In an effort to boost the sales tally of its recently rebranded and redesigned PiperJet Altaire, Piper is slashing the price tag of the $2.5 million personal jet for new customers of its M-Class propeller-driven aircraft family - the Meridian, Mirage and Matrix. The all-metal, single engine Altaire is earmarked for certification and first deliveries in 2014.

"Piper has created the Altaire Advance programme to make it easier for our customers to move up from any new single-engine M-Class aircraft," says Piper executive vice-president Randy Groom. "Piper will discount the purchase price of the aircraft or defer a portion of the initial deposit required, depending on the new M-Class aircraft being purchased."

Meridian single-engine turboprop buyers will get $100,000 off the Altaire purchase price. New Mirage pressurised piston-single customers will receive a $50,000 discount while purchasers of the unpressurised single-engine Matrix can defer $25,000 of the initial deposit of $75,000 on a new Altaire, says the airframer.

PiperJet Altaire
 © Piper

"Piper will escrow the initial deposit until first flight. Subsequent deposits are tied to first flight of the Altaire conforming flight test article and nine months prior to first delivery or type certification," Groom continues.

Vero Beach-based Piper launched the reinvented Altaire last month as a larger, sleeker evolution of the PiperJet. First flight of the Williams International FJ44-3AP-powered production conforming prototype is earmarked for 2012.

Source: Flight International