Piper M600

The Piper M600 belongs to the PA-46 family and has one Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-42A of 600 shp. It differs from the M500 in a new wing with larger tanks, a higher take-off weight and a Garmin G3000 cockpit with touchscreens. The M600/SLS adds the HALO package with autothrottle and Garmin Autoland, which can land the aircraft by itself if the pilot becomes incapacitated.

The same cabin as the M500

The pressurised cabin is 3.73 m long, 1.25 m wide and 1.18 m high. The pilot and possibly one passenger sit in front, and behind them four seats face each other in pairs, with adjustable backrests and lumbar support. You board through a rear door that folds down into steps.

Baggage and weight

Bags go into a 0.57 m³ area behind the rear seats, which you can reach from the cabin in flight. It holds three or four soft bags or two small cases. Skis or a golf bag come along if a seat is free and the operator lets you use it.

A dog flies in the cabin, and a crate for a large dog takes a seat. The operator has to approve the animal, and within the EU it needs:

• a microchip
• a rabies vaccination given at least 21 days before travel
• an EU pet passport
• tapeworm treatment 1-5 days before arrival in Finland, Ireland, Malta, Norway or the UK, where arrival is possible only on approved routes and at approved airports

Speed, Autoland and short runways

Piper quotes 3,071 km at economy cruise and about 2,009 km at full speed. The aircraft has weather radar and is approved for flight into known icing. The short take-off suits Saint-Tropez La Môle (1,071 m, light jets and turboprops only, seasonal limits) and Samedan (1,799 m at about 1,700 m elevation), with the load checked on hot days.

One engine under EU rules

With each offer we check:

• that the operator holds an Air Operator Certificate (AOC), since a private owner cannot sell the flight
• SET-IMC, if the trip ends after dark, which in winter can mean late afternoon
• whether the aircraft is an SLS with Autoland
• for a domestic leg, whether the operator may fly it: one from outside the EU, including the UK, normally cannot fly within a single EU country

Routes from European hubs

Thirty-two one-way legs from all thirteen hubs, from London Farnborough - Jersey at 251 km to London Farnborough - Palma at 1,332 km, all without a fuel stop for two or three people. Prices are for the whole aircraft with pilot and fuel, without airport fees and passenger taxes.

Up to two hours: comfortable without a toilet

Two to four hours: the range pays off, but plan a break

The calculator shows an indicative price for the M600 and other aircraft classes on your own route.

What a Piper M600 charter costs

The indicative rate starts at EUR 2,000 per flight hour for the whole aircraft with pilot and fuel. On a short leg the full price is higher than the rate times the flight time: London Farnborough - Jersey takes 1:01 h and starts at EUR 6,000, because the operator adds a minimum charge and positioning from the aircraft's base.

On longer legs the M600's range pays: Geneva - Olbia (1:52 h) starts at EUR 7,500, London Farnborough - Nice (2:40 h) at EUR 9,500 and London Farnborough - Palma (3:16 h) at EUR 10,500. The price is the same for two or five passengers.

The quote is for the whole aircraft; split between passengers, Geneva - Saint-Tropez comes to:

How to fly cheaper

• Accept a TBM, PC-12 or M500 based closer to you, since on this type positioning often costs more than the difference in hourly rate.
• Return the same day: on Nice - Sion or Milan Linate - Figari the duty day usually allows it, which saves the hotel and a second positioning.
• Fly in daylight, which widens the choice to operators without SET-IMC.

Empty Legs: search the whole class

Empty Legs on the M600 itself are rare. Accept a TBM or a PC-12 too, and short summer legs between northern Italy, Switzerland, the Riviera and Sardinia or Corsica become more likely. They can be 30-60% cheaper than a normal charter, but these are examples: the date and route are fixed, and the leg can be cancelled if the aircraft gets a full booking.

Send your route and a date window to empty-legs@jets.flights or use the Empty Legs page.

M600 compared with similar aircraft

The usual alternatives are a faster French turboprop, the smaller version from the same family and a larger Swiss turboprop.

What we need for a quote

Send the route, date and time, the number of people and the rough weight of the bags.

Questions about the Piper M600

• • How much does an M600 cost from London to Nice?

  • From EUR 9,500 for the whole aircraft one way according to the table, with a flight time of 2:40 h. Geneva to Saint-Tropez starts at EUR 6,500. Airport fees and passenger taxes come on top.

• • What makes up the price?

  • Flight time at the hourly rate, positioning, the pilot's hotel or empty flights on a later return, airport and handling fees, passenger taxes, catering and de-icing.

• • How can I fly an M600 for less?

  • Return the same day, fly in daylight and let us also quote a TBM, PC-12 or M500 based closer to you.

• • Are there Empty Legs on the M600?

  • Rarely on this exact type. Searching the whole class of single-engine turboprops gives more chances, at 30-60% below a normal charter, with a fixed date and the risk of cancellation.

• • What is the difference between the M600 and the M600/SLS?

  • The SLS has the HALO package with autothrottle, radar altimeter and Garmin Autoland, which lands the aircraft at a chosen airport by itself if the pilot cannot fly. Cabin and performance are the same.

• • How many people can fly?

  • Five passengers with one pilot, but with full tanks about 298 kg remain for pilot, passengers and bags. On long legs that usually means two people with light bags, on shorter ones three or more.

• • Is there a toilet?

  • No. On legs over three hours, such as London Farnborough to Palma at 3:16 h, consider a stop or an aircraft with a toilet.

• • Can it fly at night?

  • It is equipped for instrument flight and icing. In EU charter it flies at night or in cloud only with an operator holding SET-IMC approval; other operators carry passengers by day.

• • Is the M600 still built?

  • No. Piper has replaced it with the M700 Fury. The existing aircraft keep flying, and with every offer we check the age, equipment and version of the actual aircraft.

• • Can we bring a dog?

  • Usually yes, in the cabin once the operator has agreed; a crate for a large dog takes a seat. The animal needs an EU pet passport and a valid rabies vaccination.