LOP around 15.6-16.3 gph.

There are no "tip tanks" made for a PA-46. There is an extended range STC, which actually consists of new filler ports farther outboard that yield additional capacity in the wet wing. This provides for 10 more gallons per side, or about another hour of flight.

It’s a good question and I was wondering that as well.

I have flown a few Lycoming that just wouldn't go LOP. Is it fixable? I just kept hearing "some do and some don't." Seems to me that the best speed mod and UL add you can get is getting LOP in cruise. The PA46 is a logical next step for family guys like me, but I am 6'3". A36 just fits me better but if I let the family vote I would be flying a Malibu.

Beautiful plane that checks a whole lot of boxes.

I have flown a few Lycoming that just wouldn't go LOP. Is it fixable? I just kept hearing "some do and some don't." Seems to me that the best speed mod and UL add you can get is getting LOP in cruise. The PA46 is a logical next step for family guys like me, but I am 6'3". A36 just fits me better but if I let the family vote I would be flying a Malibu.

Beautiful plane that checks a whole lot of boxes.

I have flown a few Lycoming that just wouldn't go LOP. Is it fixable? I just kept hearing "some do and some don't." Seems to me that the best speed mod and UL add you can get is getting LOP in cruise. The PA46 is a logical next step for family guys like me, but I am 6'3". A36 just fits me better but if I let the family vote I would be flying a Malibu.

Beautiful plane that checks a whole lot of boxes.

They're amazing airplanes. I find it astonishing that Piper can make an airplane with AC/Pressurization/FIKI/Cabin class with basically the same engine as others - hello Bonanza - and those others provide none of those features. Makes me sad. Our airplanes could be so much more capable, even without turbine power.

I had one of my SC managers say that Lycoming has gotten better with the engines, probably incremental improved tooling and processes that allows them to run more precisely. But you do have to look at the plugs, the wires, the timing and the magneto's. Took me a while to identify bad plugs, wires and even some magnetos that were not up to par. These were new. When you run ROP, the extra fuel covers up a lot of gremlins, but if you want it to run LOP, sub par plugs, wires, timing will be uncovered. On an engine that is not very well instrumented, finding the issue can be a challenge. Things like running on one bank of plugs and going slowly from ROP to LOP can identify problem plugs/wires, and then run on the other bank. G0 back down and replace the plugs or wires on the cylinders that were not running well. Looking at injectors etc. So it takes a little work sometimes. Then when you have the SC change your oil and do full rich run ups, then you start over trying to unfoul the plugs. But when you get it dialed in.....

Here is 207 KTAS at FL250 on 16.1 gph Hottest cylinder 373.

What Chuck said. This Mirage runs great LOP. Another option I utilized today in an older Mirage that can’t run LOP is just pull the power back. I was on a family vacation in San Diego yesterday and I flew everyone home, ate lunch, flew to Florida for a work thing that I had this morning and I was home for dinner tonight in AZ. These planes can cover some ground….we haven’t flown on the airlines in 2 years.

SOLD...Thanks for the enquiries