Piper Aircraft said this week that it was on schedule to deliver 300 airframes in the 2024 calendar year, which, if achieved, will represent a 22% increase over the 2023 figures.
Piper's shipments show an increase in shipments of 16% over the first half of the year compared with last year, which the company has attributed to strong demand for the newly-certified M700 Fury single-engine turbo-prop (SETP).
“Our trainer and M-Class markets remain robust and we are pleased with our delivery performance this year and the positive reception from our customers with the launch of the M700 Fury,” said Ron Gunnarson, VP of Marketing, Sales & Customer Support, Piper Aircraft.
“Our dealer and factory team’s dedication to excellence and our focus on customer satisfaction have been key drivers of our success.”
Piper Aircraft introduced the M700 to the general aviation community in February this year. Powered by a 700-shp Pratt & Whitney PT6A-52 turbine swinging a five-blade Hartzell prop, the Fury has a top speed above 300 KTAS, making it the fastest single-engined Piper ever built.
It is approved for operations up to 30,000 feet and will replace the M600/SLS in Piper's M-class range of PA46-based aeroplanes.
Piper is expecting to deliver 50 M700 airframes this calendar year, with international validations and certifications expected to further boost deliveries in the second half of the year.
Shipment figures for Q1 2024 revealed that Piper delivered only two M-series SETPs, most likely the result of customers waiting for the M700 to enter service.
Piper sold 60 M-series SETPs last year, ranking it third in the category behind the Pilatus PC-12 (102) and Cessna Caravan series (79).
The company also delivered 145 PA-28s, 22 M350s and 18 PA-44 Seminoles in 2023.