Summary
- Piper’s M700 FURY aircraft achieves unpaved field certification from the FAA, expanding its operational capabilities.
- The FAA certification allows the aircraft to land on various challenging surfaces, enhancing its utility and performance.
- The M700 FURY continues to pursue additional certifications to improve its global operational abilities and safety features.
On Monday, August 12th, Piper Aircraft announced that its most recently certified aircraft had achieved yet another follow-on certification. The aircraft, the M700 FURY, recently received approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to operate on unpaved fields. Piper stated that this allows its flagship aircraft to land at a wider range of locations, which further broadens the aircraft’s overall operational capabilities.
Further certifications achieved
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The 8 Piper Models That Fall Into The Piper M-Class
Piper Aircraft now refers to its top-of-the-line aircraft as its M-Class family.
The newest certification from the FAA allows the M700 FURY to land on unpaved fields. By FAA definition, this includes runways that are made from gravel, turf, and other unpaved terrain. These surfaces are more difficult to land on, and they also require a stronger utility aircraft with advanced operational capabilities.
The Vice President of Sales, Marketing, and Customer Support at Piper Aircraft, Ron Gunnarson, spoke about the aircraft’s latest achievement. In a statement, Gunnarson said,
“The FURY’s performance was exceptional considering the FAA’s rigorous testing requirements for unpaved field certification. The aircraft’s robust design and construction quality ensured seamless operations in all test conditions. The certification process was also smooth, with the Type Inspection Authorization (TIA) flight test being completed in just one day.”
Beyond its most recent unpaved field certification, the M700 FURY is working toward other updates. This includes internal validation and external certifications that will continue to expand the M700 FURY’s ability to operate worldwide. Most recently, in early June, the M700 FURY achieved flight into known icing (FIKI) certification from the FAA. This allows the aircraft’s operator to fly into known icing conditions.
Related
The Piper M700 Achieves FIKI Certification By The FAA
The aircraft received its type certificate back in March of this year.
This was another follow-on certification, which allows expanded operations after the aircraft’s initial type certification, which was awarded in March earlier this year. Prior to the FIKI certification, operators were restricted from flying into icing conditions until the FAA approved the aircraft’s deicing system. The unpaved field certification also advances the aircraft’s initial type certification.
About the M700 FURY
The M700 FURY is Piper’s latest addition to the M-Class family of aircraft. This series originally began with the Piper PA-46 Malibu, which was first introduced in 1979. Since then, Piper has introduced several upgraded variants. This includes the Piper Malibu Mirage, the Malibu Meridian, and the Matrix. Additionally, in the 2000s, Piper released a turboprop-powered version of the PA-46, which was the official introduction of the M-Class. These turboprop-powered aircraft include the M350, the M500, the M600, and, most recently, the M700 FURY.
Photo: Piper Aircraft
The M700 FURY was officially certified in March of this year, and deliveries of the aircraft began shortly after. This aircraft has the following specifications:
|
Length |
29.7 feet |
|---|---|
|
Height |
11.5 feet |
|
Wingspan |
43.2 feet |
|
Maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) |
6,000 pounds |
|
Maximum cruise speed |
301 knots (347 miles per hour) |
|
Range |
1,424 nautical miles (1,640 miles) |
|
Service ceiling |
30,000 feet |
The aircraft reaches these impressive specifications due to the Pratt & Whitney PT6A turboprop engine, which provides over 700 horsepower. Beyond the performance upgrades, Piper introduced several safety upgrades, including the Garmin G3000 avionics suite. Other upgrades include autothrottle, emergency descent mode, electronic stability protection (ESP), SurfaceWatch, SafeTaxi, and Garmin PlaneSync.