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FS2004 Dreamfleet Piper Archer III KTTD RWY25. FS2004 Dreamfleet Piper Archer III KTTD RWY25. Skip navigation Sign in. This video is unavailable.
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Reliability and Easy Handling have made the Archer a Mainstay in the Piper Lineup
Many people regard the Piper Archer as the quintessential Cherokee. While it’s true today’s four-seat, fixed-gear Pipers have long since ceased being plain-Jane Cherokees, the airplanes need make no apologies for their lineage.
Designers Fred Weick and John Thorpe were obsessed with safety and simplicity when they conceived the Cherokee, and Weick’s previous design success, the Ercoupe, was an essentially unstallable, unspinnable machine. In slight contrast, the Cherokee would stall, but only reluctantly, and spins were highly unlikely. Weick and Thorpe concentrated on gentle handling and efficient, production-simple construction. In fact, the original Cherokees were built with 400 fewer parts than the PA22 Tri-Pacer.
Technically, the Cherokees were all straight-wing airplanes, and Piper probably cringes every time some smart-aleck aviation writer calls the newer, semi-tapered designs “Cherokees.” Still, a Cherokee by any other name would still be as friendly, stable, and forgiving.
Call it an Archer and you’ve just named what many pilots consider the best compromise of power, performance, useful load, and economy in the PA28 line, not to mention one of the longest-lived Pipers still in production—now well-past a half-century.
The PA28-181 Archer is built around the carbureted, 180-hp, O-360 Lycoming, certainly one of the industry’s legends for reliability, durability, and economy. The more powerful Dakota may be the better high-performance load lifter and the Warrior a superior economy champ, but the Archer is the in-between machine that sells.
Today’s PA-28-181 Archer can trace its roots to the original Cherokee 180 of 1963, a design that has gradually outlived virtually all its competitors. Beech’s Sport and Sundowner, Cessna’s Cutlass, Hawk XP, and Cardinal, and the Grumman American Tiger are gone, and the only other airplane remaining in the class is the Skyhawk S.
None of this is to suggest that commercial success and superior aeronautical design are synonymous. Look back through the history of aviation, and you’ll find examples of airplanes that were cleverly marketed and sold well – for a while – but weren’t exactly winners in the sky. It’s nevertheless significant that various versions of the PA-28-180 received a strong financial endorsement from the people who really matter—buyers. In the arena that counts the most, the Archer has endured for more than 50 years.
Today’s Archer is very much the airplane it has always been, only different and better. If you’re expecting to hear that there have been significant performance improvements in the last 30 years, forget it. It’s probably true that a design genius such as the late Roy Lopresti could have gleaned a half-dozen knots and some extra climb with an aerodynamic clean-up program, but there’s only so much you can do, given the limitations of fixed-gear, 180 hp, and a fixed-pitch prop.
It’s true there are several other stiff-legged home-builts that will easily outrun the Archer on the same horsepower, but remember that those airplanes aren’t required to jump through the same certification hoops for crashworthiness, pre-stall buffet, spin recovery, etc. If they were, their performance wouldn’t be so stellar.
The Archer’s talents have always been more associated with its Jack-of-all-trades can-do attitude. It’s one of those designs that seems to do everything well, if nothing spectacularly so. Piper learned a long time ago that performance alone isn’t a guarantee of sales and, as a consequence, the Archer has been the beneficiary of a long series of evolutionary changes, many of them related to creature comforts, systems integrity, and operating convenience rather than better climb or cruise, longer range, or more payload.
Park a newer Archer alongside an original 1963 Cherokee 180 and the differences would be dramatic, though both airplanes use essentially the same power and fuselage configuration. Indeed, the development from Cherokee 180 through Challenger to Archer has been a long one, and I won’t try to summarize all the steps along the way.
The most significant aerodynamic change, however, came in 1978 when Piper adapted the Warrior’s high dihedral, semi-tapered, NACA wing, with a five-degree sweepback at mid-span, just outboard of the flaps. The Warrior wing was a significant departure from the original, constant chord, Cherokee wing, in that it incorporated a longer airfoil with bigger, more effective Frise ailerons, 100 inches in span.
The improved wing also utilized a higher aspect ratio from the same area, resulting in slightly less drag. Finally, the angle of incidence decreased three degrees from root to tip, pushing the stall outboard and increasing aileron control when the roots were already stalled.
The airplane has been progressively upgraded since that time, but most of the changes have emphasized comfort rather than performance. In 1995, Piper made a series of improvements that resulted in raising the Roman numeral from II to III. Piper stepped up to the Archer III by incorporating a new cowling utilizing NASA inspired, University of Mississippi-developed, axisymmetric engine inlets, a new windshield line, an improved panel, and a revamped interior.
The idea behind the new cowling was to glean an extra knot or two of speed, modernize the airplane’s looks, and increase cooling efficiency. To that end, Piper incorporated round inlets in place of outboard-facing, D-shaped inlets of old. Piper also moved the landing light out of the high-vibration cowling onto the wingtip.
The lowered windshield line was incorporated to allow moving electrical switches (master, mags, alternator, primer, starter, landing/taxi lights, nav lights, and strobes) onto a small, overhead panel on the cabin ceiling. This is the traditional position for electrical controls on corporate airplanes, and Piper concluded there was no reason the Archer shouldn’t benefit from the same professional layout.
Piper also borrowed upgrades from two other company models, the Malibu Mirage and Saratoga HP (the latter now discontinued). In short, the Archer was a comfortable place to spend an hour or a day lofting above the Earth. Interior dimensions are 42 inches across (coincidentally, exactly the same as a Bonanza) by 45 inches tall, adequate for most pilots. Anything that’s not covered in tweeds or leathers is covered in plush pile or rich wool fabric. The Archer III’s panel reflects recent improvements on the Mirage, scaled-down to accommodate the Archer’s smaller instrument housing and reduced complexity.
Payload with a full stack of avionics and a full service of fuel works out to about 575 pounds. That’s three full-sized passengers with a modicum of luggage. The heaviest option is air conditioning (60 pounds), but if you operate an Archer regularly in the Deep South or Southwestern U.S., the extra comfort might be well worth the loss of payload.
None of the PA-28 line was intended for high-altitude operation, as evidenced by the rate of climb (667 fpm) and service ceiling (13,240 feet). This makes climb a fairly leisurely affair to the optimum cruise height of 7000 feet. Back in the early ‘80s, I flew an Archer out of Grand Junction, Colorado, and employed ridge lift off the Rockies to soar across the top of the tallest mountains at 15,500 feet. This was far above the airplane’s unassisted best efforts, and as soon as I reached Colorado Springs on the east side of the hills, the airplane involuntarily descended to about 11,500 feet.
Level at a more reasonable 6500 feet with the left knob against the panel, you’ll see true airspeed wind around to about 125 knots. Piper lists max cruise at 128 knots on just over 9.0 gph, and while that’s probably attainable on a totally stripped machine devoid of antennas, few production machines with a typical stack of radios and accompanying antennas will come close to that ideal. Throttle back to 65 percent cruise and the Archer will lose about five knots. Fifty-five percent settings don’t make much sense, as the loss of airspeed is disproportionate to the minor amount of fuel saved. In other words, you’ll score equal or better mpg at 65 percent power.
A speed of 120-125 knots isn’t exactly burning up the sky, but at least you’re flying in a cabin well-insulated against the noise and vibration so common in other airplanes. The Archer is one of the quietest fixed-gear singles I’ve flown, with noise levels in the 80 db range. The airframe isolates the cabin from much of the vibration, so it’s a friendly place to fly in that regard, as well. For better or worse, I’ve flown a wide variety of singles and twins across many of the world’s oceans, and I can personally attest that cockpit noise level can be a major concern when the legs are long and weather isn’t clement.
Flying above Florida’s Indian River with a Piper demo pilot in the right seat, I couldn’t resist trying to get the airplane mad at me. Stalls are a total non-event in the 181, a fact I reconfirmed in the test airplane. Frustrated to 60 degrees of bank, the Archer steadfastly refused to bite.
Despite, or perhaps because of its other talents, the Archer shines brightest in the pattern. Pilots who artificially judge their overall competence by greaser landings are bound to love the Archer. It’s certainly one of the easiest airplanes around for returning from sky to Earth. The flare is almost totally predictable and the payoff so gentle, it’s easy to hold the airplane a few inches or a few feet above the runway and squeak onto the asphalt in classic, nose-high attitude. With flaps fully extended, the 181 hangs in there to 52 knots, so you can easily fly approaches at speeds of 65 knots or less and not feel as if you’re pushing the envelope.
Runway requirements are less than 1500 feet for both takeoff and landing, and that’s at gross. If you operate with only two people up front most of the time, the way many owners of four-place airplanes fly, you may do even better. The point is, you can fly an Archer into and back out of any paved runway with clear approaches and at least 1550 horizontal feet, assuming the runway isn’t located in the high Sierras or Rockies.
In truth, the Archer is about as close as any manufacturer has come to an everyman’s single. Though the old Warrior (now discontinued) was less expensive with almost the same cruise performance, the Archer has the extra punch to carry four people into places where a Warrior or Skyhawk would be marginal at best. Combine that talent with the easiest landing and gentlest handling characteristics in the class and you begin to understand why the Archer continues to survive as one of Piper’s evergreens.
Specifications & Performance – Piper Archer III
All specs and performance numbers are drawn from official sources, often the aircraft flight manual or the manufacturer’s web site. On used aircraft, common sources of information are Jane’s All-The-World’s Aircraft or RVI’s Aircraft Bluebook Price Digest.
Specifications
Engine make/model: Lyc O-360A4M
Horsepower@altitude: 180 @ SL
Horsepower on takeoff: 180
TBO – hours: 2000
Fuel type: 100LL
Propeller: Sensenich FP
Landing gear type: Tri/Fxd
Gross weight (lbs): 2558
Std empty weight (lbs): 2550
Useful load – std (lbs): 1658
Usable fuel – std (gal/lbs): 48
Payload – full std fuel (lbs): 612
Wingspan: 35’6”
Overall length: 24’
Height: 7’ 3”
Wing area (sq ft): 170
Wing loading (lbs/sq ft): 15.0
Power loading (lbs/hp): 14.2
Wheel size: 6.00 x 6
Seating capacity: 4
Cabin doors: 1
Cabin width (in): 2
Cabin height (in): 45
Performance
Cruise speed (kts): 75% 128
Fuel Consumption (gph): 75% 9.4
Max Range (nm): 75% 443
Best rate of climb, SL (fpm): 667
Maximum Operating Altitude (ft): 13,240
Stall – Vso (kts): 46
TO ground roll (ft): 1150
Ldg ground roll (ft): 920
PA-28 Cherokee | |
---|---|
Piper PA-28-236 Dakota | |
Role | Civil utility aircraft |
Manufacturer | Piper Aircraft |
First flight | 14 January 1960[1] |
Introduction | 1960 |
Status | In production |
Produced | 1961–present |
Number built | 32,778+ |
Unit cost |
PA 28-161 Warrior II of Oxford Aviation Academy at Tucson International Airport
The Piper PA-28 Cherokee is a family of two- or four-seat light aircraft built by Piper Aircraft and designed for flight training, air taxi and personal use.[3] The PA-28 family of aircraft comprises all-metal, unpressurized, single-engined, piston-powered airplanes with low-mounted wings and tricycle landing gear. They have a single door on the copilot side, which is entered by stepping on the wing.[3][4]
The first PA-28 received its type certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration in 1960 and the series remains in production to this day. Current models are the Warrior, Arrow and the Archer TX and LX.[5][6] The Archer was discontinued in 2009, but with investment from new company ownership, the model was put back into production in 2010.[7][8][9]
The PA-28 series competes with the high-winged Cessna 172 and the similarly low-winged Grumman American AA-5 series and Beechcraft Musketeer designs.[10]
Piper has created variations within the Cherokee family by installing engines ranging from 140 to 300 hp (105–220 kW), offering turbocharging, retractable landing gear, constant-speed propeller and stretching the fuselage to accommodate six people. The Piper PA-32 (initially known as 'Cherokee Six') is a larger, six-seat variant of the PA-28. The PA-32R Saratoga variant was in production until 2009.[3][11]
- 1Development
- 2Design
- 4Operators
- 9References
Development[edit]
PA-28-151, built in 1976
At the time of the Cherokee's introduction, Piper's primary single-engined, all-metal aircraft was the Piper PA-24 Comanche, a larger, faster aircraft with retractable landing gear and a constant-speed propeller. Karl Bergey,[12]Fred Weick and John Thorp designed the Cherokee as a less expensive alternative to the Comanche, with lower manufacturing and parts costs to compete with the Cessna 172, although some later Cherokees also featured retractable gear and constant-speed propellers.
The Cherokee and Comanche lines continued in parallel production, serving different market segments for over a decade, until Comanche production was ended in 1972, to be replaced by the Piper PA-32R family.[3]
The original design[edit]
The PA-28-161 Warrior II flying in the livery of the Singapore Youth Flying Club – it is still widely used in basic flight training worldwide.
PA-28-180 on floats
PA-28-140, built in 1966
Piper PA-28R-200 Cherokee Arrow showing the landing gear doors that distinguish this retractable-gear model
Piper PA-28RT-201 Cherokee Arrow IV with its distinctive 'T' tail
Polly Vacher, a record-breaking UK pilot, in her PA-28-236 Dakota: The aircraft was built in 1994.
The original Cherokees were the Cherokee 150 and Cherokee 160 (PA-28-150 and PA-28-160), which started production in 1961 (unless otherwise mentioned, the model number always refers to horsepower).[3]
In 1962, Piper added the Cherokee 180 (PA-28-180) powered by a 180-horsepower (134-kW) Lycoming O-360 engine. The extra power made it practical to fly with all four seats filled (depending on passenger weight and fuel loading) and the model remains popular on the used-airplane market.[3] In 1968, the cockpit was modified to replace the 'push-pull'-style engine throttle controls with quadrant levers. In addition, a third window was added to each side, giving the fuselage the more modern look seen in current production.[13]
Piper continued to expand the line rapidly. In 1963, the company introduced the even more powerful Cherokee 235 (PA-28-235), which competed favorably with the Cessna 182 Skylane for load-carrying capability. The Cherokee 235 featured a Lycoming O-540 engine derated to 235 horsepower (175 kW) and a longer wing which would eventually be used for the Cherokee Six. It included tip tanks of 17-gallon capacity each, bringing the total fuel capacity of the Cherokee 235 to 84 gallons.[3] The aircraft had its fuselage stretched in 1973, giving much more leg room in the rear. The stabilator area was increased, as well. In 1973, the marketing name was changed from '235' to 'Charger'. In 1974, it was changed again to 'Pathfinder'. Production of the Pathfinder continued until 1977. No 1978 models were built. In 1979, the aircraft was given the Piper tapered wing and the name was changed again, this time to Dakota.[citation needed]
In 1964, the company filled in the bottom end of the line with the Cherokee 140 (PA-28-140), which was designed for training and initially shipped with only two seats.[3] The PA-28-140 engine was slightly modified shortly after its introduction to produce 150 horsepower (112 kW), but kept the -140 name.
In 1967, Piper introduced the PA-28R-180 Cherokee Arrow. This aircraft featured a constant-speed propeller and retractable landing gear and was powered by a 180-horsepower (134-kW) Lycoming IO-360-B1E engine. A 200-hp (149-kW) version powered by a Lycoming IO-360-C1C was offered as an option beginning in 1969 and designated the PA-28R-200; the 180-hp model was dropped after 1971.[14] At the time the Arrow was introduced, Piper removed the Cherokee 150 and Cherokee 160 from production.[3][15][16]
The Arrow II came out in 1972, featuring a five-inch fuselage stretch to increase legroom for the rear-seat passengers.[14] In 1977, Piper introduced the Arrow III (PA-28R-201), which featured a semitapered wing and longer stabilator, a design feature that had previously been introduced successfully on the PA-28-181 and provided better low-speed handling. It also featured larger fuel tanks, increasing capacity from 50 to 77 gallons.[16]
The first turbocharged model, the PA-28R-201T, was also offered in 1977, powered by a six-cylinder Continental TSIO-360-F engine equipped with a Rajay turbocharger. A three-bladed propeller was optional.[14]
In 1979, the Arrow was restyled again as the PA-28RT-201 Arrow IV, featuring a 'T' tail that resembled the other aircraft in the Piper line at the time.[16]
In 1971, Piper released a Cherokee 140 variant called the Cherokee Cruiser 2+2. Although the plane kept the 140 designation, it was, in fact, a 150-hp plane and was shipped mainly as a four-seat version. In 1973, the Cherokee 180 was named the Cherokee Challenger and had its fuselage lengthened slightly and its wings widened and the Cherokee 235 was named the Charger with similar airframe modifications.[3] In 1974, Piper changed the marketing names of some of the Cherokee models again, renaming the Cruiser 2+2 (140) simply the Cruiser, the Challenger to the Archer (model PA-28-181) and the Charger (235) to Pathfinder.[15]
Piper reintroduced the Cherokee 150 in 1974, renaming it the Cherokee Warrior (PA-28-151) and giving it the Archer's stretched body and a new, semitapered wing.[3][15]
In 1977, Piper stopped producing the Cruiser (140) and Pathfinder (235), but introduced a new 235-hp (175-kW) plane, the Dakota (PA-28-236), based on the Cherokee 235, Charger and Pathfinder models, but with the new semitapered wing.[15]
The PA-28-201T Turbo Dakota followed the introduction of the PA-28-236 Dakota in 1979. The airframe was essentially the same as a fixed-gear Arrow III and was powered by a turbocharged Continental TSIO-360-FB engine producing 200 hp (149 kW). The aircraft did not sell well and production ended in 1980.[17]
In 1978, Piper upgraded the Warrior to 160 hp (119 kW) PA-28-161, changing its name to Cherokee Warrior II. This aircraft had slightly improved aerodynamic wheel fairings. Later models of the Warrior II, manufactured after July 1982, incorporated a gross weight increase to 2,440 pounds, giving a useful load over 900 pounds. This same aircraft, now available with a glass cockpit, was available as the Warrior III and was marketed as a training aircraft.[6][18]
PA-32[edit]
In 1965, Piper developed the Piper Cherokee Six, designated the PA-32, by stretching the PA-28 design. It featured a lengthened fuselage and seating for one pilot and five passengers.[15]
Brazilian, Argentinian and Chilean production[edit]
PA-28s were built under license in Brazil as the Embraer EMB-711A and EMB-711C Corisco (PA-28R-200), EMB-711B (PA-28R-201), EMB-711T (PA-28RT-201) and EMB-711ST Corisco Turbo (PA-28RT-201T) and the EMB-712 Tupi (PA-28-181). Argentinian production was carried out by Chincul SACAIFI of San Juan, Argentina. Chincul S. A. built 960 airplanes between 1972 and 1995, including the Cherokee Archer, Dakota, Arrow and Turbo Arrow.[19] The PA-28-236 Dakota was also assembled under license by the Maintenance Wing of the Chilean Air Force (which later became known as ENAER). By September 1982, 20 Dakotas had been assembled in Chile.[20]
New Piper Aircraft[edit]
Piper Archer DX
The original Piper Aircraft company declared bankruptcy in 1991. In 1995, the New Piper Aircraft company was created. It was renamed Piper Aircraft once again in 2006. The company originally produced one variant, the 180-horsepower (134 kW) Archer LX (PA-28-181),[21] and began testing two diesel versions, with 135 and 155 hp.[22]
As of 2017, four variants of the PA-28 are in production:
- Arrow[23] with retractable landing gear, a 200 hp (149 kW) fuel injected Lycoming IO-360-C1C6 engine, a 137 kn (254 km/h) TAS maximum cruise speed, 880 nmi (1,630 km) range and a Garmin G500 avionics suite
- Archer[24] with a 180 hp (134 kW) Lycoming O-360-A4M engine, a 128 kn (237 km/h) TAS maximum cruise speed, 522 nmi (967 km) range and a Garmin G1000 avionics suite
- Archer DX[25] with a 155 hp (116 kW) Continental CD-155 engine, a 123 kn (228 km/h) TAS maximum cruise speed, 848 nmi (1,570 km) range and a Garmin G1000 avionics suite
- Warrior[26] with a 160 hp (119 kW) Lycoming O-320-D3G engine, a 115 kn (213 km/h) TAS maximum cruise speed, 513 nmi (950 km) range and a Garmin G500 avionics suite
Design[edit]
Wing[edit]
Originally, all Cherokees had a constant-chord, rectangular planform wing, popularly called the 'Hershey Bar' wing because of its resemblance to the convex, rectangular chocolate bar.
Beginning with the Warrior in 1974, Piper switched to a semitapered wing with the NACA 652-415 profile and a 2-foot-longer (0.61 m) wingspan. The constant chord is maintained from the root to mid-wing, at which point a tapered section sweeping backwards on the leading edge continues until the tip. Both Cherokee wing variants have an angled wing root; i.e., the wing leading edge is swept forward as it nears the fuselage body, rather than meeting the body at a perpendicular angle.
Debate is ongoing about the relative benefits of the two wing shapes. According to the Cherokee's lead designer, Fred Weick, the semitapered wing was introduced to 'improve stall characteristics and increase wingspan,' and side-by-side testing of the two shapes found that with the semitapered wing, 'the plane had better climb and flatter flight characteristics' [27] The original 1974 version of the wing had a structural weakness that caused a structural failure during an aerobatic manoeuvrer, but that was fixed for all later wings.[28] According to Terry Lee Rogers (summarising interviews with Weick), 'the outboard wing sections had a different taper than the wing root, which permitted them to retain control even when the inboard sections were stalled.' [29]
However, designer John Thorp, who collaborated with Weick in the late 1950s on an early 180hp version of the PA-28 (with Hershey-bar wings) and was not involved in the later semitapered design, publicly disagreed: 'Tapered wings tend to stall outboard, reducing aileron effectiveness and increasing the likelihood of a rolloff into a spin.' [30]
Aviation journalist Peter Garrison is also in the Hershey-bar wing camp, claiming that the semitapered shape has a neutral effect on drag: 'to prevent tip stall, designers have resorted to providing the outboard portions of tapered wings with more cambered airfoil sections, drooped or enlarged leading edges, fixed or automatic leading edge slots or slats and most commonly, wing twist or 'washout'. The trouble with these fixes is that they all increase the drag, cancelling whatever benefit the tapered wing was supposed to deliver in the first place.'[30]
Flight controls[edit]
For the Cherokee family, Piper used their traditional flight-control configuration. The horizontal tail is a stabilator with an antiservo tab (sometimes termed an antibalance tab). The antiservo tab moves in the same direction of the stabilator movement, making pitch control 'heavier' as the stabilator moves out of the trimmed position. Flaps can extend up to 40° and 25° flaps are normally used for a short- or soft-field takeoff. The ailerons, flaps, stabilator and stabilator trim are all controlled using cables and pulleys.[31]
In the cockpit, all Cherokees use control yokes rather than sticks, together with rudder pedals.[31] The pilot operates the flaps manually using a Johnson bar located between the front seats: for zero degrees, the lever is flat against the floor and is pulled up to select the detent positions of 10, 25, and 40°.[31]
The cockpit of a Piper PA-28-151 Cherokee Warrior (2016)
Older Cherokees use an overhead crank for stabilator trim (correctly called an antiservo tab), while later ones use a trim wheel on the floor between the front seats, immediately behind the flap bar.[31]
All Cherokees have a brake lever under the pilot side of the instrument panel. Differential toe brakes on the rudder pedals were an optional add-on for earlier Cherokees and became standard with later models.[31]
Some earlier Cherokees used control knobs for the throttle, mixture, and propeller advance (where applicable), while later Cherokees use a collection of two or three control levers in a throttle quadrant.[31]
Cherokees normally include a rudder trim knob, which actually controls a set of springs acting on the rudder pedals rather than an external trim tab on the rudder—in other words, the surface is trimmed by control tension rather than aerodynamically.[31]
Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee Cruiser, built 1974.
Variants[edit]
- PA-28-140 Cherokee Cruiser
- Two-place, fixed landing gear landplane, Lycoming O-320-E2A or O-320-E3D engine of 150 hp (112 kW), gross weight 1,950 lb (885 kg). First certified on 14 February 1964. Approved as a 2,150 lb (975 kg) gross weight four place aircraft on 17 June 1965.[16]
- PA-28-150 Cherokee
- Four-place, fixed landing gear landplane, Lycoming O-320-A2B or O-320-E2A engine of 150 hp (112 kW), gross weight 2,150 lb (975 kg). First certified on 2 June 1961.[16]
- PA-28-151 Cherokee Warrior
- Four-place, fixed landing gear landplane, Lycoming O-320-E3D engine of 150 hp (112 kW), gross weight 2,325 lb (1,055 kg). First certified on 9 August 1973. Changes from the PA-28-150 include a tapered wing.[16]
- PA-28-160 Cherokee
- Four-place, fixed landing gear landplane, Lycoming O-320-B2B or O-320-D2A engine of 160 hp (119 kW), gross weight 2,200 lb (998 kg). First certified on 31 October 1960.[16]
- PA-28-161 Warrior II
- Four-place, fixed landing gear landplane, Lycoming O-320-D3G or O-320-D2A engine of 160 hp (119 kW), gross weight 2,325 lb (1,055 kg). First certified on 2 November 1976. Changes from the PA-28-160 include a tapered wing. Certified on 1 July 1982 for gross weight of 2,440 lb (1,107 kg).[16]
- PA-28-161 Warrior III
- Four-place, fixed landing gear landplane, Lycoming O-320-D3G engine of 160 hp (119 kW), gross weight 2,440 lb (1,107 kg). First certified on 1 July 1994.[16]
- PA-28-180 Cherokee
- Four-place, fixed landing gear landplane, Lycoming O-360-A3A or O-360-A4A engine of 180 hp (134 kW), gross weight 2,400 lb (1,089 kg). First certified on 3 August 1962.[16]
- PA-28-180 Archer
- Four-place, fixed landing gear landplane, Lycoming O-360-A4A or O-360-A4M engine of 180 hp (134 kW), gross weight 2,450 lb (1,111 kg). First certified on 22 May 1972. Changes from the PA-28-180 Cherokee include a five inch fuselage extension, wing span increase, larger horizontal tail, gross weight increase and other minor changes.[16]
- PA-28-181 Archer II
- Four-place, fixed landing gear landplane, Lycoming O-360-A4M or O-360-A4A engine of 180 hp (134 kW), gross weight 2,550 lb (1,157 kg). First certified on 8 July 1975. Changes from the PA-28-180 include a tapered wing.[16]
- PA-28-181 Archer III
- Four-place, fixed landing gear landplane, Lycoming O-360-A4M engine of 180 hp (134 kW), gross weight 2,550 lb (1,157 kg). First certified on 30 August 1994.[16]
- PA-28-201T Turbo Dakota
- Four-place, fixed landing gear landplane, turbocharged Continental TSIO-360-FB, engine of 200 hp (149 kW), gross weight 2,900 lb (1,315 kg). First certified on 14 December 1978.[16]
- PA-28-235 Cherokee Pathfinder
- Four-place, fixed landing gear landplane, Lycoming O-540-B2B5, O-540-B1B5, or O-540-B4B5 engine of 235 hp (175 kW), gross weight 2,900 lb (1,315 kg). First certified on 15 July 1963.[16]
- PA-28-235 Cherokee Pathfinder
- Four-place, fixed landing gear landplane, Lycoming O-540-B4B5 engine of 235 hp (175 kW), gross weight 3,000 lb (1,361 kg). First certified on 9 June 1972. Changes from the 1963 certified PA-28-235 Cherokee Pathfinder include a five inch fuselage extension, wing span increase, larger horizontal tail, gross weight increase and other minor changes.[16]
- PA-28-236 Dakota
- Four-place, fixed landing gear landplane, Lycoming O-540-J3A5D engine of 235 hp (175 kW), gross weight 3,000 lb (1,361 kg). First certified on 1 June 1978. Changes from the 1972 certified PA-28-235 Cherokee Pathfinder include tapered wing.[16]
- PA-28S-160 Cherokee
- Four-place, fixed landing gear seaplane, Lycoming O-320-D2A engine of 160 hp (119 kW), gross weight 2,140 lb (971 kg). First certified on 25 February 1963.[16]
- PA-28S-180 Cherokee
- Four-place, fixed landing gear seaplane, Lycoming O-360-A3A or O-360-A4A engine of 180 hp (134 kW), gross weight 2,222 lb (1,008 kg). First certified on 10 May 1963.[16]
- PA-28R-180 Arrow
- Four-place, retractable landing gear landplane, Lycoming IO-360-B1E engine of 180 hp (134 kW), gross weight 2,500 lb (1,134 kg). First certified on 8 June 1967.[16]
- PA-28R-200 Arrow
- Four-place, retractable landing gear landplane, Lycoming IO-360-C1C engine of 200 hp (149 kW), gross weight 2,600 lb (1,179 kg). First certified on 16 January 1969.[16]
- PA-28R-200 Arrow II
- Four-place, retractable landing gear landplane, Lycoming IO-360-C1C or C1C6 engine of 200 hp (149 kW), gross weight 2,650 lb (1,202 kg). First certified on 2 December 1971. Changes from the 1969 certified PA-28R-200 Arrow include a five inch fuselage extension, wing span increase, larger horizontal tail, gross weight increase and other minor changes.[16]
- PA-28R-201 Arrow III
- Four-place, retractable landing gear landplane, Lycoming IO-360-C1C6 engine of 200 hp (149 kW), gross weight 2,750 lb (1,247 kg). First certified on 2 November 1976.[16]
- PA-28R-201T Turbo Arrow III
- Four-place, retractable landing gear landplane, turbocharged Continental TSIO-360-F or TSIO-360-FB engine of 200 hp (149 kW), gross weight 2,900 lb (1,315 kg). First certified on 2 November 1976.[16]
- PA-28RT-201 Arrow IV
- Four-place, retractable landing gear landplane, Lycoming IO-360-C1C6 engine of 200 hp (149 kW), gross weight 2,750 lb (1,247 kg). First certified on 13 November 1978. Features a T tail.[16]
- PA-28RT-201T Turbo Arrow IV
- Four-place, retractable landing gear landplane, turbocharged Continental TSIO-360-FB engine of 200 hp (149 kW), gross weight 2,900 lb (1,315 kg). First certified on 13 November 1978. Features a T tail.[16]
- PA-28-161 Cadet
- Two-place, fixed landing gear landplane, Lycoming O-320-D2A or -D3G engine of 160 hp (119 kW), gross weight 2,325 lb (1,055 kg). Replaced the PA-38 Tomahawk trainer in the late 1980s. Features the older Cherokee '2 side window' fuselage with the later tapered wing.[32][33]
- Archer DX
- Four-place, fix landing gear landplane, turbocharged Continental CD-155 diesel engine of 155 hp (116 kW). Introduced at AERO Friedrichshafen in April 2014.[34][35] The compression-ignition engine is simpler to operate, avoiding starting difficulties, carburetor icing or propeller and mixture controls, and the liquid cooling does not suffer shock cooling in a rapid descent. The turbocharger maintains full power up to over 10,000 ft (3,000 m) to climbs at 700 to 500 ft/min (3.6 to 2.5 m/s) at 86 kn (159 km/h), and cruise fuel flow is 4.2 to 6.3 US gal (16 to 24 l; 3.5 to 5.2 imp gal)/h at 50 to 75% power and a 100 to 117 kn (185 to 217 km/h) IAS. The engine must be replaced every 2,100 hours.[36]
- Pilot 100 and Pilot i100
- New versions introduced in 2019 intended as low cost VFR and IFR trainers respectively, for the flight training market.[37] Two-place, with option for three-place, fixed landing gear, 180 hp Continental Prime IO-370-D3A, Garmin G3X Touch Certified avionics. IFR version includes GFC500 autopilot.[38] Features the older Cherokee '2 side window' fuselage with the later tapered wing.
Operators[edit]
The Cherokee series has been popular with private owners and flying clubs, with over 32,000 delivered.
Military operators[edit]
- Argentina
- Argentine Coast Guard[39]
- Chile
- Chilean Air Force[20]
- Honduras
- Honduran Air Force[citation needed]
- Qatar
- Qatar Emiri Air Force[40]
Retired[edit]
- Colombia
- Colombian Navy – Retired.[citation needed]
- Finland
- Finnish Air Force – 14 x Cherokee Arrow 200[41] Retired 2005[citation needed]
Notable accidents and incidents[edit]
- September 9, 1969, Allegheny Airlines Flight 853, a Douglas DC-9-31, collided with a Piper PA-28R-180 Cruiser over Fairland, Indiana, killing all aboard both planes.[42]
- August 28, 1972, Prince William of Gloucester, was killed along with the copilot of his Piper Cherokee Arrow after crashing shortly after takeoff from Halfpenny Green in Staffordshire, England,[43] in an air race.[44]
- August 31, 1986, Aeroméxico Flight 498, a Douglas DC-9-32, collided with a Piper PA-28-181 Archer, owned by William Kramer, over Cerritos, California, killing all 67 people aboard both planes and 15 people on the ground. It was the worst air disaster in the history of Los Angeles,[45] and resulted in regulatory changes requiring all airliners to be equipped with a traffic collision avoidance system (TCAS) and all light aircraft operating in terminal control areas to be equipped with a mode Ctransponder.[46]
- February 18, 2010, Andrew Joseph Stack III deliberately flew his Piper PA-28-236 Dakota into Building 1 of the Echelon office complex in Austin, Texas,[47] in an apparent revenge attack on the Internal Revenue Service office located there.
- November 17, 2011, a PA-28-180 crash four miles south of Perryville, Arkansas, claimed the life of Oklahoma State University head women's basketball coach Kurt Budke and assistant coach Miranda Serna, along with the pilot and another passenger.[48][49]
- On 27 May 2019, Brazilian singer Gabriel Diniz was killed in the crash of a Piper PA-28-180 Cherokee Archer in Estância, Brazil.[50]
Specifications (1964 model PA-28-140 Cherokee 140)[edit]
Data from Piper Aircraft Owner's Handbook[31]
General characteristics
- Crew: one pilot
- Capacity: three passengers
- Length: 23.3 feet (7.16 m)
- Wingspan: 30.0 feet (9.2 m)
- Height: 7.3 feet (2.25 m)
- Wing area: 160 sq ft (15.14 m²)
- Airfoil:NACA 652-415
- Empty weight: 1201 lb (544 kg)
- Useful load: 949 lb (430 kg)
- Loaded weight: 2150 lb (975 kg)
- Max. takeoff weight: 2150 lb (975 kg)
- Powerplant: 1 × Lycoming O-320-E2A air-cooled four-cylinder horizontally opposed piston engine, 150 hp (113 kW)
- Propellers:Sensenich M74DM propeller propeller, 1 per engine
- Propeller diameter: 74 inches (1.9 m)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 123 knots (142 mph, 230 km/h)
- Cruise speed: 108 knots (124 mph, 200 km/h)
- Stall speed: 47 knots (54 mph, 87 km/h)
- Range: 465 NM (535 mi, 867 km)
- Service ceiling: 14,300 feet (4400 m)
- Rate of climb: 660 ft/min (3.4 m/s)
- Wing loading: 13.4 lb/sq ft (64.4 kg/m2)
- Power/mass: 14.3 lb/hp (0.116 kW/kg)
Avionics
factory standard 1964, none
factory standard 1964, none
Notable appearances in media[edit]
See also[edit]
Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
Related lists
References[edit]
Sources[edit]
- ^Taylor, John W. R. (1961). Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1961–62. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Company, Ltd. p. 305.
- ^Fred George (May 2017). '2017 Business Airplanes Purchase Planning Handbook'(PDF). Business & Commercial Aviation. Penton. p. 83.
- ^ abcdefghijkPlane and Pilot: 1978 Aircraft Directory, pages 62–64. Werner & Werner Corp, Santa Monica CA, 1977. ISBN0-918312-00-0
- ^Twombly, Mark R. (n.d.). 'Training Aircraft Review: The Piper Warrior III'. Archived from the original on 2008-01-29. Retrieved 2008-02-06.
- ^New Piper Aircraft (n.d.). 'Welcome to the Arrow'. Archived from the original on 2007-12-13. Retrieved 2008-02-06.
- ^ abNew Piper Aircraft (n.d.). 'Welcome to the Archer LX'. Archived from the original on 27 January 2010. Retrieved 25 February 2011.
- ^Piper Aircraft (2009). 'Discontinued Aircraft'. Archived from the original on 2009-06-21. Retrieved 2009-06-03.
- ^Niles, Russ (July 2009). 'Piper Likes Future With Imprimis'. Retrieved 2009-07-29.
- ^Piper Aircraft (2011). 'Archer TX'. Archived from the original on 13 July 2011. Retrieved 7 June 2011.
- ^Collins, Richard L. (May 2005). 'Flying Four By Fours'. Retrieved 2008-02-06.
- ^New Piper Aircraft (n.d.). 'Welcome to the Saratoga II TC'. Archived from the original on 2008-05-09. Retrieved 2008-02-06.
- ^'Karl Bergey, Chairman & CEO'. September 25, 2007. Archived from the original on 2007-07-09. Retrieved 2007-09-25.
- ^Gilbert, James (February 1968). 'Pilot Report:The Cherokee D'. Flying. 82 (2): 44–48.
- ^ abcTwombly, Mark: 'Piper Arrow,' AOPA Pilot, June 1986.
- ^ abcdeAirliners.net (n.d.). 'The Piper PA-28 Cherokee Series'. Retrieved 2008-02-06.
- ^ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzFederal Aviation Administration (January 2009). 'TYPE CERTIFICATE DATA SHEET NO. 2A13 Revision 49'(PDF). Retrieved 2010-02-24.
- ^Taylor, John W.R.: Jane's Pocket Book Light Aircraft Revised Edition, page 171. Jane's Publishing Company Ltd, 1982. ISBN0-7106-0195-6
- ^Piper Aircraft (2009). 'Warrior III Price and Equipment (plus PDF specs)'. Archived from the original on 2009-04-26. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
- ^Pereira de Andrade, Roberto.: Enciclopédia de Aviões Brasileiros, Editora Globo, 1997. ISBN85-250-2137-7
- ^ abTaylor, John W.R.Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1982–83. London: Jane's Yearbooks, 1982. ISBN0-7106-0748-2. pp. 31, 438.
- ^'Piper.com main page'. Retrieved 5 May 2011.
- ^'Aero-News' Video
- ^'Piper Arrow'. Retrieved 15 Feb 2017.
- ^'Piper Archer'. Retrieved 15 Feb 2017.
- ^'Piper Archer DX'. Retrieved 15 Feb 2017.
- ^'Piper Warrior'. Retrieved 15 Feb 2017.
- ^Fred Weick, quoted by Terry Lee Rogers in ``The Cherokee Tribe``, The Cherokee Pilot's Association (1991), p.11.
- ^``The Cherokee Tribe``, p.45.
- ^``The Cherokee Tribe``, p.45.
- ^ abGarrison, Peter (January 2003). 'Rectangular Wings'. Retrieved 2009-12-26.
- ^ abcdefghPiper Aircraft: Cherokee 140 PA-28-140 Owner's Handbook. Piper Aircraft Corporation publication 753 584, February 1964, Revised May 27, 1977
- ^'Piper 'Cherokee'/'Cruiser'/'Cadet'/'Warrior''. Plane&Pilot Magazine. 30 November 1999. Retrieved 15 February 2017.
- ^'Piper Cadet Information Manual'(PDF). Piper Aircraft Corporation. 9 September 1988. Retrieved 15 February 2017.
- ^Bertorelli, Paul (24 April 2014). 'Piper's Archer DX Diesel'. Avweb. Retrieved 28 April 2014.
- ^'Piper's Diesel Archer Receives FAA Validation'. Retrieved 21 April 2015.
- ^Matt Thurber (November 21, 2018). 'Pilot Report: Piper Diesel Archer'. AIN online.
- ^O'Connor, Kate (2 April 2019). 'Piper Introduces Pilot 100/100i Trainer'. AVweb. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
- ^Mark, Rob (April 2, 2019). 'Piper Introduces Pilot 100 and Pilot 100i Trainers'. Flying Magazine. Retrieved 2019-04-04.
- ^'Argentine Coast Guard'. Retrieved 2013-08-07.
- ^'Qatar'(PDF). Archived from the original(PDF) on 2012-03-11. Retrieved 2013-03-08.
- ^Andrade 1982, p. 64
- ^'Aviation Safety Network: Allegheny Airlines Flight 853'. Aviation-safety.net. 1969-09-09. Retrieved 2013-03-08.
- ^'1972: Prince William killed in plane crash'. BBC News. 1963-08-28. Retrieved 2013-03-08.
- ^'Prince William dies in air crash'. Expressandstar.com. Retrieved 2013-03-08.
- ^'Aviation Safety Network: Aeromexico Flight 498'. Aviation-safety.net. 1986-08-31. Retrieved 2013-03-08.
- ^Larry Gerber, AP, '1986 Cerritos crash changed the way we fly,' The Intelligencer Record (Doylestown, Pa.), September 1, 1996, p A-13
- ^'Austin American Statesman Coverage of Plane Crash'. Statesman.com. 2010-02-18. Archived from the original on 2013-06-27. Retrieved 2013-03-08.
- ^Haisten, Bill and Kelly Hines (18 November 2011). 'OSU's Kurt Budke, assistant killed in plane crash'. Tulsa World. Retrieved 18 November 2011.
- ^Niles, Russ (20 November 2011). 'OSU Plane Hit Nose-First, Weather Not A Factor'. AVWeb. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
- ^'Gabriel Diniz, cantor de ´Jenifer´, morre aos 28 anos em queda de avião em Sergipe'. G1 (in Portuguese). May 27, 2019. Retrieved May 27, 2019.
Bibliography[edit]
- Andrade, John (1982). Militair 1982. London: Aviation Press Limited. ISBN0907898017.
External links[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Piper PA-28 Cherokee. |
- Piper Cherokee and Arrow Safety Highlights – Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association
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