Every now and then, when I see one or when I read an article on it, I fancy flying a plane such as the Meridian.
It’s a bit of a fantasy – or maybe not.
There is one available to charter very close to where I live. I usually tend to think it’s a bit beyond my current pocket size. But is it?
Ideally, I’d like to be in a position to fly a variety of planes according to the mission at hand – the one great advantage over ownership. I currently do that on a lower level, with the regular Cessna and Piper two/four seaters. I.e. for a local flight alone, I’m happy with a C152 but for a proper trip with some payload, I prefer a C182. Occasionally, I have the opportunity to fly even larger trips with more people – say, my girlfriend and I and two other couples… or even myself and two other couples. In fact, it is more likely to get four people (= two couples) to come along than 3 pax (most people like to bring their better half to the adventure). Obviously, flying only four-seat aircraft, I have to decline. For example, I’ll be spending a few days on Mallorca this spring with a small group of friends and with the uncertainties of airline survival these days (Air Berlin already gone.. will Niki be serving flights to Mallorca in May? Who knows…) my friends are actually more keen than usual to fly with me instead. With a four-seater, half of the group will have to be left out.
Obviously, the more types you fly, the less currency you will have per type. And the smaller/cheaper the plane, the more viable it is to maintain currency.
With all that said, back on topic:
How realistic is it to fly a Meridian safely, if it is not the only type you fly, for a medium experienced pilot (i.e. 5 years, 400 hours or so). I have no conception on how complex the initial transition is (I did 1 hour for any non-complex transition and about 3 hours for the transition to the C182 TR (i.e. including turbo, constant speed prop, retractable gear) and I have no conception either how much currency on type (in contrast to overall currency) is required to operate a plane such as the Meridian safely.
So, I’m talking about a handful of missions where cost-sharing a plane such as this actually makes sense – plus a number (?) of additional training flights per year.
Any thoughts, especially of those who stepped up to a plane with a similar complexity?
You seem to be missing out the option of renting a PA32 when required.
Three couples plus luggage, a PA32 or Cessna 206/208 might be more suitable?
I’ll share with you my experience of transitioning to what I believe to be an easier type than the Meridian. I started my PPL in late 2013 (TK; first flight early 2014) and passed it around September 2015. In August 2016, with approx 220h total (approx 70h PIC) I transitioned to a Cessna P210N Silver Eagle, a turboprop conversion of the Cessna P210N airframe. I had 7h45 in a C182 (constant-speed prop) and 17h in a C82R (retractable gear turbo piston), all the rest was in basic/trainer planes; mostly P28A and C172. I had had exactly one flight above FL100.
I took two flights with a freelance instructor “for fun”, then the class rating with an ATO was a one-week course (TK on Monday, flying Tuesday to Thursday and skill test on Friday). I passed the skill test, but barely. The instructor was surprised at the negative difference in performance during the skill test compared to training. I had the same with my PPL+SEP skill test, so that’s “just” a personal trait of mine.
The examiner “recommended” to me that I don’t fly alone for the first 50h. The insurance required that I don’t fly as PIC before 25h on type, and would not insure any other pilot below 25h turboprop experience. I then started my IFR training with the plane. My IFR instructor expressed the opinion I was ready to fly without him significantly earlier than the requisite 25h. We/I also fly pretty intensively as PPL/hobby pilots go, which helps.
In my opinion, the class rating teaches you how to not break the plane, traffic circuits, etc but not much about how to operate the plane for actual travel. I learned that from reading on the type on the Internet and from my IFR instructor.
Even though I fly mostly the Silver Eagle now, I don’t have significant difficulty flying a “basic” piston now and then. Mostly, I have to consciously get in the right mindset: plan for lower cruise altitude, expect a realistic climb rate and shake the feeling I’m too slow on final.
I don’t have a clear-cut answer for you, not the least because I have no good idea of the additional step-up from a Silver Eagle to a Meridian (e.g. the Silver Eagle doesn’t require the EASA HPA course, nor the FAA high altitude endorsement), and because the “switch from one type to the other” is the other way round for me (lots of turboprop time, occasional piston; I understand it would be the opposite for you). But from my experience, take at least this point home: you may not be able to be insured as PIC before you build up significantly more experience that what you might have hoped.
Patrick,
I transitioned from a PA32 to a PA46 piston right after my IR, with a similar experience level to yours. It was a challenge but very doable.I set myself some conservative personal minimas for the first 100h. Some say the Meridian is easier to handle than the Mirage, so that may in part answer your question… But the truth is that the PA46 is sufficiently similar to the PA32 that it felt natural, changing the power plant on top may be problematic.
The part of your situation which is more difficult, I think, is that of currency. I only fly my Mirage, about 100-150h per year, and during the winter months I can really feel my currency level is lower. If I flew a lot less, it would become a worry. Training at least twice a year in the plane helps too.
Patrick,
I guess that the showstopper might indeed be cost. Even if you were able to properly split the cost of those occasional trips (and thus end up with 2000 Euro instead of say 10000 Euros), then the previously required training will really cost a lot of money and will never be “recovered”. As Lionel said, getting the rating AND getting to the point where the insurance is happy with you could mean anything from 10 to 25 hours, so with an aircraft like the Meridian (I guess rental prices of about 1300-1500€/h, plus instructor, will cost you many many thousands. (Sure, you might do some simulator training, which might cost a little less, but you get the idea.)
The other point, as said before, is that you would need regular recurrent training.
Also, a turboprop without an IR does not make sense, so I’d say first things first.
Just saying Patrick, if I do end up having my private practice one day and making loads of money, I’d certainly consider co-owning a Meridian with you 
I don’t think the transition or flying it would be hard at all, but I have not flown a Meridian or even a PT6 plane before. But if you don’t have the IR, you’d be wasting that plane’s capability. So if you don’t have that yet (sorry, not sure if you do or not), then get that first. It’s a tough rating, but very rewarding as well.
Patrick wrote:
There is one available to charter very close to where I liveIn addition to what has been said above I would consider one more aspect: Meridians for self-fly-hire are very rare, and the one opportunity close to you might vanish for any reason tomorrow. So there is a significant chance that you have invested a lot of time and money for getting the rating and the supervised PIC time to be insurable in it just to find out that the plane is not available any longer. Before making any significant commitments I would assess if your charter opportunity is here to stay.
Hi Patrick,
as a Meridian owner I can confirm a number of previous posts. It’s definitely not a 3-couple aircraft as that would only allow around 100 minute (400nm) + IFR reserves flight assuming you could get the aircraft within envelope.
Forget it if you don’t have an IR. I do fly low level occasionally but it’s really not efficient and seeing not much more than 140 KTAS and burning 40 usg/hour is so wasteful. 250 KTAS at the same fuel burn requires FL250 and is so much better. So IFR in controlled airspace is the only way.
But as an aircraft it is superb. Handling is excellent and the Meridian was designed from the outset to be easy to operate single crew. Everything is automatic, single power lever, automatic fuel, no inertial separator to worry about, very capable autopilot. From an aircraft systems management point of view there is less to do than in a Piper Warrior that has a mixture control, manual fuel pump and switchable tanks. Like all very capable aircraft it’s the avionics systems that cause workload unless totally familiar. That “what’s it doing now?” feeling is not very pleasant.
It does have a few things to watch though. Power setting at take-off or go-around needs some attention to avoid over-torque. The power lever is very sensitive and it’s easy to over-torque. It you get used to it. The Meridian can also get into an odd pilot induced weave on landing – I had read about it abd it happened to me once early on in training. Not seen it since thankfully.
Assuming an EASA aircraft and licence unless you have an ATPL you will need the High Performance Aircraft theoretical knowledge and exam plus a Type Rating course (8-10 hours) and test.
