FAA Okays the New 301-Knot Matrix

Piper Aircraft obtained type certification for its new flagship, the M700 FURY from the FAA, marking off a short amount of time since it was announced on February 6th.

The Fury will be heading out to customers this week, bringing them the newest evolution to the Piper Matrix platform. The Fury cuts a competitive figure in the single-engine turboprop niche, offering pilots a 301-knot maximum cruise and a range of 1,424 nautical miles. Thanks to a brand new Pratt & Whitney PT6A-52 engine, the Fury has 700 shaft horsepower on tap - with all the accouterments befitting a Piper flagship. 

Aside from the cruise, the Fury sports a 1,994-foot take off at max gross, a 641-foot improvement over the preceding M600. That gives operators a takeoff performance almost 40% better than a similarly sized jet, very nifty for anyone who likes out-of-the-way airfields and lesser-known $100 burgers. Climbs are also 32% better than the M600 at 2,048 fpm, making it up to FL250 in a tick under 14 minutes on only 97 lbs of fuel.Landing performance is also freeing, only requiring half the ground roll of competitors. 

With deliveries in the USA already starting, it's only a matter of time before foreign customers get their Furies too. Regulators from Canada, Britain, Europe, and Brazil are all on track to complete certification in the latter half of this year, with deliveries to follow.

FMI: www.piper.com