IATA PAGICAO PA46

Piper PA-46

Piper

TravelerPulse profile

Piper's high-performance single-engine piston and turboprop cabin aircraft.

First flight

1982

Category

Single-engine piston/turboprop light aircraft

Seating

5–6

Range

~2,800 km

Engines

Single piston (Continental or Lycoming) or single Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A turboprop depending on variant

Status

In production

The Piper PA-46 is a family of single-engine aircraft produced by Piper Aircraft, originally introduced in the mid-1980s. The family includes piston-powered variants such as the Malibu and Mirage, as well as turboprop variants including the Malibu Meridian and the M600. Designed for owner-pilots and private operators, the PA-46 offers pressurized cabin comfort with relatively high cruise speeds and altitudes for its class. The PA-46 has undergone significant evolution over its production run, with the addition of turboprop powerplants and modern avionics suites such as the Garmin G3000. The M600, introduced in 2017, features the Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-42A engine and an advanced autoflight safety system called HALO powered by Garmin Autoland technology. The aircraft is primarily used for personal, business, and charter flying, and is not typically operated by commercial airlines. It holds a reputation for its pressurized cabin, long range, and comfort relative to other light aircraft in its class.

Notable operators

The PA-46 is primarily operated by private owners and charter operators rather than commercial airlines.

Notable facts

›The original PA-46-310P Malibu first flew in 1982 and entered service in 1984.
›The PA-46 was the first pressurized single-engine piston aircraft produced by Piper Aircraft.
›The M600 variant features Garmin Autoland, which can autonomously land the aircraft in an emergency.
›Turboprop variants use the Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A engine family, significantly increasing performance over piston models.
›Early Malibu models experienced some engine-related accidents, leading to an engine replacement program switching from Continental to Lycoming powerplants.