Great video Rich and Ken. As a Meridian owner, I can confirm the capabilities, performance and joy of flying discussed in this video of this airplane. Harris Ranch for a meal was just an added bonus. Making the step from a Cirrus SR22T to the Meridian has been a game changer in every way for us and the best decision thus far in my aircraft flying and ownership history. If you are looking to step up from a piston, this is a great option and having seen Ken's plane in person, this is a gem.
Hey Patrick. I’m an owner of an SR 22t and dreaming of stepping up to a turboprop is the future. How have the operating and maintenance costs compared?
@@davidbrcka Hi Dave - with the Cirrus, it felt like I was aways fixing something. Our plane was available for rent in a small fleet with other Cirrus pilots so I flew it about 150 hours a year and total usage from rentals was another 100-150 hours. Over 3 years, I felt like I spent a small fortune. Waste gate valves, AC compressor, turbos, brakes, top overhaul, you name it, I did it. With the Meridian, year 1, I went Pre Buy to Annual (12 months) with no other services or AOG events. This year, I had one AOG event where the left main gear seal went out and fluid was on the ground. Had that fixed in my hangar from High Performance Aircraft in CA within 48 hours. Otherwise, expect to (and hope to) make it to this years annual without another service. I plan on $25K a year for maintenance and so far its been accurate. I maintain this aircraft like our Cirrus, open checkbook. If it is recommended, I do it. There are so many less parts in the Turbine that makes it so much more reliable. My wife is also a pilot (not current in the last 15 years) but didn't feel comfortable in the Cirrus on longer summer or winter trips in the Cirrus. With the meridian, we take it everywhere except a recent trip from AZ to Puerto Rico for a wedding. Too much Atlantic under the plane and huge headwinds home for a 3 day trip. The Meridian will feel like you are in a different world as an owner pilot. Pressurization, FL 280 (or 300 with RVSM), Turbine, 260+ knots, and you can still take it 80 miles for a hamburger with Friends and not feel guilty. I haven't looked back once.
@@patrickjones1614 AWESOME! I have an SR22 and my plane has been in the shop for 2 months with no end in sight dealing with parts shortages. I'm dreaming of the Miridian! I hope to step up soon!
Great video Rich. I really enjoyed your no-frills, no distracting/annoying music approach, unlike what so many people are incorporating into aviation videos these days. This was informative and to the point. I'm a 23 year owner of a Saratoga II TC, bought brand new from the factory in 2000. My dream aircraft is a Meridian, perhaps one of these days if all goes well. Looking forward to more of your videos, fly safe!
Harris Ranch fly's their PC-12 in and out of there routinely. I fly in about once every couple months. I use to fly a Seminole there. Its narrow but very open and doable. Now in just a 172. Still a great place. Show your pilots license and get 10% off your meal.. very cool!!
Very cool video. Impressed watching landing a turboprop on such a narrow runway...great airmanship! Loved the opening music, too...kept expecting to hear Depeche Mode belt out "reach out, touch faith!"
Have always liked the 6 seater Pipers. The M350 is great as well being the only pressurized piston single in the market as far as i know. Enjoyed the flight. Thanks Rich & Ken
I used to fly a Flying Club aircraft from NAS Lemoore to Harris Ranch for lunch and then some sightseeing when I was stationed there in the early 1980s. Very cool then and really doesn’t look like it’s changed a whole lot. Nice aircraft that Meridian!
Keep up the great work, Rich. Could you dig deeper into performance on the planes? Also, may be interesting to see you do a comparison between models like you see with cars. Fly safe
I flew here for my commercial cross country. No problem getting in but I def underestimated the challenge of finding and landing on such a small strip after nearly 3 hours of cruise.
Great place to stop, of course we did it driving on the way to Rancho Cordova, one thing you don’t get when you fly only when you drive in the summer is the Aroma 😂😂😂
Very nice video. Nice airplane ✈️. I don’t like the cockpit. To small, no pilot door to get in. Still today new they don’t get one. So there are nice alternatives to it like the TBM, Epic and so on. But besides that a nice jetprop. 👍Interesting like always from Rich. Only mark I had to complain. The radio bla bla while your customer tell the story. That’s a bit disturbing. Maybe you can work on that? I noticed that in other videos as well. If possible would be a nice game changer. Good luck to the Citation Mustang, a well done awesome choice. ❤😊☀️
Hey Rich, I am a Cessna 210 owner looking to upgrade soon. We settled on the 210 vs a Bonanza for the room, I'm 6'8" so fitting in planes can be an issue. How is the room in the front of the Meridian? I've heard they are tight, but have not ever sat in one yet. Thanks for another great video!
If I had a meridian, I couldn’t even afford one tire but if I could and was going to upgrade it would be the TBM 850 or 900 series maybe a PC-12. I think that turboprops are better than anything else I mean jets are nice but there’s just something about turboprops.
Another great vid Rich!! The Meridian is one of my fav looking planes. What kind of headroom did she have. I've seen some comments that at 6'1" I'd be bumping my noggin pretty bad though. Is there any truth to that imo
Well, Rich did not get a 103, but did get a motorcycle instead to keep busy doin something. A friend just bought a 1964 C-150 so get to keep flying at some level, right seat. The reason for having to give up flying had a major heart attack( over 40% of heart mussel died ) and had a triple bypass surgery and can not pass the physical obviously. Still active and wanted something fun to do. Keep life interesting and keep going. Enjoy all your videos.
Rich ... I realize after watching the channel for a long time that much of the channel's production is geared toward aircraft sales as well as being greatly informative. "IF" you take requests ... I'd love to see You review the Shorts Tucano (demilled advanced turbine trainer for the RAF) which is readily available at RS Warbirds (Cutter Aviation) at Deer Valley Airport in Phoenix. I'll bet they would relish the opportunity to get the publicity and it would also help promote Your channel. I specify the "Shorts" version (manufactured in Ireland) because Embraer produces a similar version, manufactured in South America, but is powered by the Pratt & Whitney versus the Garrett -12.
@@FlyingwithRich Wow, do your customers find that to be worth the extra $1m in MSRP? I would be curious about the take rate they get beween those 2 models. I dont have the money to buy one, but I would pay for a flight next time you are up in the SF Bay area with anything.
Piper delivered 41 M600s and 9 M500 (Meridians) in 2022 so seems like the preference is pretty clear! Send me an e-mail and we’ll try to connect when I make it up there again.
Would love a series on how to put myself in the position that "Ken" managed to find himself in to be able to afford this lifestyle. Any monkey can get his pilots license and IFR rating, PAYING for it is ALWAYS the challenge. How did Ken do it? Only hint he provides is the "farm" he lived on when he was a kid. So then - parents owned a "farm".. 10,000 acre cattle ranch or what? Not poor to start with.
