The Piper Meridian - Still the same, yet better than ever

For AOPA Pilot Magazine by Andrew Gallagher

Piper has fine-tuned its flagship product over the past decade, and while it is still the same aircraft at heart, all the little changes have made a difference—in a very good way.

When considering the relatively small market segment of single-engine, pressurized turboprops, the Piper Meridian is still the youngest in terms of time in production. Despite its short tenure, the Meridian has managed to become one of the most popular airframes among owner-flown turbine aircraft. It really is no surprise why: The Meridian remains unmatched in initial acquisition and direct operating costs for the performance and utility it offers. Read the full article at AOPA.org

Showdown - Phenom 100 and Citation Mustang head to head

For AOPA Pilot Magazine by Cyrus Sigari

Until the HondaJet, Cessna's new Citation M2, the Cirrus Vision SF50, the Diamond D-JET, or the new Eclipse 550 enter the light-jet arena, there will be just two serious competitors in the market for new light jets under $4 million: Cessna's Citation Mustang and Embraer's Phenom 100.

Cessna launched the Mustang in 2002, putting the Eclipse 500 squarely in its crosshairs and beating it to the FAA-certification milestone. Embraer saw an opportunity to expand its executive jet division, and followed shortly with the announcement of its Phenom 100 and 300 jets in 2005. Mustang deliveries commenced in spring 2007, and about 400 airframes have been delivered since then. Just fewer than 300 Phenom 100s have been produced since December 2008.

Seen from the ramp, the Mustang doesn’t make any excuses. It looks exactly like what it is: a small and modern jet with its heritage confirmed by a classic, low-slung Citation look. The Mustang’s wingspan is 43 feet, 2 inches; tip-to-tail length is 40 feet, 7 inches; and the height from the ground to the top of the tail is 13 feet, 5 inches. Read the full article at AOPA.org