VERO BEACH, Fla. — Piper Aircraft, Inc’s all new Piper Matrix, which this year has propelled the company’s piston aircraft deliveries to the top of general aviation’s midyear results, has been certified by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for operation in Europe.
The unparalleled success of the all new Piper Matrix -- a cabin-class, six-seat aircraft based on the world-renowned Malibu Mirage – has led Piper to an 18 percent increase in piston deliveries for the first half of 2008. That increase comes at a time when piston aircraft deliveries for general aviation as a whole – as reported last month by the General Aviation Manufacturer’s Association – are down 16 percent for the same period.
“We have orders for 101 Matrix models this year,” said Piper President & CEO James K. Bass. “The Piper Matrix fills a niche in the market that hasn’t been truly addressed until now. To date, our entire first year of production is sold out and market demand continues to be very strong.”
The Piper Matrix, which was unveiled in the fourth quarter of last year and began deliveries the beginning of this year, is the latest addition to Piper’s PA-46 family of aircraft. Delivering unsurpassed luxury in a niche currently unfilled in general aviation, the Piper Matrix provides cabin-class comfort and high performance, while adding standard air-conditioning and the economy of an unpressurized airplane at well below the price of any comparable aircraft.
The success of the Piper Matrix accounted in part for deliveries of 98 piston aircraft in the first half of 2008 against 83 piston aircraft for the same period last year. Of that total, 48 – or more than half – were from deliveries of the Piper Matrix. Moreover, deliveries of Piper PA-46 models combined (Meridian, Mirage and Matrix) are at record levels.
“In the last three years, Piper has moved forward on virtually every front – from new product introductions to strong sales, from strategic alliances to breaking into an entirely new segment with our all-new PiperJet,” said Bass. “We are a modern-day, American success story: a company that relies on American workers to provide the next generation aircraft for the world.”
Piper Aircraft, Inc. is headquartered in Vero Beach, Fla. Piper’s rich legacy is born of 71 years of unparalleled history, with almost 150,000 of aircraft brought to market and more than 160 models certified. Approximately 90,000 of those aircraft are still flying and being serviced and supported on every continent by Piper’s 65 service centers, 40 dealers and 2,500 field personnel. Today, Piper is the only general aviation manufacturer to build and offer aircraft for every general aviation mission, from trainers and high-performance aircraft for personal and business use, to turbine-powered business aircraft and now the PiperJet.
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For further information, contact:
Mark S. Miller
(772) 299-2900
Fax: (772) 978-6597
mail to: m.miller@piper.com
www.piper.com