The Aerostar 600 is a twin-engine, mid-wing, six-seat aircraft designed to serve business and light transport needs. Created by aircraft designer Ted R. Smith and initially produced by his firm, the Ted Smith Aircraft Company, the Aerostar 600 first flew in October of 1967 and was ultimately acquired by Piper Aircraft Corporation in 1978.
Upon its release, the Aerostar 600 immediately drew the attention of the aviation world as it outperformed all others in its class in speed, climb rate, and handling. The aircraft features a high-performance wing utilizing an airfoil design used by early Learjets and is powered by two Lycoming IO-540 six-cylinder engines that each deliver 290 horsepower to a Hartzell three-blade, constant-speed propeller. Retractable gear and a steeply swept-back horizontal and vertical stabilizer add to the Aerostar 600’s vigor. The stock aircraft has cruising speed of 250 miles per hour and a top speed of 278 mph, can climb at a rate of 1,850 feet per minute, and has a service ceiling of 22,000 feet. Even while flying on just one engine, the airplane can climb at an impressive rate of 450 feet per minute.
The bold, stark form of the Piper Aerostar 600 projects an image of thrilling, high-intensity flying, and it delivers on its impression. Built for speed, those intimate with the aircraft attest that it handles more like a jet or a turboprop than a piston twin. Inside the cockpit, aviators immediately feel an innate bond with the Aerostar, with its utilitarian layout that grants the highest degree of control, and canopy that affords a wide-field view. This performance requires intense focus, however, as this deft machine has an unforgiving demeanor, necessitating that pilots “stay in front of it” in terms of control, from launch to landing.
