PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Extra 500 - why so rare?
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Old 24th Jun 2010, 20:15
  #11 (permalink)  
rokami93
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
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The planes isn't as amazing as the marketing specialists try to make it look. In the POH the greatest range shown is 1588nm. But that is attained at only 40% power where you will be doing only 165kts and you will need nearly 10 hours.

Not many people like being in the air that long. The best power setting of 55% at 25K ft leaves you with a range of less than 1400 nms. Still quite good. The problem is that getting to 25K ft takes quite a while because its climb rate above 20K ft is so anemic that few people will go that high: at 25K ft at ISA it can only do a ridiculous 175fpm, at ISA +20C is drops below 100fpm. A Jetprop will still do 1300fpm and 1100fpm repectively under the same conditions. Most people would fly the EA-500 plane in the mid teens where its cruise speed is almost respectable(for a turbine) and range is 1000nm.

IMHO the plane is underpowered. That is why you can fly it very economically, but if you cash out $1.5-$2 mil for an airplane you are interested in speed rather than economy.

With less comfort, you'd be able to fly a $300k Mooney achieving same speeds and range.
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