Buy a new M350, Piper will cover expenses

The Piper factory in Vero Beach, Florida, remains up and running despite the coronavirus pandemic, company spokeswoman Jacqueline Carlon reported in an email exchange July 14. That means Piper is still building aircraft, including the M series models unveiled in 2015.

It also means that the M350, which holds the distinction of being the only pressurized, six-seat, cabin-class single-engine piston airplane currently in production, is still very much in production, and Piper has a deal to offer: Buyers who purchase this airplane by September 30 (the base price with standard equipment is $1.195 million) can look forward to Piper paying for fuel, training, inspections, and consumables through 2023. That covers just about all of the operating expenses we can think of, except the hangar you may wish to rent or build for a brand-new airplane, and insurance.

Carlon explained a bit about how the “Fly for Free for Three” promotion will work in practice. No, you will not need to collect receipts and mail them to Piper for reimbursement. Maintenance, consumables (engine oil, for example), and inspections will all be handled by authorized Piper service centers. “For the fuel, we estimate the annual hours flown based on past experience and provide the customer with [a] pre-paid fuel card,” Carlon added.

Carlon said the promotion is limited to specific M350s by serial number. Further details are available from Piper dealers, who are easy to locate via the company website.