Piper PA-46 Malibu and M-Class

The Piper PA-46, now sold as the M-Class and formerly called the Malibu, Malibu Mirage, Malibu Meridian and Matrix, is a family of single-engined, six-seat American light aircraft built by Piper at Vero Beach, Florida. Work began in the late 1970s and the prototype first flew on November 30, 1979. The Malibu was certified in 1983 with a pressurized cabin, the Mirage replaced its Continental engine with a Lycoming in 1988, and the turboprop Meridian arrived in 2000. An unpressurized Matrix was built from 2008 to 2015, and the M600 and the M700 Fury extended the turboprop line. The family has been in continuous production for more than four decades.