Piper Aircraft

Piper seems to be setting themselves up very nicely with the new Piper Matrix and the PiperJet (although I wouldn’t mind a name change for the PiperJet). A small business owner, working professional (accountant, doctor, or lawyer), or other aviation enthusiast could easily work their way up the Piper ladder with fewer problems/hurdles than any other manufacturer. I believe this is part of the reason Cessna bought Columbia. It is hard to see yourself transitioning from a 182 or 206 to a Mustang. And the pilots interested in a Cessna Caravan probably don’t think the Mustang has enough payload for their taste.

The Piper lineup can be used as an initial trainer and then a pilot can work their way up the ladder to the new Piper Matrix (which is a very nice competitor to the Beech Bonanza). Then move from the Matrix to the highly capable Mirage (I always thought it was an easy name to remember because it looked like a turboprop, but it wasn’t) or the Meridian.

I spent a lot of time at the NBAA in Atlanta talking with Piper folks and looking at the Meridian and the PiperJet. I really like the Meridian and think that is a highly capable aircraft. The only drawback is the nearly $2 million price tag. If the PiperJet comes in with the same price targets they may end up cannibalizing some Meridian sales.