I don't buy the neutralize nose gear theory. I land with 3-clicks of left rudder trim, and always have. In a cross wind, I fly a forward slip and do the normal upwind main downwind main, nose gear sequence, and put the nose gear down with the rudder where it needs to be. In a stiff crosswind if you neutralize the rudder right at touch down, you don't have the flight surfaces in the right place, and you don't have enough weight on wheels for ground control, so you have the worst of both worlds.

I don't release rudder trim in the descent. I have thought about changing my technique, but I have over 2000 landings without issue, so I am very reluctant to change. I do know that if you have the yoke in your lap when you land, that you can move that nose tire left and right and it will skid, not grab.

Piper does have a new nose gear for the M600 which is a new design, and has better handling, but if you are a stick and rudder pilot, the plane lands beautifully. If you are a plop it down feet flat on the floor pilot, going to be squirrelly sometimes. I came out of a Cirrus which is another plane that can bite you if you land sloppy. That is probably the best training for a PA46, besides a tail wheel.

When I started flying PA46's nobody ever told me they were hard to land. So I was pretty surprised to find that out on aviation forums. Coming from a very light GA aircraft, I always thought it was easier. It is very stable, and pretty forgiving of bad technique. But some people try harder than others to biff it

Buy a TBM
Far better range and speed

Buy a TBM
Far better range and speed

I thought guys that buy newer SETP don’t care about cap and MX cost? Haha

If you care about cap cost buy a legacy Citation.

Mike

I cannot understand why anyone would want a Meridian over a 501.

Experience or lack thereof.

Cost of operation, including engine reserves.

For me it is my home airport near my house is only 2700'. Works well with a TBM. If I moved to a 501 I would need to base over 15 miles away. I work on my own plane using local resources I wouldn't have at a larger airport.

Buy a TBM
Far better range and speed

Capital cost I could see being close for used examples of both but I would think the 501 would be almost triple on fuel, mx, engine reserves.

Cost of capital makes this much closer in modern times with high interest rates.

A $2M Meridian will cost $120-140K/year in interest on a loan, and probably more than that in lost investment income if you paid in cash.

That is enough to buy ~27,000 gallons of fuel, or enough to fuel a 501 for 180 hours/year.

When you consider total costs, all money in, all money out, then the true costs of owning an expensive airplane become apparent.

As for engine reserves, many personal legacy Citations are being flown past TBO which makes those engine hours very economical.

No SETP can compete with the comfort, speed, and safety of a twin jet. Engine failure is a nuisance, not a life critical event.

Mike C.

I suspect I am maintaining my 560 for less than the average TBM. They are noted to be somewhat high maintenance. I don't know about the Meridian but assume it is less than a TBM.

Fuel is more. No question. I burn slightly less than double the fuel per mile as my MU2, about 1.8 times. Throw in a 100 knot headwind, and the jet ratio is not as bad. You spend most of your time in headwinds.

The engines do cost more to OH and HSI. But you also get more miles per cycle, too, so that lowers the impact somewhat.

The primary issue with SETP is the high capital cost, a factor many people simply ignore when comparing the economic impact of owning any particular airplane.

Mike C.

Cost of capital makes this much closer in modern times with high interest rates.

A $2M Meridian will cost $120-140K/year in interest on a loan, and probably more than that in lost investment income if you paid in cash.

That is enough to buy ~27,000 gallons of fuel, or enough to fuel a 501 for 180 hours/year.

When you consider total costs, all money in, all money out, then the true costs of owning an expensive airplane become apparent.

As for engine reserves, many personal legacy Citations are being flown past TBO which makes those engine hours very economical.

No SETP can compete with the comfort, speed, and safety of a twin jet. Engine failure is a nuisance, not a life critical event.

Mike C.

There are some STCs that allow this already. Two such examples:

https://skyaviationholdings.com/tbo-extension/

https://skyway-mro.com/flex-program-ove ... -my-jt15d/

The FAA rules have always allowed operating past TBO for part 91.

There are an increasing number of such cases operating now.


The TBO Extension folks say their program can go 2000 hours past TBO. Presumably they demonstrated this for the FAA to approve their STC.


We shall see.

I expect it will not end badly. The JT15D is very robust as an engine and other engines that run hotter, like FJ44 and PW500 series, already have 5000 hour TBOs.

For me, one more HSI past TBO will be another 2000 hours. At my usage of about 125 hours/year, that's 16 years from now. I am unlikely to be flying this plane by then.

An added benefit of flying a beyond TBO airplane is that your hull value is low and thus your insurance rates are low. This also applies to taxes.

Mike C.

There are some STCs that allow this already. Two such examples:

https://skyaviationholdings.com/tbo-extension/

https://skyway-mro.com/flex-program-ove ... -my-jt15d/

The FAA rules have always allowed operating past TBO for part 91.

There are an increasing number of such cases operating now.


The TBO Extension folks say their program can go 2000 hours past TBO. Presumably they demonstrated this for the FAA to approve their STC.


We shall see.

I expect it will not end badly. The JT15D is very robust as an engine and other engines that run hotter, like FJ44 and PW500 series, already have 5000 hour TBOs.

For me, one more HSI past TBO will be another 2000 hours. At my usage of about 125 hours/year, that's 16 years from now. I am unlikely to be flying this plane by then.

An added benefit of flying a beyond TBO airplane is that your hull value is low and thus your insurance rates are low. This also applies to taxes.

Mike C.

11,200 hours, say it 3 times! I bought a couple of JT15Ds off of NetJets birds and this was their fleetwide TBO. They did hots on a 1500 hour cycle. So yes, I firmly believe 3,500 hours means absolutely nothing on a Citation motor.