PA-46-350P Malibu Mirage

Piper · United States · first flew 1988 · light aircraft

The PA-46 Malibu Mirage is a pressurised, cabin-class single-engine aircraft offering airliner-like comfort and altitude capability from a piston powerplant.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Low-mounted, tapered
E — Engines	1 × piston, nose-mounted
F — Fuselage	8.81 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.

Spot it by:

Pressurised single-piston cabin
Long slender high-aspect wing
Six-seat cabin-class layout

The long, slender high-aspect wing and the deep pressurised fuselage with small cabin windows mark it out. Its lines are sleeker and more purposeful than the typical light single.

Specifications

The PA-46-350P Malibu Mirage has a length of 8.81 m (29 ft).
It has a wingspan of 13.11 m (43 ft).
Its maximum speed is 407 km/h (253 mph).
Typical crew: 1 pilot, up to 5 passengers.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Developed from the original Malibu, the Mirage first flew in 1988 with a more powerful Lycoming engine replacing the earlier Continental. The airframe later spawned the turbine-powered Meridian, cementing the PA-46 as one of the most capable piston singles ever built.

Variants

The Malibu Mirage succeeded the Continental-engined Malibu, and the line evolved further into the PT6-powered JetProp conversions and factory Meridian turboprops. The Matrix offered an unpressurised variant of the same fuselage.

Where you'll see it

In the UK the type appeals to owner-pilots wanting genuine cross-Channel and cross-continent capability in a single. Its pressurised cabin lets it cruise well above much of the weather that grounds simpler aircraft.

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