Yes! Exactly like that. I have read that late versions of the Aerostar could break 260 knots. If a similar plane was being designed from scratch today, using modern composites and related design techniques, using the latest updated piston engines or possibly new piston diesels if they meet the hype, shouldn't they be able to build a "modern Aerostar" that could do 280 knots?
I have been told that, all else equal, for a given airframe which is assumed to have a relatively constant coefficient of drag across speeds until it gets into the transonic regime, doubling the available power should increase maximum speed by 26%. The Aerostar twin that could make 260 knots from a pair of 350hp engines was built during an era when the fastest single-engine comfortable four-seater planes sporting a single engine could make, what, 220 knots? MAYBE 230 knots? Whereas today, with modern technology, they can built a 350hp single with a big 4+1 passenger cabin that can do 260 knots. It seems to me that leveraging those same advances in materials and aerodynamics, they should be able to build an Aerostar-like pressurized 6 seater that could do ~280 knots. And they should be able to sell it for about half the price of turboprop singles.
Turbines are more reliable and believe it or not cheaper to run
Would you mind expanding on this? I believe you but I can't get the numbers to add up. From what I can read, a high end turbocharged piston engine might cost $60k, so two might cost $120k, but even the smallest turboprops are $600k. I have also read about the cost of piston vs. turboprop overhauls and the turboprops are also much more expensive per flight hour in that respect. And then I know that Jet A is cheaper than AVGAS but everything I've read has claimed that piston engines get 20%+ lower SFC than small turbines so I can't imagine that there's much of a difference in overall price. I have read that recurring maintenance is more expensive in the piston, with required maintenance every 50 hours compared to a higher number for turbines, but does that really overcome the capital costs, rebuild costs, and fuel costs of the turbines?
Thanks