Jim,

Thanks for the comparison. The B200 is such a great aircraft. Those Garrets are awesome.

Maybe a Meridian guy can post so I can really feel bad about my fuel burn on short hops. LOL

Mike

TPE-331s are great, but I have Pratt & Whitney PT-6's. See my edited note about KA climbs in Foreflight.

Don't have my iPad with me, but the web version of Foreflight:

PVU - PGA, right now, FL260, 369 pounds of fuel, 1:00 flat, 25kt headwind

PGA - PVU, right now, FL270, 321 pounds of fuel, :50 minutes, 21kt tailwind

TPE-331s are great, but I have Pratt & Whitney PT-6's. See my edited note about KA climbs in Foreflight.

It's definitely a lot easier here in the middle of the country. I do always get a 2,500' level off when going from tower to Approach (I fly out of a satellite airport so I can sometimes get stuck at 2,500 for 1 or 2 minutes during the handoff) but then it's 15,000 and usually up to filed before I even get to 15,000.

But back to your situation, do the 121 flights get held down that long as well or just GA? If you can hang with the speed requirements on the 121 SIDs I would assume you could get better routing?

Nice, For sure Meridian wins on fuel cost. By a lot. Haha

Short hops are not a good scenario for Jet vs SETP comparison. But thats a good example of the difference. Thats why there is no perfect plane. I need 4 planes in the hangar then I could have the best for each mission.

For me the cost is worth it, especially with family on board.

Really wish there was a good way to have co ops. Years ago I bought into that kind of deal with a friend. Half a 500hp Lancair and 1/4 of and Eclipse. Was pretty cool combo. Super fast Single and really efficient micro jet.

But the reality is it was just a money thing. If I can afford it I would fly the safer Jet every time regardless of payload and mission. Mostly because I value my life as well.

I see a lot of guys flying SETP because of low fuel burn that could easily afford to fly a light jet.


Mike

I think that is a really inflated price. Aircraft Bluebook has 2001 Meridians at $600K average retail (likely ones with the lower gross weight).

I think the early ones are a really good value since you can do the full Garmin G500TXi/EIS/GTN/GFC600 upgrade.

I think that is a really inflated price. Aircraft Bluebook has 2001 Meridians at $600K average retail (likely ones with the lower gross weight).

I think the early ones are a really good value since you can do the full Garmin G500TXi/EIS/GTN/GFC600 upgrade.

No, it's ridiculous in a sense, because when I do fly the 121 routes for arrival, I'll get premature crossing altitudes to basically make sure I'm always below the commercial traffic above

Departure is the same thing, I'll get sent out of the way, southbound, until I'm far away enough not to matter and then I'll get transitioned over to center for the climb, the fun part on the departure/cruise segment is I'll usually get stuck under the DAL or AAL flight going between the same cities, and they'll be at 22000 or 23000, I'll be at 20 or 21, and going southbound to florida, Jax center will try to push me down so they can then let the 121 traffic down, and I've had to request vectors to deconflict but maintain altitude

I do these flights twice a week so I'm fairly adept with what they will want me to do, I just don't see how a Jet would benefit me at all, but like any pilot I am constantly looking and wondering, I think the KA is just about perfect, and even with that, I look at the Blackhawk upgrade which is probably in a 2-3 year horizon for me, and I don't see how it would really help either

I've adjusted my Foreflight to actual performance which has been tweaked over scores of flights to give me a very accurate flight time and fuel burn (-5% on speed and -12.5% on fuel). My dialed in Foreflight numbers for today are:

PVU - PGA at FL210 (fastest) is 1:00 and 317#s. PGA - PVU at FL300 is 0:52 and 262#s.

Are these max torque numbers? I feel my FF is fairly accurate (I have the FF Performance Plus), but this difference is substantial. I ran my numbers at max torque.

I have access to a CJ3 for fuel cost, contract pilot cost, engine reserves, and expenses. I'm CE-525(S) typed, but too cheap to pay for a recurrent and wouldn't fly enough to maintain "safe" currency. I've never taken the owner up on his offer. 2.5X the fuel burn plus another $5-10k in pilot and expenses depending on trip length and logistics. No thanks, I've already scratched that itch and am satisfied with my Meridian.

Yes, "Max Speed Cruise" as Foreflight calls it. I also climb at 125kts and descend at 1,500FPM to maximize time at cruise, maybe that contributes to the difference.

Or, my Meridian is just better than yours. :b

Yes, "Max Speed Cruise" as Foreflight calls it. I also climb at 125kts and descend at 1,500FPM to maximize time at cruise, maybe that contributes to the difference.

Or, my Meridian is just better than yours. :b

Between 1400-1800FPM down low and about 1000FPM in the flight levels.