Very nice pictures.
This one is Grado, a very nice vacation village.
Congratulations on the new plane!
Tigerflyer wrote:
Departure Leer EDWF was scheduled to10:30z but was shifted to 10:15z because we were ready to go earlier.
If you have an active plan without a CTOT I would simply depart and not risk small changes which might result in a new assigned CTOT. ATC seems to be tolerant on reasonable departure deviations on plans without a CTOT while they go crazy on plans with CTOT.
Tigerflyer wrote:
The flight was planed with step climb up to FL200 to cross the Alp
Is there a specific reason you did not climb directly to FL200? The PA46 performs best at such altitudes so why not go there right away?
Buckerfan wrote:
Malibu’s get really cold in the back.
Very true. One trick seems to be if you fly low to deactivate the pressurization with that pull lever. But beware that sends more heat to the cabin but also means if there is an exhaust leak it woudl send CO to the cabin which is nearly impossible in pressurized mode. Do you have that electric aux heater?
Tigerflyer wrote:
Lesson learned, have a rug at hand for passengers if you fly a new and not very cheap aircraft.
You can try to run the aircondition againt the heating to dry the air. Also running the reciculating air at all times and directing the outlets towards the windows helps a bit. Then for the front windows pull that defog lever and run the electric fan for the front window (not sure it exists on the piston planes).
Several reasons for step climb. First flight above FL100, wind on the first section better in the lower level, turbulence acc. Gramet starting FL180-190 and no experience with turbulence in this aircraft with near MTOW. For crossing the area of Frankfurt, I thought it would be better to be somewhere near the filed flightplan level of FL 200 to be above the arrival traffic. I asked ATC for reported turbulences but there were nothing. Later on over the Alps I heard some airliners complaining of moderat to severe turbulences FL 260 and higher. Thats not what I need with this plane at the beginning.
Today the return was nearly no brainer. Only one stuck drain valve during preflight where we lost 10-15 Liters of Avgas which is presently only 2,46€/L at LJPZ. Thanks to the ground staff for all their help.
Return flight was 3:12h with great view over the Alps.
End of the story!
Wow @Tigerflyer!
It seems you wanted to start by really exploring the capabilities of your new bird! A 500+nm trip for starters!
Seems like you have a nice, capable mini-airliner. Would you care to tell us a bit more about it? Is it new as in “new to you” or “new delivery from Piper”? M350 or Conti Malibu or Mirage or…?
For me LIPV is always one of the best places to go, even if the runway really deserves some improvement…
As to the gravel apron approach, my ehem, approach is to make sure I have enough speed before going over the short area so I can have the engine at idle while over the gravel. Good thing it is reasonably flat.
The malibu M350 is brand new. Delivered in 8/2022. Due to technical issue AOG for certain time after hand over. Thats why we started late this year to travel. Gamin1000nxi also brand new to me. Had locked nearly every youtube movie. Some very imteresting some very boring. Ordered the Garmin G1000nxi trainer usb stick, which you obviously can‘t order in europe and not from europe by Garmin itself. So I got mine from Piper germany itself. But this trainer is not working properly on my computer even if I follow their tip to deactivate some filters. You must be fit in windows application I think. I switched to MAC long time ago. Might be a good toy for Peter. Best thing was to buy a ground power station to play with the avionics. Engine is a Lycoming one. Using about 20 usg in cruise ( the hottest runs 360, and TIT at 1550). Running the engine not at it limits. Speed about 185-190kts. Deicing boots, Wx radar pressurized and certified to FL250 but flown up to FL200 till now. We like to fly also low level as on the flight from LIPV to LJPZ in 1000ft. Destination is not always the aim the way to it has the same priority. The plane is not my one. Ì‘m free to use it just to put in the fuel. Thats why I sold my plane early this year. For using it for myself I have to fly the owner to some places around europe. He likes to see some nice places in europe from low level. He is to old for making a PPL.
The M350 is really nice….but full fuel only a plane for max 3 people and not a short field airplane.
Nice plane and nice arrangement . Enjoy and do keep us posted!
Tigerflyer wrote:
The M350 is really nice….but full fuel only a plane for max 3 people and not a short field airplane.
My experience with the PA46 is that it is sensitive on weight. At MTOW it uses a lot of runway. When you have minimum fuel and only 2 persons it is actually not that bad on short runways. When flying to short fields our plan is always to come in direct, calculate the fuel and then have a fuel stop 20-30 minutes out with minimal reserves for the long return flights. Also you can fit more than 3 people as you nearly never need 120 USG fuel. In other planes we used to simply fill it up like a car. In the PA46 we changed to fueling before the flight and taking only the fuel required for the mission which opens a lot of options.
It‘s a little bit strange with the plane. Pilot plus full fuel is out of balance. 3 on board and full fuel you have check the weight of all persons on board. Yes at MTOW the plane eats the runway.
Tigerflyer wrote:
It‘s a little bit strange with the plane. Pilot plus full fuel is out of balance. 3 on board and full fuel you have check the weight of all persons on board. Yes at MTOW the plane eats the runway.
Well a PA-46 is almost as capable for this type of travel use as SEP’s go. If you want similar capability but higher payload and shorter field then the only thing I am aware of in the single piston world is a P210. The main downside is the last one was made 37 years ago. You can still find some examples in great condition but you have to do a lot of home- and field- work.
A P210 is not as comfy for pax or as modern as a PA-46 , of course, but you do have the capabilities. Ours uses 20% less fuel for the same range as the M350 (LOP, of course) and carries 1500lbs useful which, with full std fuel (90 USG, enough for 4.5+1 hrs @ 190 KTAS, or some 700+NM IFR) still leaves 430kg of payload. Full aux fuel 118USG is enough for 6.25+1 hrs or 1000NM IFR and still leaves 355kg payload or four adults, with luggage varying depending on the adults;)
In reality, most of the time you do not need 120USG or you are not travelling with 4-6POB in the M350. If you really need that then you will always be complaining on the M350 and either you go P210 or turbine or twin…unless I am missing something?
The perfect plane does not exist, but I see a lot of M350 enjoyment in your future!
Ehem, sorry @flyingfish, I just realize I left out the Extra 400, but that is not a commonly available product…
