Piper PA34 Seneca 200T
 

Hi!

Can someone tell me why the "Piper PA34 Seneca 200T" is a performance class B airplane? Shoul'd it be A? Snice the VAT is aprox 74?

Vso * 1,3 (78kt) is also less than 91kt which means it should be a class A airplane?


Regards
Eric

It's not a Perf A or B Aircraft. The "performance" classes only apply to turbine engine aircraft > 5700kg MTOW.

It's a "certification" class B aircraft.

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1. What are the certification classes of aircraft by performance according to EASA?
(1) Class A
All multi-engine jets and turboprops with more than nine passenger seats or a maximum take-off mass greater than 5700 kg e.g. B737 would be certificated under CS 25 or equivalent and operated in performance Class A.
(2) Class B
Small propeller driven aircraft (piston or turboprop) with nine passenger seats or less and a maximum take-off mass of 5700 kg or less.
and
Propeller driven twin engine aeroplanes in the commuter category with nineteen passenger seats or less or a maximum take-off mass of 8618 kgs.
The Class includes both singles and twins and would apply to aircraft certificated under CS 23 or equivalent.
CS 23 describes four sub-categories of normal, utility, acrobatic and commuter.
Apart from the commuter category (which has rules very similar to Class A), this Class does not assume an engine failure until you enter cloud.
(3) Class C
Large piston aircraft with more than 9 seats or those that have a maximum take-off mass of more than 5700 kg. Performance Class C is certified under CS 23.
(4) Unclassified Class
For aircraft that cannot comply with the Class A, B or C requirements e.g. seaplanes, concorde.

You are correct it is a CATEGORY A aircraft based on vat, but if actual handling requirements make it Cat B the speeds must be adjusted, most schools operate their light twins at Cat B speeds over here.

You can choose to fly to whatever category minima you like on your Jeppesen chart, but the whole "performance category" thing is not applicable to Senecas or any other light twins from a legal point of view.

However, if you choose to approach at a speed >91 kts then yes you should apply the cat B minima on the chart, because obstacle clearance and circling-within-the-protected-area is not assured otherwise.

Aha, I see now. Thanks for the reply
guys!

//Eric