I wish! My original post is typical routing at FL280. Using 800 and 500 (with direct routing), it shows 44lbs and 49lbs short on fuel - respectively. I just can't afford to takeoff with it showing short on fuel, especially with the likely chance of an early descent from ATC.

It has been a wonderful 2 years with this plane, but I'm always struggling on range.

Main difference is the provision for FCU manual override I think?

Chris, don’t your -42s qualify for pratt’s “flat rate” overhaul deal? Is this just a marketing pitch? Says 310k or capped at 385k if LLP parts needed.

https://www.pwc.ca/en/products-and-serv ... ul-program

The range issues are why we skipped the Meridian and went straight to a used M600. Range is just not an issue in that airplane....

We had a similar trip recently westbound from Miami (KTMB) to Houston (KTME); 850 nm plus/minus, into headwinds that were between 70 and 115 knots. Over the Gulf on the Q/Y airways at FL300. Nonstop in 5.5 flight time, just under 400# remaining. Long ride but the trip just would not have been feasible if we had to make a fuel stop because the Gulf Coast from Louisiana to the FL panhandle was smothered in convection and icing. Smooth ride above the winter weather over the Gulf nonstop.

That's where the M600 really shines.

Cheers

At FL300 is the 10k light on in the cabin for pressurization?

Yes. Not a big deal. The light and horn comes on. Silence the horn and keep monitoring your oxygen levels. I use a Wellue ring that vibrates if I get below 90%. I don't mind wearing a canula, so I generally put on supplemental oxygen above 7-8,000' during the day and 5,000' at night. So the 10k light is pretty meaningless to me as I'm already "suited up". I spend a lot more time at FL290 and FL300 than I thought. I don't regret purchasing the RVSM STC.

Thanks. keep looking at it when flight planning, wasn't sure how often I'd use it, friend today with M500 said that he was concerned with light. Neither of us has clearly done it.

We fly our M600 at 290 and 300 a lot, especially for max range trips. Cabin altitude at 300 is approximately 10,600’. The RVSM STC makes a lot of sense for our aircraft use case. If you’re doing much shorter trips, perhaps not so much. It really depends on the mission although there are times when having that extra 2000’ makes a difference for getting on top or out of ice.

Minimum. That’s assuming things go well. A friend of mine has a Meridian and I own a 58P. At 7 years in I am light years ahead in maintenance cost. He’s had a fuel controller that was big money. He’s had a hot section crack which was big big money. The prop overhaul is more than double. I hear this “you can own a MU-2 for less than a Baron” crap on here all the time and from years and years of experience working with people that have owned them it’s just not at all the case. Yes, for maybe a year or two you can buy say an MU-2, fly it and flip it without issue and maybe claim you ran it cheaper but if you keep running a turboprop for a very long duration it will have an ‘event’ that will flip your math in the piston twin direction in a big hurry.
I’m not going to try and defend what I just said to ‘said group’ because I’ve been on here long enough to know their ears are not open but this is just the experience I have seen over the years of comparing with many that own TPs and many mechanics that work on both.

Pretty much, yes.

Joe this thread got bumped and caught my attention.

Do you mind sharing your thoughts on 5 years of ownership now?

Sure, the first three years of ownership I flew the Meridian 450 hours, I was averaging about 70 hours per year in the Bonanza so my hours on average more than doubled compared to the A36.

Maintenance wise we have averaged $33,000.00 per year over 4 annuals. Insurance averaged $13,000.00 per year the first three years, the A36 was around $4,000.00 per year. Fuel cost is approximately $20,000.00 per year more but flying more than double the hours I was flying the A36.

The Meridian is everything everyone told me it would be when I was considering the move. It was an easy transition from the A36. However times have changed and now my son fly’s the Meridian. I have moved on to a more capable airplane, no it’s not an M600 when I compared one to a TBM930 I picked it over the M600.

First year annual on TBM was $43,000.00 (found out brakes are expensive). Next year will be even more since it will be 10 years old and has some expensive 10 year items that I will do even though I’m part 91 to preserve value.

So yes TBM’s are more expensive but it really is an apples to oranges comparison. Let me know if you have any other questions

Joe

Thanks for sharing, appreciate the data.

Enjoy the TBM!

Minimum. That’s assuming things go well. A friend of mine has a Meridian and I own a 58P. At 7 years in I am light years ahead in maintenance cost. He’s had a fuel controller that was big money. He’s had a hot section crack which was big big money. The prop overhaul is more than double. I hear this “you can own a MU-2 for less than a Baron” crap on here all the time and from years and years of experience working with people that have owned them it’s just not at all the case. Yes, for maybe a year or two you can buy say an MU-2, fly it and flip it without issue and maybe claim you ran it cheaper but if you keep running a turboprop for a very long duration it will have an ‘event’ that will flip your math in the piston twin direction in a big hurry.
I’m not going to try and defend what I just said to ‘said group’ because I’ve been on here long enough to know their ears are not open but this is just the experience I have seen over the years of comparing with many that own TPs and many mechanics that work on both.

I disagree : I own 2 Meridians, both have @ 1750H since NEW.

One had just gone through it's 1st HSI: Over $250K in repairs, including a New combustion liner.

On the second Meridian, @ 1,600H since NEW, it had a small "event" that resulted in over $200K in repairs INCLUDING welding HS cracks (so much for "A hot section crack would be very rare" ).

I have gone through many Meridian logbooks, I'm an A&P/IA - it's my JOB, and >$100K repairs @ HSI are the NORM, not the exception.

Make no mistake about it: The financial " step up " versus piston is substantial, and in the case of the PA46, I would venture x2, all costs and expenses included .

isn't it a PT6? what is different about this application, since we usually do not see HS cracks in PT6s at 1700 hrs?