Stand by the wing of your PA46 and just gather in the view. It is a gorgeous wing, and truly the secret to the incredible performance of the PA46. You might think this wing was a new-fangled idea from Piper’s R&D department, but that is not so. They didn’t so much design the wing type,…
I’ve been a part of many prebuy inspections on PA-46 aircraft lately, and it seems that the Windshield Heat is the elephant in the room during the prebuy. If the windshield heat does not work properly, then someone gets to write a $30,000 check to fix the problem. Who gets to write this check is…
There’re lots of reason to love the JetPROP conversion, but one of the best is the fact that it retains the baggage compartment. Absolutely functional, it is a great place to carry additional baggage, throw a bag or two from the aft baggage when countering an aft CG situation, and a handy place to put…
What does it cost to own a PA46/P46T? This questions is easily in the “top 5 questions” I get asked on a routine basis from prospective buyers. My usual response is, “it depends on a bunch of factors”. While this is true, there are some familiar expenses that can be planned. I created…
One of my good customers, Dave Boyle, had an unusual occurrence recently, and I thought it might help the PA46 community to understand the situation. Dave is an excellent pilot, is the self-assigned “maintenance manager” in the 3-person partnership that owns a very nice 1987 Malibu, and is a good friend to our PA46 Community.…
You know the old joke…”What’s the landing light used for in a single-engine airplane with an engine failure at night?” Answer: “You turn it on when you near the ground…if you don’t like what you see, turn it off!” A weird parallel can be made with the windshield heat and the PA46. Suffice it to…
I get lots of questions about the differences in the two hydraulic systems on the early Continental-powered Malibu’s, so it seems logical for me to leap into the gap and provide my thoughts in writing. I fly both versions regularly and believe I’ve got a good understanding of the benefits and detriments of both. The…
After recently delivering a Mirage to be converted, I toured the Jetprop factory at Rocket Engineering in Spokane, WA. It’s a really cool place where a lot of aviation magic occurs, so take the tour if you are ever close to the area. As Jetprop owners can testify, on those cold wintry days, or when…
You are flying along in the Flight Levels enjoying the cool, smooth air, when all of the sudden a loud report (bang) shakes the peace, the cabin altitude increases uncontrollably, and the temperature plummets. Additionally, you find yourself breathing deeply…very deeply. What should be your response? The answer to that question is, “It depends”. Similar…
The PA-46 windshield has received lots of justifiable negative press lately. It’s super-expensive to replace ($35k+ installed) and many in the fleet have been failing more than most think they should. Most of the time the damage is slow, over time, with sagging amp draws over the years. But, there is sure-fire way to damage…