Because it is always about speed. 

For Piper singles, it started with the Malibu since Piper had long wanted to build a pressurized piston single that would outrun Cessna’s pressurized 210. Delivered at the end of 1983, the PA-46-310P Malibu, with its cabin-class appointments did just that. Naturally, Cessna’s nose was out of joint, so it developed the R model of the P210, which was introduced in 1985 and was one whole knot faster than the Malibu. Forty were sold before production ceased for good.

Of course, Piper couldn’t let an out-of-production Cessna be faster than its top-of-the-line single. By 1989 it was delivering the PA-46-350P Malibu Mirage, which whistled along at a maximum cruise speed of 213 knots. 

However, about that time there was a new sort of single-engine entrant into the speed competition—turboprop power. By 1990, the TBM 700 was reaching customers. Then, Piper watched as Malibu and Mirage owners paid big money for the JetProp turboprop conversion for their birds, producing speeds in the 260-knot range. 

• READ MORE: FAA Clears Piper M700 for Unpaved Field Operations

It was not to be tolerated. 

It wasn’t.

Piper made significant tweaks to the PA-46 wings and tail to handle a big power upgrade as it dropped a 500 hp turboprop up front. The new PA-46-500TP Meridian began deliveries just before the close of the century in November 2000. With a max cruise of 260 knots at a lower fuel burn than the JetProp, the Meridian was an immediate success. 

Not willing to leave well enough alone and recognizing the payload limitations of the Meridian, Piper developed a new wing that could carry more fuel for the tried-and-true PA-46 fuselage, upped the horsepower to 600 and introduced the M600 while announcing that the PA-46 line would henceforth be referred to as the M-Class. The Malibu Mirage became the M350 (for its 350 hp engine), and the Meridian the M500. With deliveries starting in 2016, the M600 had 50 percent more range than the M500 and could carry 100 more pounds in the cabin. Yet, it was about speed—it was 14 knots faster at 274 ktas. It immediately outsold the M500 handily. 

Not surprisingly, customers  figuratively pounded the table crying, “We want more!” Not being the slightest bit foolish, Piper responded “your wish is our command” and dropped even more puff—700 hp—into the airframe and certified the M700 (PA-46-701TP) earlier this year. This time Piper gave it a name that reflected its goal of speed and performance—Fury. Gone are the laid-back Malibu, Mirage, and Meridian names: It’s time for something fire-breathing. 

The name Fury harkens back to a Royal Air Force biplane fighter of the 1930s. However, with an ability to cruise at 301 ktas, Piper’s Fury is more than 100 knots faster than the RAF’s 640 hp combat machine from Hawker. As the M700 breaks the 300-knot barrier for personal single-engine aircraft, the name Fury seems most appropriate. Good grief, at $4.2 million nicely equipped, it’s within 5 knots of being as fast as the Cirrus Vision jet.

The Basics

The fuselage is almost pure Malibu/M350—the aircraft are assembled on the same production line with some changes for the needs of the M700’s speed. Max differential pressurization is 5.5 psi, giving an 8,244-foot cabin at FL 280. The Pratt & Whitney PT6A-52 powerplant is flat-rated at 700 hp—which it can maintain up through FL 240. It’s also used on the King Air 260, where it puts out 850 hp so it’s not breathing hard on the M700. Max operating altitude is 30,000 feet. At FL 250 max cruise is 301 ktas on a standard day, where it burns 365 pph (55 gph). Usable fuel is 260 gallons (1,742 pounds). 

Piper advertises range at max cruise with 45-minute reserve as 1,149 nm. Slowing just 9 knots pushes the range up more than 200 nm to 1,424. Pulling the power back to what one considers max cruise for many piston singles, 206 ktas, bumps the range to a bladder-aching 1,852 nm. Yes, I know, people are buying the M700 for speed because it’s always about speed. I suspect that M700s are going to spend a significant portion of their flying lives at or near 301 knots.

Max rate of climb at sea level—2,048 fpm—is 30 percent greater than the M600. The Fury can claw its way to FL 250 in 13.9 minutes. Welcome to power and a five-bladed prop that can convert it to thrust. It’s no surprise that with the introduction of the M700, Piper is phasing out the M600. 

The M700 I flew had an empty weight of 3,855 pounds—and it appeared to have every available option. That’s 125 pounds more than Piper advertises and 79 pounds more than the average for the first aircraft off the assembly line. With a maximum ramp weight of 6,050 pounds, the aircraft I flew had a useful load of 2,195 pounds. Max takeoff weight is 6,000 pounds—thereby making it a BasicMed aircraft so long as the PIC stays below the flight levels. With full fuel, 453 pounds can be carried in the cabin. 

• READ MORE: Piper Lifts the Veil on the M700 Fury, Its Fastest Single Yet

Max landing weight is 5,800 pounds, so 200 pounds of fuel must be burned off after a gross weight launch. Max zero fuel weight is 5,050 pounds (any weight above 5,050 pounds must be in fuel). That allows for a maximum of 1,195 pounds to be carried in the cabin of the aircraft I flew. Filling the seats means watching individual weights, although it can come close to carrying six 200-pounders and no baggage. The aircraft is designed to be owner-flown, and it just isn’t that common for owner/pilots to fill the seats in their aircraft. For families with three or four kids, the aircraft might be perfect if care is taken in how much stuff everyone carries. 

With a max cabin load, 1,000 pounds (149 gallons) of fuel can be loaded. That’s nearly three hours of flying at low cruise settings. Not bad at all. 

When I ran some sample weight and balance problems, I observed that with full fuel and a partial passenger load, the center of gravity tended to stay near the middle of the envelope. However, with a full boat of passengers (I used 190 pounds each) and partial fuel, the aircraft was loaded 1.37 inches aft of the aft limit—and that’s with no baggage. The takeaway: If you’re going to fill the cabin, load the heavier folks forward.

Fortunately, with the G3000 avionics suite, running the departure and landing weight and balance is easy. Unless a pilot has the blind staggers and total disregard for self-preservation, it should be easy to keep the aircraft inside its loading envelope. 

I’ll note here that I like the warranty offered through Piper’s Ultimate Care Program. It covers all scheduled maintenance either to 1,500 hours or the aircraft’s fifth annual inspection as well as labor and parts for any mandatory service bulletins.

Avionics

Beyond the speed of the Fury, the major selling point is the stunning avionics suite that comes standard. It includes a Garmin 3000 system that I observed to be seamlessly integrated into the aircraft, a GFC 700 Digital autopilot, autothrottle, GWX 75 weather radar, GDL60 datalink, integrated digital cabin pressurization, and HALO safety system, which was the stuff of science fiction only a few years ago.

It also includes Garmin’s emergency Autoland, a fully autonomous landing system that can be activated manually by anyone in the aircraft or automatically if the system senses pilot incapacitation. Reduced to its essentials, once triggered, Autoland selects an appropriate airport for landing, notifies ATC of the emergency, keeps the occupants advised as to what’s going on, and lands the aircraft—activating deicing equipment as needed, extending the flaps and gear when the time comes. It slows the aircraft to a stop on the runway, shuts down the engine, and instructs the occupants on safe exit from the aircraft. 

• READ MORE: Piper Announces FAA Type Certification for M700 Fury

Garmin won the prestigious Collier Trophy for Autoland in 2020. The Collier isn’t given away for simply showing up at a fly-in and not wrecking the aircraft on landing. It is awarded “for the greatest achievement in aeronautics or astronautics in America, with respect to improving the performance, efficiency, and safety of air or space vehicles, the value of which has been thoroughly demonstrated by actual use during the preceding year.” Other Collier winners have included the NASA/JPL’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter Team and NASA/Northrop Grumman’s James Webb Telescope Industry Team. 

As this is going to press, Autoland has not been used in anger, however, as with lifesaving whole aircraft parachutes, I think that it’s only a matter of time. In talking with Piper sales personnel, I was assured that the Garmin Autoland system has sold a number of M700s. 

Above 14,100 feet with the autopilot engaged, HALO monitors pilot interaction for signs of hypoxia. If it detects hypoxia, it will fly the M700 to a lower altitude while it continues to monitor pilot activity. If activity is not detected, it will automatically activate Autoland. 

Automatic Level Mode—a push-button— returns the aircraft to a wings-level attitude with zero vertical speed. In addition, Electronic Stability & Protection (ESP) is monitoring when the aircraft is being hand flown. Should selected pitch, bank, and speed (high or low) parameters be exceeded, the system gently applies control forces to return the aircraft to flight within the parameters. Given that in-flight loss of control is up there on the fatal accident causation list, I think this system may be a lifesaver, especially when things start going south in weather while a pilot is hand flying and having difficulty programming the automation. 

The autothrottle is an integral part of the above systems, helping prevent overspeed or stall. I found that it was also handy on takeoff. Bring the power lever up to 800 pounds of torque, and the autothrottle takes over and sets max torque (1,840 foot-pounds) so the pilot doesn’t have to fiddle with setting power while the Fury is scorching down the runway toward its 75-knot rotation speed—it gets there quickly.  

Walking Around It

Approaching the M700 Fury from head on, its clean lines and five-bladed prop serve notice that this flying machine was built to cook. The radome is on the leading edge of the wing, not in a draggy pod hanging from it. Even the exhaust stacks give the impression of speed as they’re subtly more swept and tapered than I’m used to seeing. I was advised that they help make the aircraft quieter than the M600 and the engine slightly more efficient. 

The large cuff on the inboard leading edge of the wing helps the Fury meet the 61-knot maximum stall speed for single-engine aircraft and it, along with some fairings, are easily removable for maintenance. The cuff also allows for fuel lines from the wings to the engine to be routed outside of the fuselage pressure vessel, a big plus for crashworthiness. The two big nonicing NACA ducts under the nose deliver air to the engine without a need for ice vanes, inertial separator, or inlet deicing. The large flaps have three positions—up, takeoff/approach, and down.

Walking around the Fury with Joel Glunt, Piper’s head of flight test, I was impressed by the overall fit and finish. The paint job was first rate, and I was interested to see the colors change subtly when viewed from different angles. 

Other than the shape of the exhaust stacks, the only noticeable exterior difference between the M600 and M700 is a Gurney flap—a low-drag, high-lift device from the auto racing world—on the left side of the rudder trim tab. As Glunt pointed out, adding more power to an aircraft can be destabilizing. To achieve the desired roll and yaw stability on the M700, the Gurney flap was added, and rudder travel was increased.

The Cabin

The clamshell airstair door is located just aft of the left wing, giving access to the middle of the cabin. The cabin is fairly tight at 49.5 inches wide and 47 inches tall—one of the reasons the bird is fast. Length from the aft pressure bulkhead to the instrument panel is 148 inches. Taller passengers will be intertwining legs when facing each other in the club seats.

 As much as 100 pounds of baggage can be stowed behind the rear seats. They fold forward, but getting heavy suitcases in and out takes some effort. There is a provision for storing as many as three sets of golf clubs. 

The quality of the interior appointments is first rate, in keeping with the demands of those who occupy the cabins of top-of-the-line turboprops. The seats are comfortable, the leather is beautiful, the colors available are impressive, and such amenities as cup holders and USB ports are in easy reach. 

Getting into the pilot seats for anyone over 6-foot tall is a challenge. The M-series machines were not designed for tall people—they were designed to go fast, so it’s a compromise. Once in the left seat (I’m 6-foot-4), my head was against the headliner even before putting on a headset. Legroom is only just adequate. 

From a crashworthiness standpoint, the flight deck is, in my opinion, not satisfactory. There is little flail space in the event of a quick stop, and there is an upper switch panel in front of each pilot that is likely to cause head injury during the most common type of general aviation aircraft accident—runway loss of control and impact below stall speed. The upper switch panel also restricts visibility upward in turns and steep descents. 

I was amazed at the flight deck restraint system—it’s a set of three-point belts that look like they came from an old Cherokee. They are not only jarringly out of place in the overall ambiance of the interior, they are, in my opinion, inadequate for an aircraft with the Fury’s potential energy. For the tight space available for the pilots, I think that the very best in occupant protection for those in the pointy end of the arrow should be installed—airbag seat belts. 

Flying It

Firing up the Fury is pure PT6—turn the engine, wait a moment, introduce fuel, and monitor temperature and pressure as it lights off and comes up to speed. The G3000 boots up quickly. It will display whatever you need in the moment—checklist, synoptic pages showing systems status, taxiway routing, even synthetic vision on the ground while taxiing. 

Once moving, the nosewheel steering is positive and predictable. There is enough thrust at idle due to prop pitch and the faired exhausts that it’s usually necessary to taxi in Beta with occasional forays into reverse. There is a nose gear squat switch that locks out Beta and reverse in flight.

Acceleration on takeoff is just plain exhilarating. Directional control was positive throughout the takeoff roll and climbout with much less right rudder required than I expected. Published takeoff performance on a standard day at sea level is a ground roll of 1,261 feet and over an obstacle in 1,994 feet. While Glunt and I weren’t in a position to measure our takeoff distance, loaded about 300 pounds below gross weight, it looked like we didn’t roll much more than 1,000 feet. 

Rotation required only light back pressure, but once the M700 broke ground, significant nose-down trim was required immediately, increasing workload as the gear and flaps were retracted. I suspect that moving the gear aft with the new wing (for the M600 and M700) meant that setting takeoff trim was a tradeoff between control force required on rotation at 75 knots (as opposed to 85 knots for the M600) and the trim required for climb at V_Y—122 knots. 

In the initial climb, I saw a rate of 2,300 fpm, which was consistent with our weight and a published rate of 2,048 fpm at gross weight on a standard day at sea level. Handling was positive and lighter in pitch than I anticipated for an aircraft of this size with a downspring in the pitch control system. Max yoke deflection in roll is only 45 degrees, something that I suspected would make it easy to overcontrol as little control displacement is needed to deflect the ailerons. That was initially the case, but within a few minutes I adjusted to the pressure required to get the response desired. The aircraft can be tossed around nicely. 

Leveling at 17,500 feet and holding max torque, I observed a true airspeed of 291 knots burning 385 pph. The book called for 284 ktas while burning 390 pph. 

Descending below 10,000 feet to do air work revealed that the M700 is rock solid in slow flight and just plain fun to fly in steep turns—the long nose helps with pitch control. The stall is a nonevent, with lots of warning and a straight-ahead, gentle pitch down.

Programming the Garmin automation for a descent and intercept for an ILS approach was as it usually is—easy. The autothrottle nailed programmed speeds and descent rates. 

Disconnecting the autopilot and hand flying the ILS revealed that the Fury stayed on its trimmed speeds nicely. The hydraulically actuated gear can come down at 170 kias, with approach flaps at 147 kias and full flaps at a surprisingly low speed, 112 kias. There is a noticeable pitch change with flap extension and retraction. Gear extension causes what I considered to be a surprising amount of yaw as the nose gear comes down. 

Holding 85 kias on final, bringing the power lever to idle, and making a good pull on the yoke gets the nose up smoothly for a 70-knot touchdown. Putting the nosewheel on the runway allows using reverse, and that big prop stops the aircraft rapidly without directional excursions. 

In Conclusion

I liked what I experienced in the M700 Fury—more performance in an aircraft that is fun to fly matched with the most sophisticated avionics suite and safety automation available is quite a combination. Yes, it’s about speed, and it looks like Piper has come up with another fast-moving winner.

If you’re ready to pull the trigger on a new Piper turboprop, this one’s a bullet. 

Cockpit at a Glance:  Piper M700 Fury

A. The overhead panel contains switches for the electrical system, lighting and anti-icing systems but restricts the pilot’s view upward.

B. The primary flight display is the leftmost of the three-screen Garmin G3000 glass panel, and as the name indicates, provides all primary flight information in a single display. It can be customized by the pilot.

C. The multifunction display is on the center screen of the G3000 panel and can be configured as desired. Here it is set to display engine status, navigation information, and traffic.

D. Dual touchscreen Controllers operate much of the G3000 avionics and are arranged for easy access from either front seat.

Spec Sheet: Piper M700 Fury

Price as Tested: $4,519,272 (N701FY, the fully equipped M700 demonstrator)

Engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-52

Propeller: Hartzell 5-blade composite 5D3-N338A1/78D01B

Horsepower: 700

Length: 29.7 ft.

Height: 11.5 ft.

Wingspan: 43.13 ft.

Wing Area:  209 sq. ft.

Wing Loading: at 6,000 lbs. = 28.71 lbs./sq. ft.

Power loading: @ MCP 8.57 lbs./hp

Cabin Width: 49.5 in.

Cabin Height: 47 in.

Max Takeoff Weight: 6,000 pounds

Max Zero Fuel Weight: 5,050

Standard Empty Weight: approx. 3,776.15 lbs.

Max Baggage: 100 lbs. in baggage compartment

Useful Load: approx. 2,273.85 lbs., depending on options

Max Usable Fuel: 1,742.6 lbs. usable/260 gal. usable

Service Ceiling: FL 300

Max Rate of Climb, MTOW, ISA, SL: 2,048 fpm

Max Cruise Speed: 301 ktas

Max Range: 1,526 nm with NBAA reserves, 1,852 nm maximum endurance at economy cruise

Fuel Consumption at Max Cruise: 365 lbs./hr.

Stall Speed, Flaps Up: 6,000 lbs. gear up, flaps up 73 kias

Stall Speed, Full Flaps: 6,000 lbs. gear down, flaps LND 62 kias

Takeoff Over 50 Ft. Obs: 1,994 ft.  (ISA, sea level)

Landing Over 50 Ft. Obs: 1,950 ft. (ISA, sea level)

This feature first appeared in the July/August Issue 949 of the FLYING print edition.

The post We Fly: Piper M700 Fury appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

As Butch asked Sundance in the 1969 movie, “Who are those guys?” To which I add: Why the Phenom 300E? And, what makes that jet so popular?

I’ll answer the second question first. It’s a combination of being the fastest single-pilot jet in the sky, the fastest light jet with the highest payload and the ability to use runways less than 4,000-feet long and climb directly to FL 450. It offers stunningly attractive and comfortable interiors as well as solid human factors engineering (HFE) that keeps the workload for a single pilot manageable in challenging conditions.

For the first question, those men and women are Embraer, a Brazilian manufacturer that for more than 50 years has been designing and building turboprops and jets for the airlines, general aviation, and military. We’ve heard it said that Embraer is channeling the disruptive aeronautical design philosophies of countryman Alberto Santos-Dumont, whose aviation firsts from 1901 through 1909 made him a household name throughout much of the world.

After visiting Embraer’s Melbourne, Florida, campus—built as the U.S. space program there was slowing down to take advantage of a highly trained workforce—with its 192,000-square-foot production facility, engineering and technology center, two paint facilities, delivery center with design studio, and flying the Phenom 300E—I came away with the feeling that the manufacturer is on the cutting edge of bizjet design, performance, and customer service (75 centers worldwide).

• READ MORE: We Fly: Cirrus SR G7

I’ll be the first to admit that the definition of light jet is a bit amorphous, although, in general, it can carry six to eight passengers on flights of two to three hours and access relatively small airports.

The Phenom 300E can be configured for as many as 10 passengers on board. A 25-degree wing sweep helps generate a maximum speed of Mach 0.8 and a high-speed cruise of 464 knots, yet its sophisticated flaps mean it can operate from 4,000-foot-long runways at sea level, needing 3,209 feet for takeoff at its 18,551-pound maximum gross weight. Fully fueled, its NBAA range is 2,010 nm, which includes the ability to divert to an alternate airport 100 nm away. With eight occupants, its NBAA range is 1,178 nm. Max operating altitude is FL 450 (45,000 feet), and the 300E can climb directly there in 22 minutes.

The Basics

The Phenom 300 debuted in 2009. In 2013 it received an avionics upgrade to the Garmin G3000 Prodigy Touch Flight Deck. A major interior redesign came in 2017. A power bump in 2020 gave it its current impressive cruise speed. That’s when it became known as the 300E—the “E” standing for Enhanced. Power is supplied by a pair of FADEC-controlled Pratt & Whitney PW525E1 engines putting out 3,478 pounds of thrust each. TBO is 5,000 hours.

Recent Developments

Enhancements keep coming for the 300E.

• Autothrottles: They tie in with the autopilot for normal operations as well as overspeed and underspeed protection. Servos move the power levers, giving the pilot a tactile indication of the power setting in addition to the display on the gauges.

• Emergency Descent Mode (EDM): With the autopilot engaged, should the cabin pressure climb above 25,000 feet, the system turns the jet 90 degrees left and commands a descent to 15,000 feet while setting the transponder to 7700. For those aircraft equipped with autothrottles, power is reduced for the descent and increased then the aircraft reaches 15,000 feet.

• Runway Overrun Awareness and Alerting System (ROAAS): It engages at 1,000 feet agl and monitors altitude and speed for the runway in use and the runway conditions. Between 500 and 100 feet agl, if approach parameters are exceeded—generally too high and/or too fast—the system cautions that unless the pilot gets the jet back into appropriate approach parameters, it won’t be able to stop on the runway—“Caution, overrun.” If things are not corrected by 100 feet agl, an aural warning, “Overrun, go around,” sounds. If the airplane floats on landing, the system will give another caution, “Long flare.” ROAAS keeps working through rollout. If the jet isn’t decelerating appropriately, it issues another warning, “Overrun, brakes.”

• GWX75 radar: It has been upgraded with automatic vertical scanning and predictive hail capabilities, which predicts hail and presents it visually on the weather display.

• READ MORE: We Fly: Diamond DA62

The airplane flown had a basic empty weight (BEW) of 11,739 pounds. With full fuel—5,353 pounds—the payload was 1,459 pounds, or six 200-pound passengers and a lot of baggage. What is usually more important is how flexible the aircraft is when it comes to fuel versus cabin load. The zero-fuel weight for the 300E is 14,263 pounds, so when loading the airplane, anything over that weight has to be fuel. That means in the airplane we flew up to 2,524 pounds could go into the cabin—a whopping load. Bringing the airplane up to gross weight with 4,288 pounds of fuel still means the jet can fly well over 1,300 nm with reserves and go fast doing it.

With Embraer demo pilots Marisha Mohler and James Crawford, some sample weight-and-balance problems using the Prodigy Touch were run. Bottom line: It was nearly impossible to load the 300E out of CG, something of major importance because it minimizes the risk that a loading error will create an uncontrollable flying machine.

The Walk-Around 

Walking around the jet, I was impressed by the size of the left-side-accessed, heated-aft baggage compartment—84 cubic feet—with room for skis and golf clubs.

I was advised that the Phenom 300 was originally designed for high usage in the fractional and charter world—with a life of 35,000 hours or 28,000 cycles—so Embraer borrowed from its experience in the constant operation airline world for longevity and robustness. I noticed such features as all exterior panels, including the windshield, use a single screw head design. If necessary, the windshield can be replaced in four hours. The lavatory is serviced externally. Single-point fueling is available, and the large airstair door is beefed up to withstand long-term use but is designed for one-handed operation.

For speed, the skins are flush-riveted, the area rule of the rear fuselage is particularly notable inboard of the engines, and there are gap seals between all control surfaces. The auxiliary power unit (APU) plug is angled, so it will pull out, rather than rip out, should a pilot taxi away with it connected. The right engine can be run in a ground power mode, functioning as an APU.

Systems are conventional, but almost all are set and forget, with automation taking care of routine tasks and abnormalities and using the large screen presentation of the Prodigy Touch to display irregularities so that the crew can determine what actions, if any, are necessary. I saw numerous examples of HFE designed to reduce pilot workload and maximize situational awareness. One example is the spoilers. When deployed in-flight, they stow automatically when certain conditions are met. They deploy automatically on landing.

• READ MORE: We Fly: Cessna TTx

Braking is via a brake-by-wire system with an electronic, rather than mechanical, anti-skid system in the same box that turns pilot brake input into electrical impulses to the brake hydraulics. The brakes are carbon, maximizing effectiveness as they heat up. Wing, tail, and engine inlet deicing is via bleed air. The windshields are electrically heated.

The electrical system is a 28-volt, eight-bus system powered by two 390-amp generators.

The Cabin

When talking about a purchase price on the order of $13 million, the reality is that an owner-flown, fractional, or charter jet exists to carry people of means who want to get to a destination fast and in comfort. I think that is true especially for the owner-flown jet family. After all, there’s a hoary aviation axiom: If the nonflying spouse ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy, and the jet better have a comfortable potty.

After spending time in the cabin, I think Embraer nailed it. First, the cabin never gets too high—the 9.4 max pressure differential means that at the FL 450 maximum operating altitude, the cabin is at 6,600 feet. The cabin shape is a modified vertical oval, allowing the seats to be mounted low to maximize headroom. Standing 6-foot-4, I’ve been uncomfortably crowded in a lot of aircraft cabins—that was not the case here. The comfy seats recline, swivel, and track horizontally away from the bulkheads.

Everything on the ceiling is flush, including the air vents. Finally, there’s a design that gets rid of the ball-shaped head-knockers we’re used to. What is called a tech panel is on the ceiling, containing motion sensors. Moving a hand near the veneer lights up buttons to control the various entertainment systems, video displays, and cabin lighting.

The lavatory is the real thing—complete with a sink—and with solid, sliding doors for privacy. It has a window that is the same size as those in the rest of the cabin, so there’s no feeling of retreating into a black hole, especially as the lav seat can be belted and used as a passenger seat.

My takeaway from our time in the cabin and Embrarer’s Melbourne design center is that there is serious commitment to not only comfort but an elevated level of style and panache. But, then again, that’s what we expect from the country that gave us the elegance of the samba.

The Front Office

Moving forward to where the magic happens, the first thing that I observe is the sheer size of the Garmin G3000 Prodigy Touch displays and the well laid-out nature of the panel. Once seated, I found the seats to be among the easiest to adjust and the most comfortable I’ve experienced on any bizjet.

While I may have to turn in our jaded journalist accreditation, I kept running into things that were at the high end of our experience. I’ve used rudder pedals that adjust fore and aft, but never as easily as these. At my height, I’m used to being uncomfortable on a flight deck—it wasn’t the case in the 300E. To my amazement, when Captain Mohler—who is well over a foot shorter than I—got into the right seat, the seat and rudder pedals adjusted to fit her physique easily. I’m not used to that range of adjustment in flight deck seating.

I then looked at an issue I feel critical to design—crashworthiness for those at the point of the arrow. The most common bizjet accident is a runway overrun or loss-of-control event that involves impact at under stall speed, where good crashworthy design means keeping the crew alive. I generally liked what I saw. The restraint system is five-point, and there is flail space in front of the crew and no head-gouging overhead switches.

The more I learned about the flight deck and systems, the more I realized the significant thought that went into setting up the 300E for single-pilot operation and felt that it is a most reasonable step up for pilots flying single-pilot turboprops and smaller jets.

The Garmin G3000 Prodigy Touch Flight Deck avionics blend well with the aircraft, presenting what the pilot needs to know, when needed, and the shallow menu allows accessing information required with a minimum of screen inputs. Garmin’s intuitive design is well known, so I won’t go into detail here. Its incorporation in the 300E came across as nearly seamless.

While Prodigy Touch requires intense, focused training, I think that its design is pilot-friendly and intuitive. Once it is understood, a pilot can program the automation easily—thus freeing them to do the important stuff, such as think and maintain situational awareness. That’s especially important when dealing with weather or high-density airport arrivals in a single-pilot jet that goes as high and fast as this one.

Flying It

Starting a Phenom 300E is so easy that I can’t help but wonder whether it’s illegal in some states. You turn the appropriate rotary switch at the base of the power quadrant from “stop,” past “run” to “start.” Wait two, count ’em, two, seconds and then turn the switch back to run. FADEC takes care of monitoring engine rpm, applying fuel and ignition at the appropriate time and monitoring temps as the engine spools up—stopping the start automatically should something be amiss.

Yes, you monitor and are prepared to move the switch to stop, but there’s little to do. Taxiing is via the rudder pedals and carbon brakes. Once running, the jet will roll away from the chocks at idle power, meaning that braking is needed.

Takeoff preparation is easy—the checklist is short and consists generally of setting flaps, confirming that the departure procedure and initial altitude are loaded in the Garmin. I liked that there is nothing extra to do—or forget—after takeoff clearance is received. There’s a takeoff configuration button to push that checks the critical stuff and confirms that the jet is configured for takeoff. Switchology at that point is that every switch should be in the 12 o’clock position and all lights off. “12:00 and dark,” is the call. It’s simple, straightforward, and crew-friendly.

Loaded about 2,000 pounds below gross for this launch, V₁ was 105 knots, with V_R at 106. Acceleration was as to be expected for a bizjet, exhilarating and addictive.

Rotation immediately generated a positive rate of climb, once the gear was up and flaps retracted, we watched the rate of climb slide into the 3,000 fpm range as we accelerated.

We alternated hand-flying and having the automation handle things as we were slowly cleared to a 16,000-18,000-foot block altitude east of Melbourne. There, we hand-flew the 300E through steep turns and found that the jet is just plain fun to fly. The controls are heavy but responsive and the aircraft stays where you put it. Stick-force-per-G is linear and gets heavy quickly, so it’s unlikely someone will inadvertently load up the airframe when maneuvering.

With the autopilot back on, we pushed the power levers from max cruise to the climb mark and reached FL 450 so quickly that we were still negotiating with ATC for a route where we could have 10 minutes of level flight for a speed check. Once at altitude, we left the power in the climb setting and accelerated to Mach 0.8 , where at ISA minus-7 degrees Celsius we were burning at a total of 910 pph.

Pulling the power back to max cruise, the speed slowly backed off from Mach 0.8 to about 0.78 before it was time to start a descent. Heading down, we explored an emergency descent with power at idle (no effect on pressurization) and spoilers deployed and saw 10,000 fpm on the gauges.

I was impressed by the ease of programming the Prodigy Touch system as Captain Mohler did so while we were being vectored through busy Florida airspace and set up for the RNAV approach into Runway 9R at Melbourne. What would otherwise have been a workload-intensive event was something, in my opinion, easily handled by a single pilot comfortable with the automation and maintaining situational awareness.

Once established on glideslope, Captain Mohler suggested trying the coupled go-around feature. Pushing one of the TOGA (takeoff-go-around) buttons on the power levers caused the flight director to command an appropriate pitch up with the autopilot following the command. With autothrottles installed, the power would have come up simultaneously.

We then disabled the autopilot and rejoined the glideslope to set up a demonstration of ROAAS.

I’ve seen far too many bizjet runway overshoot accidents—and they almost invariably arise from being high and/or fast on final with a pilot determined to complete the landing and certain they can pull things together, only to discover the laws of physics can’t be broken. I think ROAAS will go a long way in reducing one of the remaining bugaboos of bizjet operations.

After sampling the automatic go-around and ROAAS features, landing the jet in gusty conditions proved to be a nonevent. I found it easy to maintain VREF. Captain Mohler called for pulling the power levers to idle at 50 feet and making a minimal flare. We managed to develop a sink rate at the last moment and touched down embarrassingly firmly. However, in performing its design duties, the trailing beam landing gear soaked things up and made us look good.

In the gusting crosswind we appreciated the automatic spoiler deployment. I could pay full attention to keeping the airplane tracking where we wanted with the main gear firmly on the ground. Applying gentle pressure initially to the brake pedals provided feedback that all was well, so I applied significant pressure as we wanted to make a nearby taxiway. I never felt the anti-skid cycle, but the jet slowed as if someone had tossed out an anchor.

In Conclusion

I came away from our time with the Phenom 300E impressed in many ways.

I like the robustness of the airframe. I appreciated the thought that went into a design focused on the needs of pilots so that either as a crew or single pilot, they can concentrate their time and energy on what is important, situational awareness, and handle whatever weather, ATC, or equipment failures throw at them without descending into the high-stress, tunnel-vision world where mistakes are made.

Spec Sheet: Embraer Phenom 300E

Price (as tested, estimated): $13 million

High Cruise Speed: 464 ktas

Max Mach Number: 0.80 MMO

NBAA IFR range (5 passengers): 2,010 nm

Takeoff Distance, 1,000 nm/NBAA IFR: 3,209 ft. at max gross weight

Landing Distance, Unfactored/NBAA IFR: 2,212 ft.

Max Operating Altitude: 45,000 ft.

Length: 51 ft., 4 in.

Wingspan: 52 ft., 2 in.

Height: 16 ft., 9 in.

Cabin Length: 17 ft., 2 in.

Cabin Width: 5 ft., 1 in.

Cabin Height: 4 ft., 11 in.

Maximum Payload: 2,524 lbs.

Payload, Full Fuel: 1,459 lbs.

Pressurized Stowage: 10 cubic ft. in the cabin

Aft Cargo Stowage: 84 cubic ft.

Cockpit at a Glance: Embraer Phenom 300E

A. The Embraer Phenom E00E’s pair of displays can be laid out in many ways. The primary flight display features a familiar Garmin interface, with airspeed and altitude tapes plus attitude information.

B. The multifunction display hosts the power and propulsion system schematic in this view.

C. A Garmin GTC-style touchscreen controller also follows the similar control unit found in many new piston and turboprop airplanes.

D. The power levers on the right side of the pilot’s seat are set as required for the necessary engine power output.

E. The flight control yoke is used to control pitch and roll.

This feature first appeared in the May 2024/Issue 948 of FLYING’s print edition.

The post We Fly: Embraer Phenom 300E appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

For the 1956 model year, the company applied the nosewheel concept to its tailwheel 180 and smaller sibling 170, creating the 182 and 172. Thus began a sales tour de force that continues to this day. Where the 172 became the most popular general aviation airplane in history, the more powerful and capable 182 became the big-engine, reliable, go-almost-anywhere, powerful climbing, carry-almost-anything, good-handling, comfortable old boot that could be found nearly anywhere on the planet where there was space into which to shoehorn an airplane.

In the first decade of manufacture, Cessna fine-tuned the 182 with a wider and deeper fuselage that made the cabin truly comfortable for four, added a panoramic rear window, as well as beginning steady gross weight increases so that what was soon named the Skylane became the utility infielder of the GA world.

• READ MORE: We Fly: Embraer Phenom 300E

The original design was eventually stretched to become the models 205, 206, 207, and, with retractable landing gear, the 210 and retractable 182.

In 1962, Cessna became the first to successfully bring a form of turbocharging to general aviation with its model 320 twin. A turbocharger is an air compressor that pumps more air into an engine, allowing it to develop greater power at higher altitudes than a normally aspirated engine as intake pressure drops with altitude. A turbocharger uses exhaust gas to turn a turbine, to compress and boost intake pressure. When there’s more air entering the engine, more fuel can be added to the fuel/air mixture resulting in greater power.

Turbochargers have been around since World War I, but their complexities and fiery operating environment prevented their widespread use in GA until the Cessna 320 debuted with a system that was reliable and didn’t require a degree in engineering for pilots to operate safely. The 320 sold like mad, so Cessna expanded its turbo offerings.

For the 1981 model year, Cessna turbocharged the Skylane, but with a relatively primitive, fixed-wastegate system that involved significant pilot workload. Nevertheless, it proved popular, outselling the normally aspirated 182 until Cessna’s hiatus on piston-engine production in 1986.

When that production began once more in 1996, the 182 was reintroduced in its normally aspirated form. In 2001, to start out the new century, a new turbocharged 182—the T182—was offered with important updates, including aggressive corrosion-proofing and aerodynamic tweaks to the airframe. Motive force now came from a Lycoming engine with slightly more power, the 235 hp TIO-540-AK1A with 2,000-hour TBO. Most significantly, the turbocharging system was a sophisticated set-and-forget type.

A sloped controller in the system sensed manifold pressure and modulated the wastegate to keep the correct amount of exhaust gas going through the turbine section of the turbocharger to maintain the desired manifold pressure. The wastegate is a valve that adjusts to direct exhaust gas through the turbine section of the turbo until the system decides the amount is appropriate, and then it directs any excess into the overboard exhaust pipe.

There was one more pause in Turbo Skylane production—in 2013—when Cessna explored replacing it with a diesel version. I’ve heard various reasons that the diesel didn’t work out but don’t know if any are true. Cessna, wisely, in my opinion, reintroduced the T182T with deliveries starting in 2023. The newest version included the latest Garmin G1000 NXi avionics suite, a heated prop, and upgraded interior amenities. Max operating altitude is 20,000 feet. Base price is currently $760,000.

As an aside, the first “T” in T182T refers to the Cessna’s way of saying that the flying machine is turbocharged. The second letter designates the specific model (as type certificated) of 182. The first model 182 had no alphabetical suffix—it is called the “no letter.” Each subsequent model change received a new letter, although some letters were skipped. The current normally aspirated 182 is the 182T.

The Basics

The T182T I flew was the first off of the assembly line in the 2023 production restart. It was flown as a demonstrator for 240 hours before being purchased by Phil Preston of Poplar Grove, Illinois. The airplane came with most available options including electric air conditioning, oxygen, and a striking interior.

The T182T’s Lycoming engine is a “max continuous power” engine—it develops its full-rated 235 hp continuously at 32 inches of manifold pressure, 24 gallons per hour (gph) fuel flow, and a quiet 2400 rpm all the way to 20,000 feet. There is no time limit on full-power operation.

• READ MORE: We Fly: Cirrus SR G7

Empty weight of the airplane I flew is 2,191.5 pounds. With a maximum ramp weight of 3,112 pounds (max takeoff weight is 3,100 pounds), it has a useful load of 920.5 pounds. (Cessna’s advertising claims a 998-pound useful load.) Max landing weight is 2,950 pounds, so 192 pounds of fuel (27 gallons) must be burned off following a max-weight departure. Fuel capacity is 92 gallons in the integral wing tanks, of which 87 is usable.

With full fuel—522 pounds—398.5 pounds can be loaded into the cabin. At first blush that doesn’t seem like much for a legendary load hauler like the 182, but the huge fuel tanks make the airplane a camel. At 15 gph, full tanks give well over five hours endurance.

Still, with all the options, this airplane is heavy. Putting four 200-pounders in the cabin means the airplane is over its maximum landing weight without any fuel aboard, so juggling fuel and passengers is required. Assuming having 10 gallons of fuel on board when landing at maximum landing weight after burning off 27 gallons following a gross weight takeoff, the maximum possible cabin load for the airplane we flew is 698.5 pounds, or three large adults and baggage. Maximum baggage is 200 pounds—split between three baggage areas.

Cessna singles have a reputation for some of the longest center-of-gravity (CG) ranges in the industry. The T182T lives up to its reputation. I ran several weight-and-balance scenarios and found that in none of the occupant and baggage combinations I tried was the airplane out of the forward or aft CG limit. That’s impressive.

The fuel system is simple. Two tanks and a fuel selector that offers left, right, and both and off positions. Leaving it on the “both” position means getting all the available fuel and minimizes the risk of selecting a tank that doesn’t have fuel in it. To avoid inadvertently shutting off the fuel, the selector valve must be pushed down before it can be rotated to the “off” position. I was impressed by the accuracy of the fuel gauging system, something important when launching with partial fuel may be routine.

The electrical system is straightforward—dual bus, 28-volt DC, powered by a 95-amp alternator with primary and standby batteries. The standby battery will power the equipment on the essential bus for about 45 minutes.

Walking around this new T182T revealed excellent fit and finish, a beautifully applied paint job and some of the aerodynamic touches made over recent years to maximize speed, such as smaller steps, low-drag wheel fairings, and a low-profile beacon.

The Cabin

Opening one of the large cabin doors, you notice little touches, such as their solid feel and the easy step into the cabin itself. Preston has owned several airplanes, high-wing, low-wing, and biplane. He told us that he chose the 182 because of the ease of entry: “I don’t like climbing up onto a wing to get in and out of the airplane.” He also likes the high wing because he’s loaded and unloaded airplanes in the rain many times and prefers to be able to stay dry.

The seats are delightfully comfortable and adjust far more easily than older 182s to fit a wide variety of pilot sizes and shapes. Cessna has been a leader in GA crashworthiness going back to 1946 when it began offering shoulder harnesses as optional equipment for all seats in its singles, continuing through the 1960s when it did full-scale crash testing and later when it donated some 172s to NASA for its crash research. Where it shows in this new T182T is with the best occupant restraint systems available in general aviation—AmSafe airbag seat belts for all four seats.

• READ MORE: We Fly: Diamond DA62

The clean panel is dominated by the Garmin NXi two-screen display with all controls, switches, and knobs easily accessible to the left-seat pilot.

Flying It

Start-up is not simple. The process, including system checks, takes nearly a minute before the starter switch is engaged. On my flight the engine started easily on the first try, even though it was hot. Preston told me that he has not had any problem with hot starts.

Once the avionics were on, Preston showed how easy it was to load a route into the Garmin NXi system. He said that he appreciated its wireless database and flight plan loading capability.

Taxiing out, I was impressed at how easily the airplane rolled and the lightness of the nosewheel steering—there’s no sense of a heavy engine pressing down on it as there is in older Skylanes. On the hot morning of our flight, I came to quickly appreciate the electric air conditioning. It cooled the cabin rapidly.

I used Cessna’s recommended 10 degrees of flap for takeoff. Lined up, and throttle forward, I monitored the manifold pressure to make sure that it stopped at the 32-inch redline. While the turbocharger control is automatic, if the engine oil is cold, the control can be sluggish, and it’s possible to overboost the engine slightly. If 32 inches is reached before the throttle is fully open, just stop pushing it forward until the control system catches up. Acceleration is rapid, and right rudder is most definitely required, especially once the nosewheel leaves the ground.

The aggressive takeoff performance of the turbo Skylane reminded me that the T182T meets the U.S. Department of Defense’s definition of STOL aircraft right out of the factory—no mods required. At sea level, it will take off or land over a 50-foot obstacle in less than 1,500 feet. Few production airplanes are that capable. For a short field takeoff, 20 degrees of flaps are used.

Cleaned up and holding V_Y, 84 kias, loaded about 200 pounds below gross on a warmer than standard day, the rate of climb approached 1,000 feet per minute (fpm)—book is 1,015 fpm on a standard day. When I pulled the power back to what Cessna calls for in a “normal” climb—25 inches of manifold pressure and 16 gph fuel flow, while maintaining the full 2,400 rpm—the rate of climb sagged off by nearly half. At the suggested 95-knot airspeed, it was only 550 fpm.

Frankly, in my opinion, making a power reduction for climb in an airplane with a max continuous power engine makes no sense. It greatly increases the time to altitude and burns slightly more fuel—according to the POH—than a climb at full power. In addition, in case of an engine failure after takeoff, the higher it happens, the better the radius of action for a forced landing. Using full power and climbing at V_Y, the time to 20,000 feet per the POH is only 23 minutes from sea level and burns 9.2 gallons.

For a “normal” climb, it takes 24 minutes just to get to 12,000 feet and burns 6.3 gallons. Comparatively, at full power and V_Y, it takes 13 minutes and 5.1 gallons of fuel to get to 12,000 feet.

As with all but the oldest Skylanes, control forces on the Turbo Skylane are not light.

However, if sufficient pressure is applied to deflect them, the airplane is quite responsive with a most satisfying roll rate. Pitch forces are heavy, mostly due to the downspring in the elevator system that allows the long CG range. The first rule of thumb when flying a Skylane is to use the trim when any change is made in power or speed. With trim, the Skylane is a pure pussycat to fly—one of the reasons it has been so popular for so long. With trim, steep turns are a piece of cake. The solid stability of a Skylane in slow flight could set the standard for GA aircraft—the T182T proved no exception.

The Garmin Electronic Stability and Protection system kicked in while I was maneuvering (it can be disabled). It is a safeguard to protect the pilot while hand flying. Once the aircraft is rolled beyond a selected angle of bank or gets faster or slower than set speeds, it applies control forces to roll the airplane toward wings level or pitch up or down to control speed. Given that in-flight loss of control is well up there when it comes to risk of fatal accidents, I like this system a lot.

Stalls—hey, what do you want? It’s a Cessna. Power on, power off, full flaps, or clean, it’s a nuthin’ muffin. With the ball centered, it breaks straight ahead. A little pitch reduction, and it’s flying. Adding power (right rudder, remember!) turns any descent into a climb forthwith.

Preston and I then looked at cruise power versus airspeed. As much as I despise the overused phrase “power packed,” that describes this Lycoming engine. For pilots used to maximum cruise at 75 percent power, this engine gets one’s attention because it can be run, and leaned, at as much as 87 percent power—204 hp on a 235 hp engine. At 10,000 feet, the POH quotes a cruise speed on a standard day of 155 knots and 17.8 gph at 87 percent—that’s moving in a 182. At 20,000 feet on a standard day, 82 percent generates 165 knots while burning 16.3 gph.

Some time ago, I was told that Cessna does its cruise speed testing by launching above gross weight so that the airplane is at gross at altitude—and therefore the book speeds will be conservative. For over 40 years I’ve cross-checked book versus actual speeds on new Cessnas, and that’s always been the case.

Descending to 10,000 feet and setting up 75 percent power, at 15 degrees above standard temperature, the book called for 144 ktas. Preston and I saw 145, however, our fuel burn was 13.8 gph versus the book’s 13.6. Want to save some fuel but still move along nicely at 10,000 feet? Pull the power back to 60 percent and get a quiet decent 131 knots at 11 gph. Want to go far? According to Cessna, max range is 971 nm at best economy power.

Leaning leads to an issue that is troubling for an airplane of this sophistication and a useful load that is, let’s face it, not exactly great. Lycoming’s recommended lean mixture setting is 50 degrees rich of peak turbine inlet temperature (TIT). (Lycoming certificated the engine, so Cessna must follow Lycoming protocols.) With what we know now from published data from sophisticated general aviation engine test facilities, 50 degrees rich of peak is not at all good for an engine.

It is the power setting for the highest combination of heat, internal cylinder pressure, and minimum detonation protection—and may necessitate cylinder replacement prior to engine overhaul. For best power, Lycoming calls for 125 degrees rich of peak TIT—which is better for detonation protection. Per the POH, best economy is at peak TIT. That setting is not wonderful because it is still in the range of maximum heat and internal cylinder pressure as well as lower detonation protection.

Lean of peak (LOP) operation is not “approved.” As far as I can tell, it’s not a limitation, so it is a recommendation. Still, it makes no sense to me. Lycoming engines have a reputation for excellent mixture distribution between cylinders and have been run LOP for decades. LOP reduces fuel burn 2 to 3 gallons per hour and dramatically reduces CHTs as well as internal cylinder pressures.

In an airplane that is heavy to start with, having to burn 2 or 3 gph more than necessary isn’t a stellar idea. It means having to carry extra fuel instead of payload. For a trip of several hundred miles, that can mean an extra hour of endurance wasted. To make a good airplane even more capable by reducing fuel consumption, extending engine life and increasing payload, one wonders why Cessna hasn’t leaned on Lycoming to come into this century with engine operating guidelines.

As we flew, I purely enjoyed working with the Garmin automation in the Turbo Skylane. Preston demonstrated that not only did the autopilot engage smoothly, programming it to do what we wanted was easy.

Millions of words have been written about Garmin automation, so I won’t add more here, other than to say it was intuitive, easy, worked well, and seamlessly integrated into the T182T.

Approaching our towered airport, I was asked to keep the speed up until short final. Those are magic words to a Skylane pilot. The T182T smoked down a long final at 150 kias until 3 miles out—then I took advantage of the high flap speeds. The first 10 degrees of flaps can come out at a blistering 140 kias, 20 degrees at 120 kias, and all of them at 100 kias. The airplane slowed so quickly that it was a piece of cake to be stabilized at 60 kias while still several hundred feet up.

I’ve heard pilots complain that 182s are nose heavy. They aren’t. The reality is that with just two aboard, the airplane is near the forward CG limit, so a lot of nose-up elevator is necessary to flare. Plus, if the airplane isn’t trimmed, it’s going to take a lot of effort to heave the yoke aft because of the downspring in the system and the airframe’s attempt to nose down to maintain its trim speed.

The POH says that the demonstrated crosswind level is 15 knots. With the effective flight controls of the T182T, I suspect that number is conservative.

Conclusion

The Cessna 182 became the four-place airplane everyone wanted because it does almost everything well—it’s the SUV of the general aviation world. With turbocharging the T182T takes that utility and performance to new heights and new capabilities, giving a pilot more options and more ability to deal with weather and winds.

Spec Sheet: Cessna T182T Skylane

2024 Base Price: $760,000

Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-AK1A

Propeller: (Manufacturer, metal or composite, number of blades) McCauley, metal, three blade

Horsepower: 235

Length: 29 feet

Height: 9 feet, 4 inches

Wingspan: 36 feet

Wing Area: 174 square feet

Wing Loading: 17.8 pounds per square feet @mtow

Power Loading: 13.19 pounds/hp

Cabin Width: 42 inches

Cabin Height: 49 inches

Max Takeoff Weight: 3,100 pounds

Max Zero Fuel Weight: N/A

Standard Empty Weight: 2,114 pounds

Max Baggage: 200 pounds

Useful load: 998 pounds, depending on options

Max usable fuel: 87 gallons

Service Ceiling: 20,000 feet

Max Rate of Climb, MTOW, ISA, SL: 1,040 fpm

Max Cruise Speed at 82% Power at 20,000 Feet: 165 ktas

Max Range: 971 nm [45-minute reserve]

Fuel Consumption at 82% Power: 16.3 gph

Takeoff Over 50 Ft. Obs: 1,385 feet [ISA, sea level]

Landing Over 50 Ft. Obs: 1,335 feet [ISA, sea level]

This feature first appeared in the Summer 2024 Ultimate Issue print edition.

The post Ultimate Issue: We Fly the Cessna T182T Skylane appeared first on FLYING Magazine.