That it took Piper so long to figure this out is surprising considering the manufacturer’s emphasis on selling airplanes in the training market, but now that G1000 has arrived in the Seneca V, tire kickers from North America to Brazil and beyond are taking notice.
A lot of airplanes benefit from Garmin technology, but in the Seneca’s case, G1000 is precisely what this gracefully aging twin needed. The latest Piper Seneca V, which is built in Vero Beach, Florida, is the best one yet, thanks to the addition of Garmin G1000 avionics up front and smart improvements inside of what was already one of GA’s widest cabins. Today’s highly evolved Piper Seneca offers what a lot of pilots consider the ideal attributes of a personal airplane: two engines for redundancy in power and systems, respectable performance, stable handling, ice protection, the latest in avionics technology and lots of room in a comfortable cabin. The Seneca has managed to stay in continuous production for so long by combining a solid airframe with a host of refinements and upgrades inside and out since the first PA-34 rolled out of the Piper factory in 1971. It actually has a more comfortable cabin than the Baron, cruises nearly as fast, can carry almost as much, burns less fuel, costs less to maintain and sells for about $300,000 less than the sticker price of a comparable G58. But when you compare them side by side, there’s an argument to be made that the Piper Seneca is the smarter choice. The Seneca has often been thought of as an also-ran to the Baron, known for its crisp handling and vaultlike build quality. Just the opposite, the Piper PA-34 is a classic that’s still relevant today - perhaps more relevant than ever in a market offering just two six-seat general aviation piston twins, namely the Seneca V and the pricier Beech Baron G58. That’s a sad commentary on the current state of the light piston twin market, but it’s not a knock on the Piper Seneca. And if you have less than $1 million to spend, you have no choice - you’re buying a Piper Seneca V or nothing at all. If your criteria includes bringing along more than three passengers, the list is suddenly winnowed to only two choices. As long as we can agree that the French single-seater Cri Cri and the open cockpit AirCam don’t quite cut it as viable options in the quest for a do-it-all twin, there is just a handful of airplanes up for consideration. Anybody in the market for a new light piston twin won’t have to spend much time creating a list of potential airplanes to buy.
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