Piper PA-46 (Malibu / Matrix)

History of the Piper PA-46 (Malibu/Matrix)

The Piper PA-46 Malibu and Matrix are a family of American light aircraft built by Piper Aircraft of Vero Beach, Florida. The plane is powered by one engine and can accommodate a pilot and five passengers. Early Malibuses were all piston engines, but there were also turboprop versions, introduced as the Malibu Meridian but now designated as the M500.

Piper currently offers M350, M500 and M600 models in the PA-46 series.

The PA-46 was the third single-engine pressurized piston aircraft to enter the market after the Mooney M22 and Cessna P210 Centurion, and the only one still in production.

Work on the PA-46 began in the late 1970s, with the first flight of the prototype (PA-46-300T) on 30 November 1979. This model was released in November 1982, apparently to compete with the latest offering from the Cessna era, the P210 Centurion.

Like the Centurion, the Malibu has a cabin pressure of 5.5 psi (380 hPa), a feature not included in the prototype.

Specification

BASICS

Year of Service

1983

Origins

United States

Status

Active.

Crew

1

Production

1,177

Manufacturer

Piper Aircraft - USA

Carrier

United States

Roles

Commercial Aviation

Used in roles serving the commercial aviation market, moving passengers and cargo over long distances.

Dimensions and Weight

Length

28. 2 feet

(8.60m)

Width/span

43. 0 feet

(13.11m)

Height

11. 3 feet

(3.44m)

Cured weight

2,998 lbs

(1,360 kg)

MTOW

4,409 lbs

(2,000 kg)

Wgt Difference

+?1,411

(+640 kg)

Performance

Installed:

1 x Lycoming TIO-540-AE2A 350hp turboprop driving a multi-bladed propeller unit in the nose.

Maximum speed

249 km/h

(400 km/h | 216 knots)

Maximum

25,000 feet

(7,620 m | 5 km)

Area

1,553 km

(2,500 km | 4,630 nautical miles)

Range (MPH) Subsonic: <614mph | Transonic: 614-921 | Supersonic: 921-3836 | Hypersonic: 3836-7673 | Hypersonic: 7673-19180 | Reentry: > 19030

Armor

None.

VARIANTS

PA-46 - The name of the base series. PA-46-310P "Malibu" - the first production model. PA-46-350P "Malibu Phantom" - Model 1988-1989. Malibu Meridian - Model 2000; a turboprop powered version of the Malibu.

PA-46R-350T "Matrix" - 2007 model; MirageM350 unpressurized cabin variant - modernized Mirage product. M500 - Modern Meridian product. M600 - 2015 model.