Germany-based wind turbine constructor and operator MEST Aviation has taken delivery of a Piper PA46-600TP, on the Danish register.

Managing director Hans Rieks had been flying a Cirrus SR22 for 13 years and felt the time had come to look for an upgrade. He had considered the Visionjet, TBMs and other Piper models, but decided that the M600 would provide the most value for money with its payload, pressurised cabin, endurance with six people on board and with its modern safety features.

The aircraft is based at Husum Schwesing, a general aviation airport in the northwest of the country, not too far from the border with Denmark. Rieks flies mostly from Hamburg to Sweden, Poland, the Netherlands, Austria and France, mostly for business but also for private use.

"Our business is mostly in remote locations where there are no direct flights, and we save a lot of time being able to go directly," says Rieks. "And of course we also get to avoid sitting with oxygen in the nose for four hours on a business trip. The plane is fully equipped and I don't foresee the need for any additional modifications. I have only flown 60 hours in it so far but it has been performing very well, no issues at all, and it's simply a great plane to fly."