Piper PA-46-350P Mirage

one seemed to mind. There was great brand loyalty to Lycoming engines, not the least of which belonged to Piper, which traditionally preferred Ly- comings. Also, the TIO-540 didn't re- quire a fancy, lean-of-peak mixture set- ting. Its cylinders run slightly cooler than the Malibu's, too. Given the Con- tinental's stained image (never mind that most of its problems have been fixed), the Lycoming was a wise choice. All seemed right with the world until 1991, when a pattern of similar in-flight Malibu and Mirage loss-of-control events was identified by the National Transportation Safety Board. Of the seven events, six ended with in-flight breakups and fatal injuries to all aboard. The breakups occurred in in- strument meteorological conditions, sometimes in moderate to severe tur- bulence, sometimes above the freezing level, usually in climb or descent, and well outside the airplane's approved operating envelope. The pilots had rel- atively low time in type and little expe- rience flying pressurized airplanes. Once again the Malibu/Mirage was the subject of controversy. The FAAput out an airworthiness directive that pro- hibited flying PA-46s (the Malibu and Mirage share the same type designator) into known or forecast icing, thunder- storms, and moderate to severe turbu- lence. It also barred the use of the autopilot or vertical trim control for altitude changes and required that alternate engine intake air and pitot heat be used in all phases of flight except takeoff and landing. Then the FAAinitiated a special certi- fication review (SCR) of the PA-46. This involved a complete re-examination of the airplane and its systems, with spe- cial focus on the KFC-150 autopilot. The final SCR report contained no less than 60 recommendations for making the Malibu/Mirage a safer airplane. The NTSB got in on the act, too. Its investiga- tions concluded that many of the acci- dents "involved probable failure to use pitot heat during flight in freezing instrument meteorological conditions, possible misuse of integrated flight guidance and control systems, loss of control, and in-flight airframe failures due to loads and stresses that substan- tially exceeded design limits." When the dust settled, an egg-faced FAAwithdrew its AD and Piper made a small handful of the SCR's recommen- dations into service bulletins. In essence, the Malibu and Mirage received clean bills of health after the most thorough scrutiny ever imposed on a general aviation airplane. One big upshot of the AD/investiga- tion/review/handwringing has been a focus on pilot training. Both the SCR and the NTSB investigation latched onto the notion that Malibu and Mirage pilots are probably not as knowledge- able about their airplanes, and especial- ly their autopilots, as they ought to be. Special courses aimed at a thorough understanding of Malibu/Mirage auto- pilots would be a very good idea, the government suggested. Of course, the same could be said about the pilots of any autopilot-equipped airplane. Piper used to conduct type-specific training for Malibu/Mirage cus- tomers, but now that function has passed to Attitudes International, Incorporated, a Vero Beach firm headed by Robert D. Scott, former director of Piper's Training Center. Attitudes mixes classroom instruc- tion, time in a custom-configured Frasca visual simulator, and dual flight instruction to provide both ini- tial and recurrent training. Pilot initial courses last five days; recurrent train- ing is a two-and-a-half-day proposi- tion. Piper throws in the pilot initial with the purchase of a new Mirage. The Mirage appears to have weath- ered its storms well-and perhaps emerged even stronger. If the design has matured, so, apparently, have the pilots. The review and investigation have heightened pilot awareness of the AOPA PILOT • 55 airplane's complexity and under- scored the need for consistent, high-quality training. A fair amount of self-policing is also at work. Insurers, for one, are clamp- ing down. Without 1,000 total hours and 500 in type, expect to pay an average annual premium of anywhere from $9,000 to $13,000. That figure drops off sub- stantially after pilots accumulate 2,000 hours as pilot in command. The Malibu/Mirage Owners and Pilots Association (303/399- 1440) has also been an important conduit for safety, maintenance, and operational information. The dealer network can also serve as a safety net. "We just won't sell a Mirage to a pilot whose wallet is bigger than his logbook," says John K. Foster, vice-president of Piper distributor Skytech, Incorpo- rated. "If a low-time pilot comes in here and says he wants a Mirage, I won't sell it to him. I'll try to put him in an Archer instead." Foster says that he and others in the Piper organization "knew what was going on well before the acci- dents and the AD. It was low-time pilots getting in over their heads, not the air- plane's fault." According to Foster, who claims he "lost count of how many Malibus I've sold after 100," most Mirage customers fit one of three categories. One typical type of customer is retired and flies his airplane on personal missions. Another is an entrepreneur who flies his airplane primarily for business. Other Mirages are sold to businesses that choose the airplane as their first-time, entry-level corporate transportation. Skytech, based at Baltimore's Martin State Airport, kindly turned us loose on a brand-new Mirage one fine day last May. The airplane we flew-serial number 189-is the 573rd PA-46 to roll off the line, and it was a pleasure to fly. Priced at $681,485, the airplane was typically well-equipped and even had electric trim controls installed on the copilot's yoke-a $960 option. Settling into the driver's seat, one of the first things you notice about the Mirage, apart from the generous array of avionics, is its glass windshield. Mal- ibus have plexiglass windshields with an electrically powered hot plate to prevent ice from obstructing the pilot's view. Embedded in their glass, 1995 Mirages use heating filaments which create a larger ice-free area. It's a much 56 • JUNE 1995 more efficient design. Conspicuous in its absence is the Low Vacuum light on the annunciator panel. Dual red "pop-out" markers sig- nal a failure of either of the Mirage's two vacuum pumps, but they're within the suction gauge, over on the left side of the panel. The missing annunciator light is fallout from the SCR. The pop- out markers are more sensitive to drops in vacuum. The old annuncia- tor's switch could kick in too long after a vacuum problem begins, so its value carne into question. The answer? Remove it. All Malibus and Mirages have small, 80-inch propeller diameters, and that forewarns you of relatively long takeoff runs (It also reveals a design bias toward higher cruise speeds). While it may not be optimized for short field operations, the Mirage nonetheless stormed down the runway with acceptable vigor at the redlines of 42 inches of manifold pres- sure and 2,500 rpm. For takeoff, flaps were set at 10 degrees. Eventually the 80-KIAS rotation speed was reached, and we lifted off into a 1,200-fpm initial climb. This was under near-standard atmospheric conditions, and with three passengers and 100 gallons of fuel. The POH recommends 120 KlASfor a cruise climb. With power set at 37 inch- es manifold pressure and 2,500 rpm, the mixture was set for a fuel flow of 38 gph. Climb rate stayed at 1,200 fpm, then began to drop towards 700 fpm as we neared 11,000 feet. By this time cylinder head temperatures were at 380 degrees Fahrenheit-well below the 500-degree red line. TIT registered 1,340 degrees Fahrenheit; its redline is 1,750 degrees. We decided on a cruise altitude of 16,500 feet and reached it 16 minutes after liftoff. With an outside air tempera- ture of minus 6 degr:ees Celsius and a , high cruise setting 0(31 inches mp and ': 2,400 rpm, the leaning process was begun. The mixture control was pulled back until a peak TIT of 1,660 was iden- tified. Cruise operations at peak TIT are authorized, but we leaned to 40 degrees rich of peak to keep things on the cool side. The end product was 150 KlAS,198 KTAS,a fuel flow of21 gph, and a cabin altitude of3,000 feet. Not bad at all. The hottest cylinder stayed at 380 degrees, as indicated by the optional ($1,105) Alcor six-probe CHT gauge. This gauge can automatically seek out the hottest cylinder, then illuminate one of six lights to give the pilot a quick interpretation of the goings-on. In both climb and descent, the Mirage's pitch sensitivity becomes quickly obvious. It takes very minor pitch changes to greatly influence both airspeed and rates of climb and descent. The precise pilot is rewarded with book performance. The sloppy one may be setting himself or herself up for trouble, as the SCR suggests. A word about the KFC-150: To make large altitude changes on autopilot, first disengage the altitude hold feature, then use the vertical trim rocker switch to command either a climb or descent. Believe it or not, there have been cases where dim-witted captains have tried to make altitude changes with altitude hold engaged-physically fighting the autopi- lot by muscling the yoke up or down. Pitch forces must have been uncomfort- ably high. And guess what happens when the pilot reaches his newly-chosen altitude? The autopilot launches the air- plane back to the originally selected alti- tude, often violently. Go ahead and laugh, but Bendix/King officials say it's happened. One irate customer who practiced this "technique" further dis- played his ignorance by calling up and demanding to know why his Malibu oscillated so violently after reaching a new altitude. We, of course, used the proper technique to take us back down to pattern altitude. Speed brakes would be nice, and now they're available from Spoilers Incorporated (800/544- 0169) for a mere $8,995. When it comes to maintaining target cabin altitudes during prolonged descents, preventing cylinder shock cooling, or quickly slowing to VA' speed brakes can't be beat. They let you maintain cruise power settings without build- ing speed in a descent. A good airspeed for short final worked out to be 80 KIASwith full flaps. Anything more and the Mirage will float, and float, and float. Those long wings work well in ground effect, as anyone who's crossed the threshold at 85 can confirm. Hailed, reviled, then resurrected- all against the backdrop of a faltering parent company tainted by bankrupt- cy-the Mirage's strengths have sus- tained the marque through thick and thin. Now, with 41 slated for produc- tion this year, the Mirage should account for 40 percent of Piper's total anticipated 1995 sales of 173 airplanes and outsell every other model that the company currently produces. It's the strongest player in Piper's efforts to recover from bankruptcy, and it's more popular than ever. "What else are you going to buy if you want a high-altitude single?" asks Fos- ter. "Aused P210 with its oxygen light on at 23,000 feet? Or maybe a TBM 700 for twice the price?" For pilots who follow Foster's line of thinking, the Mirage is still the only game in town. 0 Piper PA-46-350P Mirage Base price: $679,900 Price as tested: $681,485 Specifications Lycoming TI0-540-AE2A, 350 hp @ 2,500 RPM Recommended TBO 2,000 hr Propeller Hartzell t\vo-blade, constant speed, aO-inch diameter 28.6 ft 11.5 ft 43 ft 175sqft 24.6Ib/sq ft 12.3 Ib/hp 6 12 ft 4 in 4 ft 1 in 3 ft 11 in 2,7901b 3,0511b 4,3181b 4,3001b 1,5281b 1,2661b 8081b 5461b 4,300 Ib 4,100 Ib 4,1001b 122 gal (120 gal usable) 732 Ib (720 Ib usable) 12 qt 100 Ib, 13 Cll ft (forward). 100 Ib, 20 cu ft (aft) 165 KIAS 126 KIAS 168 KIAS 198 KIAS 71 KIAS 60 KIAS (66 pph/ 11 gph) 25,000 ft 25,000 ft 1,964 ft 1,018 ft Limiting and Recommended Airspeeds Vx (best angle of climb) 91 KIAS Vy (best rate of climb) 110 KIAS VA (design maneuvering) 133 KIAS VFE (max nap extended) 165 KIAS VLE (max gear extended) 195 KIAS VLO (max gear operating) Extend Retract VNO (max structural cruising) VNE (never exceed) VS1 (stall, clean) Vso (stall, in landing configuration) Max demonstrated crosswind component 17 kt Rate of climb, sea level 1,218 fpm Max level speed 225 kt (at optimum altitude) Cruise speed/range/endurance w/45-min rsv, std fuel (fuel consumption) @ High speed cruise, Peak TIT, 225 KTAS/980 nm/4.8 hr 25,000 ft (120 pph/ 20 gph) @ Normal cruise, Peak TIT, 206 KTAS/ 1,040 nm/53 hr 20,000 ft (108 pph/18 gph) @ Long range cruise, Peak TIT, 140 KTAS/ 1,450 nm1l0.3 hr 10,000 ft Max operating altitude Service ceiling Landing distance over 50-ft obstacle Landing distance, ground roll For more information, colltact Piper Aircraft Corporation, 2926 Piper Drive, Vero Beadl, Flori- da 32960,407/567-4361 All specifications are based on manufacturer's calculations. All performance figures are based on standard day, standard atmosphere, sea level, gross weight conditions unless otherwise noted. 1,530 ft 1,964 ft Powerplant Length Height Wingspan Wing area Wing loading Power loading Seats Cabin length Cabin width Cabin height Empty weight Empty weight, as tested Max ramp weight Gross weight Usefulload Usefulload, as tested Payload w/ full fuel Payload w/full fuel, as tested Max takeoff weight Max landing weight Zero fuel weight Fuel capacity, std Oil capacity Baggage capacity Performance Takeoff distance, ground roll Takeoff distance over 50-ft obstacle