Piper M600
Piper Aircraft · United States · first flew 2016 · light aircraft
The Piper M600 is the top of the M-class family, powered by a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-52 turboprop and capable of flying up to six occupants at FL280 in a pressurised cabin, with the optional Garmin Autoland system providing an extra safety margin for single-pilot operations.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × turboprop, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Six-seat pressurised single turboprop with PT6A-52 and sleek composite fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Six-seat pressurised single turboprop with PT6A-52 and sleek composite fuselage
- Garmin G3000 touchscreen avionics suite visible through large cockpit windows
- Retractable tricycle undercarriage and swept leading edge to fin
The M600 shares its wing and fuselage cross-section with the older Malibu/Mirage/Meridian family, but can be distinguished by the broader four-blade prop (PT6A-52 versus the Meridian's PT6A-42A), the swept vertical fin leading edge, and modern flush cockpit windows. Against the TBM family, the M600 has a slightly fatter fuselage and a less sharply tapered nose.
Specifications
- The Piper M600 has a length of 9 m (30 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 13.11 m (43 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 553 km/h (344 mph).
- Typical crew: 1 pilot + 5 passengers.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Piper launched the M600 in 2016 as an evolution of the M500 (itself derived from the PA-46 Malibu Meridian), stretching performance with a more powerful engine and improved aerodynamics. In 2020, Garmin's Autoland was certified on the M600, making it the first production aircraft to offer autonomous landing capability as a standard safety feature.
Variants
The M600/SLS (Safety, Light Speed) was the Autoland-equipped variant marketed from 2020. The earlier M500 and the original Meridian use the same PA-46 airframe with progressively less powerful PT6A variants.
Where you'll see it
The M600 competes with the Daher TBM 940 and PC-12 NG in the owner-flown high-performance single turboprop market. It is operated worldwide by business aviation owners and high-net-worth individuals who can qualify under single-pilot IFR rules.
Related aircraft
- Piper PA-46-500TP Malibu Meridian
- Piper PA-48 Enforcer
- Piper PA-42 Cheyenne III
- Piper PA-28 Archer
- AeroVolga LA-8 Borey
- Bombardier Global 7500
- Cessna Citation Longitude
- Daher TBM 930
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