Page 10 - Sept 19 TNT

Concorde Battery I often train in the turbine PA46 (M600/M500/Meridian/JetPROP) world, as well as the TBM series of air- planes. So, I naturally get a lot of oppor- tunities to discuss the differences be- tween these airplanes with prospective clients. Two of the variants frequently contrasted in those families of aircraft is the Piper Meridian and the Daher TBM 700C2. I can testify that both are won- derful airplanes. They are different in many ways, but those differences are commonly compared since they are in the same purchase price range. With its higher max gross weight (MGW), I think the 700C2 is the best variant of the 700 series of TBMs, and it is certainly my favorite TBM that can be bought for under $1.5 million. I think history will show that the 700C2 will be a popular variant of the TBM series for years to come. It is a true “sweet spot” in the production history of the TBM lineage. Similarly, the early G1000 Meridians are a “best of breed” variant of the PA- 46T line. All offer the GWI increase (not installed in the earlier Merid- ians), stunningly gorgeous interior schemes and feature the widely popular Garmin G1000 avionics suite. Today, about $1.3 million can buy a nice TBM 700C2 with a mid-life en- gine, decent avionics and slightly worn but acceptable aesthetics. That same amount of money will buy an earlier (2009-2011) G1000 Meridian with around 1,000 hours on the airframe and engine. So, what’s the meaningful difference between the two airplanes? Size Although the TBM looks bigger when standing next to the airplane, the actual living space is not that much more than a Meridian. When sitting in the pilot seat, there may be a tiny amount of additional headroom, but not much. However, entering a TBM is certainly simpler, both in the front and the back. The door is much larger and easier for the uninitiated to operate. But, the real difference is that the Meridian pilot must climb over the spar while there is no spar in the TBM cabin. This can be a bigger deal if you have mobility issues, but for most pilots, the spar is a surmountable problem (pun intended). I do have one customer who upgraded to a TBM 700C2 from a Meridian, and he swears that “climbing over the spar” was the single reason that he upgraded. He felt it to be the right decision be- cause he could not fold well enough to get into the front of a Meridian. I’m 6-foot-4 and can fit, but I have a lot of experience figuring out the best way to finagle myself into the seat. A taller or heavier pilot can certainly do it with some practice. When it comes to the size of the cock- pit and cabin, a slight advantage goes to the TBM. Performance There’s also not much variance in the short-field performance between the two airplanes. Both are fairly adept at getting off the runway respectably. I have a TBM client who operates out of a 3,700-foot landing strip and he has no troubles at all. While both POHs will advise that the aircraft can operate from strips shorter than 3,000 feet, there is simply not much margin for pilot error on such a short strip. I’d have to think long and hard before I’d accept such re- peated risk in either a Meridian or TBM. As far as landing and takeoff distance, the two airplanes are very similar. Concerning other performance fac- tors, the TBM 700C2 (285 average KTAS) will cruise about 20 KTAS faster than the Meridian (265 average KTAS) and arrive at FL280 a few minutes earlier due to a slightly better climb rate. How- ever, most experienced pilots know that 20 knots in airspeed and a few hundred feet per minute in climb in a turbine is not a game-changer. Block-to-block flight times for the Meridian and TBM 700C2 are very similar to each other, and the ride will be equitably good on both. How good? The TBM 700C2 en- joys a large and beefy wing, which to me is the best part of the TBM fleet. The large wing affords plenty of room to store large amounts of fuel, offers a smooth ride with slightly higher wing loading than the Meridian, and allows for a much higher Vmo (max operat- ing speed). Range With the high fuel loads, the TBM 700C2 offers significantly greater range than the Meridian. I advise clients that the Meridian is a good “750 nm airplane” 8 • TWIN & TURBINE / September 2019