Introduced in the early 1980s, the Piper PA-46 Malibu is a six-seat single piston high performance airplane. A pressurized cabin class airplane, it was designed to compete against the Cessna P210 Centurion, also a pressurized cabin class airplane. Cessna has since replaced the 210 Centurion with the Cessna 206 Stationair . One of the early variants of the Stationair, the P206 Super Skylane, was a passenger model.
With a wing span of 43 feet and a length of over 28 feet, the Malibu is powered by a 310 horsepower Continental TSIO-520 engine.
Towards the end of the decade, Piper came out with a variant, PA-46-350. Powered by a Lycoming TIO-540 engine, the plane has a 350 horsepower engine.
Close to a decade later, a PA-46 variant, the PA-46-350-P, also known as the Mirage arrived. It too has a 350 horsepower engine. It is a Lycoming TIO-540-AE. The model slightly longer than the initial Malibu . But the other physical dimensions are quite similar.
The first new design since the restructuring of Piper into New Piper Aircraft resulted in the PA-46 Meridian. With 500 horsepower Pratt & Whitney, the PT6A-42A, the plane is considered a high performance turboprop.
In understanding the Piper nomenclature, all PA-28s are classified as a Cherokee. From there it is subdivided further into an Warrior III, an Arrow, or an Archer III. The PA-32s are classified as a Cherokee Six. And from there it is subdivided into a Lance, a Saratogo II HP, or a Saratogo II TC. And finally, all PA-46s are initially considered as a Malibu . And then it is subdivided into a Mirage or a Meridian .

Special Message to Parts Distributors