And I have to say after the training that once you get used to the speed differential and the critical engine start procedures, flying with a turbine is much easier. No leaning, no shock cooling, no vibration, and lots of bleed air for environmental systems.
That is very true. The flexibility of a turbine is unbeatable as well as performance. It's too bad they're so thirsty at lower levels and expensive to purchase/overhaul. Is the PT6 on the Meridian FADEC controlled? I seem to recall it has a simplified power lever system that also does away with prop management, more similar to a jet...
It is not FADEC but has a single power control lever controlling the FCU. No prop control. It also has an automatic start sequencing module. All you have to do is remember some specific numbers but climb and cruise are essentially the same (full power), unless you have a low level-off. And you can fly 280 to sea level on one power setting.
And tomjnx, that current draw is probably the most important thing to know about the Meridian.
that current draw is probably the most important thing to know about the Meridian.
Did you figure out, Jason, what this high electrical load was due to? Did you happen to turn on (briefly) any of the electically-powered anti-icing heating elements (the pitot tubes, stall warning lift transducer, the pilot's windshield, propeller blades' boots)?
In another thread Free of Avgas curse at last you said:
On the Jetprop, some people have found non-book (low) power settings which deliver an amazing range.
Could you, please, provide more details....
Have I moved at all at that point?
It must have been around rotate
Could you, please, provide more details....
I think I saw it on the Jetprop owner forum.
By "amazing range" I meant 1500nm or so, which I always find interesting because Shoreham to Crete is about 1450nm 
A friend who has a JP did a lot of pre-purchase research on it and while I no longer recall the details (I have it all in emails somewhere) the JP has a smaller version of the PT6 which has better options for operating economically.
No, I think it is the current draw from starting the engine.
Above is what I thought at first but what it seems like is the pressurisation system coming online when the aircraft comes off the squat switch after rotation. Interesting. Going through some other flights, it happens every time.
