The first production model of New Piper Aircraft's Malibu Meridian has rolled off the final assembly line and is headed for production flight testing, interior and exterior completion, and delivery to the first retail customer later this summer. Of the 132 orders for the new aircraft, European customers are responsible for eight.\rLarry Bardon, New Piper's vp of marketing and sales, told EBAN: "Three have come from Denmark, one from Germany and four from the UK. That tracks pretty much with our entire product line. The majority of the European deliveries of Piper aircraft are going to the UK right now."

While potential US customers will be able to sample the Meridian first-hand during a tour of North America later this year, prospective European clients will be treated to a tour of their very own in 2001. Said Bardon: "We are planning a European tour for the Meridian just prior to, and overlapping, the Paris Airshow in June of next year. This will give an opportunity for our European customers to see and fly the Meridian aircraft."

In addition to the UK, Denmark and Germany, the Meridian will stop off in the other Scandinavian countries, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal and more than likely Poland and the Czech Republic.

Of Europe's 13 Piper distributors, all will be authorised to sell the Meridian. Bardon explained: "Europe is our second largest market for the Piper product and given that, and given the strength of some key countries within Europe, we feel that the Meridian will do quite well here."

Finally, Bardon had a message for all potential owners in Europe. He said: "When you have an opportunity to see and fly the Malibu Meridian, you will recognise that this is the best combination of performance, capacity and value of any of the single-engine turboprops that are on the market today.

"I recognise that two of the major single-engine turboprops are manufactured in Switzerland and France respectively, and I think that when we arrive with our aeroplane, Europeans will see the technological advancements that are inherent in it."In year 2000 dollars, the Malibu Meridian sells for $1,475,000. Said Bardon: "When compared to the competitors - the PC-12 form Pilatus and the TBM 700 from Socata - there is certainly a huge added value benefit by virtue of the price."

Larry Bardon previously worked for Pilatus in Switzerland, as head of marketing for the PC-12. He says the understanding of the market he gained in that position helped him to convince Piper to develop the single engine turboprop aircraft, which has become the Malibu Meridian.