The M600/SLS is the flagship of Piper’s M-Class line of single-engine, pressurized airplanes.
Demand remains strong and availability tight for the Piper Aircraft M600/SLS turboprop. During EAA AirVenture Oshkosh in late July, Piper said dealer inventories of new M-Class and other airplanes were “near zero” and available used inventories of M-Class aircraft at less than 3%.
The M600/SLS is the flagship of Piper’s M-Class line of single-engine, pressurized airplanes—including the M500 turboprop and the M350 piston single—based on the manufacturer’s PA-46 Malibu series. The manufacturer delivered 41 M600s in 2022.
Piper announced FAA type certification of the M600 in June 2016.
Powered by a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-42A turboprop engine flat-rated at 600 shp, the airplane seats six and travels to a maximum range of 1,484 nm with NBAA IFR reserves. Its cockpit features a three-screen Garmin G3000 avionics suite with dual GTC 570 touchscreen controllers. At the time of its certification, the M600 list price was $2.853 million.
In October 2019, the Vero Beach, Florida-based manufacturer unveiled the next-generation M600 SLS, for “safety, luxury and support.” The SLS version comes with the Halo Safety System, of which a core feature is Garmin’s Autoland system. The Halo system includes a new autothrottle, which is required for Autoland, and a suite of safety functionalities including Garmin Emergency Descent Mode, Enhanced Stability and Protection, Surface Watch, Safe Taxi and Flight Stream wireless connectivity.
Seven months after the unveiling—in May 2020—the M600 SLS with G3000 cockpit became the world’s first Autoland-equipped aircraft to receive FAA type approval. The Daher TBM 940 single-engine turboprop and Cirrus SF50 Vision Jet followed later that year.
“This is the first aircraft to be certified with one of the most significant advancements in general aviation history,” said Piper’s then-President and CEO Simon Caldecott. “As a company that has always held safety at the forefront of our culture, we are proud to be the first to market with Autoland. Additionally, it is our great honor to pave the way for others to follow with this new technology.”
Activated by pressing a button located in the back of the center pedestal, or automatically in extreme circumstances if the pilot doesn’t respond to prompts, Autoland calculates a flight plan to the most suitable airport that avoids terrain and adverse weather, initiates an approach to the runway, and extends the landing gear and flaps as the aircraft descends.
On the runway, automatic braking is applied while tracking the runway centerline to bring the aircraft to a complete stop. Engine shutdown is automated so occupants can safely exit the aircraft.
Garmin announced on July 19 that Autoland/Autothrottle certification was imminent for retrofit installations on Beechcraft King Air 200- and 300-series twin-engine turboprops fitted with the G1000 NXi avionics suite. Future certifications were in the works for the G3000-equipped Beechcraft Denali and HondaJet Elite II.
Price Reflects Demand
The 2020 factory-new list price of the M600 SLS was $3.081 million, where it remains this year, according to the Aircraft Bluebook. The average retail price of the SLS model—the average price for a midtime, average aircraft at the end of the previous quarter—was $3.536 million.
The Aviation Week Fleet Discovery Database in July counted 97 in-service M600 and 151 M600 SLS models. Most of these airplanes—195—are based in North America.
The International Aircraft Dealers Association Aircraft Exchange in early July listed two aircraft for sale—a 2018 M600 and a 2020 M600 SLS, of which the latter model remained listed later in the month.
Recent Enhancements
Piper has recently announced a number of M600 enhancements.
- At the Sun ‘n Fun Aerospace Expo in Lakeland, Florida, in March, the manufacturer said Garmin’s PlaneSync connected aircraft suite, enabled by its GDL 60 Datalink, will be available for M600s manufactured in 2022-23. Drawing from a 4G LTE or Wi-Fi connection, PlaneSync automatically updates avionics databases, logs flight and engine data and allows operators to remotely check fuel and systems status via the Garmin Pilot app. In July, Garmin said PlaneSync is now available for retrofit installations.
- At Aero Friedrichshafen, Germany, in April, Piper said its M600/SLS, M500 and Meridian single-engine turboprops have been FAA-approved to use sustainable aviation fuel.
In 2017, the manufacturer announced an M600 “personalization” package named Expression, or EXP, that gave customers a choice of interior enhancements including custom ceiling bezels, leather-wrapped yokes, cockpit assist handles and seat-pattern style choices. For the aircraft exterior, they could choose from predetermined or newly developed paint schemes. Separately, Piper announced an optional Hartzell five-blade composite swept-tip propeller that decreases noise and vibration.
BCA welcomes comment and insight from aircraft dealers and brokers for its monthly 20/Twenty pre-owned aircraft market feature. The focus aircraft for August 2023 is the Pilatus PC-12 and for September the Bombardier Challenger 350. To participate, contact [email protected].
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