INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Amid hi-tech sound effects, promotional videos, spotlights and a NASA-like countdown to their unveiling Monday in Vero Beach, Piper Aircraft introduced the three newest members of its M-Class family, each equipped with what the company claims is the “most-advanced safety and connectivity technology” in the industry.
The M600, M500 Special Edition and M350 – all single-engine, pressurized, six-seat, cabin-class business aircraft – are the headliners in Piper’s 2015 “Power of Three” marketing campaign.
“Our new M-Class line has been completely reimagined and revolutionized,” Piper President and CEO Simon Caldecott said, “while maintaining the compelling value proposition for which our products are known.”
The top-of-the-line M600 offers a 600-horsepower engine with maximum range of 1,300 nautical miles, maximum payload of 1,200 pounds and maximum cruising speed of 260 KTAs (Knots, True Airspeed), making it capable of flying non-stop from New York to Miami. The aircraft features a new, clean sheet design wing and a sophisticated Garmin G3000 touch-screen-controlled glass flight deck.
With the G3000, the mechanics of flight-deck management are easier and more efficient by design. The touchscreen provides a centralized console from which the pilot can access various radios, audio and intercom channels, transponder codes, checklists, charts, mapping, flight-plan entry and other functions.
The company expects the M600 to complete certification in the fall and be available for purchase before the end of the year. The list price is $2.82 million.
“Our customers and dealers asked for an aircraft with more payload and additional range,” Caldecott said. “We listened and we delivered. The M600 encompasses the most advanced safety measures available today in the most ambitious package, with an overall value proposition that is extremely compelling to corporate flight departments and individuals alike.”
The M350, according to Piper, also is equipped with the latest Garmin avionics package and the most advanced cockpit of any cabin-class, six-seat aircraft on the market. A Lycoming 350-horsepower engine provides a maximum cruise speed of 213 KTAs and a range of 1,343 nautical miles.
It lists for $1.15 million.
Caldecott said the M350 “can now safely fly itself unassisted to lower altitudes in the rare case that the pilot is non-responsive at altitudes where oxygen is required.”
The M500 debuted in January, but a Special Edition model with enhanced cockpit and cabin interiors is now available at a list price of $2.26 million.
Piper, with Vero Beach roots that date back to 1957, is the largest private employer in Indian River County with roughly 850 employees.
