BeechTalk - BT

Username Protected · **Posted:** 08 Aug 2013, 10:29

Love the TBM. I do not love the acquisition costs? I really like the G1000! I know I could swing an older 700 or a 700B. To add the g1000 is another 400k.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 08 Aug 2013, 11:08

A reasonably priced modern 4-6 place 240-250kts pressurized Jet A powered airplane in the $1MM- $2MM price range would be a hit as there is not really anything in the market that does that now. Essentially a Meridian but without all of the design and quality issues. Maybe the Lancair Evolution will get certified.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 08 Aug 2013, 13:10

Username Protected wrote:

A reasonably priced modern 4-6 place 240-250kts pressurized Jet A powered airplane in the $1MM- $2MM price range would be a hit as there is not really anything in the market that does that now. Essentially a Meridian but without all of the design and quality issues. Maybe the Lancair Evolution will get certified.

The Evolution is about $1.2 if you build it before certification costs. No way it gets certified and stays under $2M

Tim

Username Protected · **Posted:** 08 Aug 2013, 19:22

Username Protected wrote:

I'm not sure what you are getting at on the Meridian vs JetProp as far as the airframe part goes. They are both the exact same plane essentially. The biggest difference is that Piper added wedges to the wings to hold more fuel and had to increase the size of the tail for stall characteristics because of the negative effects that wing wedge created.

If I was choosing between the two, I'd go with the JetProp every time. The engine that Piper chose for the Meridian IMO was where they went wrong. If they would have chosen the same one Rocket did for the JetProp they would have a winner. Instead they have had a history of oil pump issues (I forget the exact reasoning but it has to do with the engine they chose). I wouldn't want to be flying a Meridian and wondering in the back of my head if my pump is going to go out while I'm in mid flight.

The JetProp is every bit as fast as the Meridian if not faster and does it on less fuel burn, better rate of climb, etc.

As far as the rear cabin heat goes, Rocket came up with a fix for that in the JetProp so that isn't as much of an issue any more.

As I said before, there are definite camps on jetprop vs meridian. I like both airplanes. That being said, I don't think Piper got it wrong with the -42 in the meridian, even though it isn't as efficient as the jetprop. They were trying to fill a need which is minimal workload for the pilot. The jetprop does require more user intervention (prop, oil cooler, ice doors) than the meridian. Some of it I miss (I would like to be able to adjust my prop), some I don't.

They are both very fine machines and YMMV is very apt here.

-jason

Username Protected · **Posted:** 08 Aug 2013, 19:25

Username Protected wrote:

The jetprop does require more user intervention (prop, oil cooler, ice doors) than the meridian. Some of it I miss (I would like to be able to adjust my prop), some I don't.

Is the Meridian prop set at a fixed speed ?

Username Protected · **Posted:** 08 Aug 2013, 19:45

Username Protected wrote:

The jetprop does require more user intervention (prop, oil cooler, ice doors) than the meridian. Some of it I miss (I would like to be able to adjust my prop), some I don't.

Is the Meridian prop set at a fixed speed ?

Username Protected · **Posted:** 08 Aug 2013, 20:22

Meridian prop runs at 2000 RPM. No prop lever.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 08 Aug 2013, 20:24

Username Protected wrote:

Meridian prop runs at 2000 RPM. No prop lever.

How do you feather it if you have to ?

Username Protected · **Posted:** 08 Aug 2013, 20:26

Username Protected wrote:

How do you feather it if you have to ?

When you pull condition lever to cut-off it feathers the prop. Pretty easy.

You do kind of lament the loss of being able to "do" everything, but after using it for a year, I actually like the simplicity.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 08 Aug 2013, 20:27

I have heard/given many analogies for Jetprop vs. Meridian

Coke vs. Pepsi
Cathoic vs. Protestant
Palestinian vs. Israeli (though I got some flak for that one)
PC vs. Mac

I think the most apt is

Stick shift BMW (Jetprop) vs. Automatic mercedes

Jetprop is a more involved tinkerer's plane. Meridian is a set and forget travel plane.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 08 Aug 2013, 21:48

Username Protected wrote:

I have heard/given many analogies for Jetprop vs. Meridian

Coke vs. Pepsi
Cathoic vs. Protestant
Palestinian vs. Israeli (though I got some flak for that one)
PC vs. Mac

I think the most apt is

Stick shift BMW (Jetprop) vs. Automatic mercedes

Jetprop is a more involved tinkerer's plane. Meridian is a set and forget travel plane.

I suppose. I guess as a pilot, I don't like not having control over what is going on. I want to be able to feather the prop without cutting the engine. I also want the choice of engaging the ice door or not. I'm always looking for ways to improve efficiency and the fact that the Meridian is set up in full time open inertial separator would drive me nuts knowing that you are just leaving efficiency off the table.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 08 Aug 2013, 22:37

Username Protected wrote:

I have heard/given many analogies for Jetprop vs. Meridian

Coke vs. Pepsi
Cathoic vs. Protestant
Palestinian vs. Israeli (though I got some flak for that one)
PC vs. Mac

I think the most apt is

Stick shift BMW (Jetprop) vs. Automatic mercedes

Jetprop is a more involved tinkerer's plane. Meridian is a set and forget travel plane.

I suppose. I guess as a pilot, I don't like not having control over what is going on. I want to be able to feather the prop without cutting the engine. I also want the choice of engaging the ice door or not. I'm always looking for ways to improve efficiency and the fact that the Meridian is set up in full time open inertial separator would drive me nuts knowing that you are just leaving efficiency off the table.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 09 Aug 2013, 00:05

How hard is to open and close an inertial seperator. I like to ajust my own prop to the rpm I want. I agree a -135 Meridian with inertial seperator would be a better more efficient airplane. With 170 gls of fuel the range would be better.
I dont know why Rocket is not converting it, I know they tough of it, maybe its their next project after the Cougar Baron.

Username Protected wrote:

I'm not sure what you are getting at on the Meridian vs JetProp as far as the airframe part goes. They are both the exact same plane essentially. The biggest difference is that Piper added wedges to the wings to hold more fuel and had to increase the size of the tail for stall characteristics because of the negative effects that wing wedge created.

If I was choosing between the two, I'd go with the JetProp every time. The engine that Piper chose for the Meridian IMO was where they went wrong. If they would have chosen the same one Rocket did for the JetProp they would have a winner. Instead they have had a history of oil pump issues (I forget the exact reasoning but it has to do with the engine they chose). I wouldn't want to be flying a Meridian and wondering in the back of my head if my pump is going to go out while I'm in mid flight.

The JetProp is every bit as fast as the Meridian if not faster and does it on less fuel burn, better rate of climb, etc.

As far as the rear cabin heat goes, Rocket came up with a fix for that in the JetProp so that isn't as much of an issue any more.

As I said before, there are definite camps on jetprop vs meridian. I like both airplanes. That being said, I don't think Piper got it wrong with the -42 in the meridian, even though it isn't as efficient as the jetprop. They were trying to fill a need which is minimal workload for the pilot. The jetprop does require more user intervention (prop, oil cooler, ice doors) than the meridian. Some of it I miss (I would like to be able to adjust my prop), some I don't.

They are both very fine machines and YMMV is very apt here.

-jason

Username Protected · **Posted:** 09 Aug 2013, 08:37

I seem to remember an issue with the Meridian nose gear. Several planes had rapid, dramatic departures from the runway upon touchdown, presumably because the nose gear was pointed at a radical direction as it touched down. Is it true that the nose gear rotates 90 degrees as it extends/retracts?

Username Protected · **Posted:** 09 Aug 2013, 08:40

Username Protected wrote:

I seem to remember an issue with the Meridian nose gear. Several planes had rapid, dramatic departures from the runway upon touchdown, presumably because the nose gear was pointed at a radical direction as it touched down. Is it true that the nose gear rotates 90 degrees as it extends/retracts?

The nose gear is bolted to the engine mount. It was more of an issue that the engine mount was too flimsy to carry the loads. IIRC it required a modification of the engine mount.

Piper Meridian