Hello,
I’m after a piper Meridian ideally 1M€ max. My intentions are to fly primarily family and business. From time to time I’d like to fly full load (6 pax + 75kg baggage) and I assume the max. range will be at around 400NM (IFR). I will operate it as a private owner.
Can I get the 1999kg STC in EASA land?
Is it worth to operate it under N-reg?Any advantages?
My aerodrome runway is around 790m @ SL. Looking at open sources, it seems like I could operate here. Any experiences?
Thank you very much.
790m seems a bit short for a Merid. at MTOM.
< 2730kg would still be Part-MLable (EASA).
Hi Speed
Don’t think about the 1999kg STC if you plan to fly it with 6 POB unless it’s just for two traffic patterns. Take a close look at a real W&B and you will see that it’s not working unless flying overweight all the time.
However, Meridian is a good aircraft in overall but for 6 peoples and some range I’d look for a used TBM… But it’s way more expensive to buy, maintain and fly…
Romain
speed wrote:
Can I get the 1999kg STC in EASA land?
That would leave 450kg of useful load – with 75kg of baggage even w/o any fuel at all this would be only 62,5 kg per pax.
speed wrote:
My aerodrome runway is around 790m
You might not be able to do this from your first landing with the Meridian, but with good training and experience this is not really a problem.
speed wrote:
Is it worth to operate it under N-reg?Any advantages?
In general not. If you, however, buy it in the US and plan to sell it back to the US in a couple of years it might be beneficial to just keep it on n-reg.
Thank you @Snoopy @Romain @Malibuflyer
After getting the POH and looking at Performance and W&B, I have realized that it is not possible to operate the a/c at MTOW from a 790m strip (obstacles at the end of the rwy as well). In my oppinion, it’s too tight. Moreover, a typical IFR flight with 6 pax aand reserves to 400NM is not possible either. I will start looking at other options: upgrading to a TBM/PC-12 (expensive) or move to a bigger aiport.
Not the original Q I know but you can get a reasonable TBM for 1M.
Of course, the operating cost will be a bit more than a Meridian, and general maintenance practices in the TP world, with Socata parts prices, are something else. Their prebuy hospitality is superb though.
A friend who ferries these types all the time says a TBM is in a totally different class in every respect to any “PA46”.
I looked at doing a syndicate around a TBM700 C2 some years ago. See e.g. here and here and generally do a search of EuroGA as this has been a much discussed topic.
speed wrote:
790m strip (obstacles at the end of the rwy as well). In my oppinion, it’s too tight.
Agree on the range and useful load, bit where did you get your runway data from?
2103 meridian has 500m takeoff ground roll and 750m over 50ft (landing distances are shorter). If the field is not in special situation (e.g. you have to take off with tailwind) 790m strip is really enough.
Friend of mine is operating a Meridian from a 700m strip at EDMQ (with no obstacle at the end). No problem
Thank you for your reply @Peter. Very interesting threads. I will run some calculations on TBM operational/fixed costs.
@Malibuflyer I got the data from Jeppesen and google maps. Declared distances rwy 36 are TORA: 675m, TODA: 675m, ASDA 790m, LDA 576m. Just the opposite if you are operating from rwy 18. Both thr are unequally displaced and there are 10m max obstacles at the end of both thr. The pavement is also in bad condition.
I run some calculations on Foreflight Performance. For MTOW, total dist is 739m, ground roll 519m.
All this also requires both you and the airplane to be in perfect condition and perform perfectly, every single time.
denopa wrote:
every single time.
That was my thought as well. For me the safety margin would be insufficient, especially considering that passengers are involved.
