Piper PA-28 Cherokee

PA-28 Cherokee
Piper PA-28-180 Cherokee C
General information
TypeCivil utility aircraft
ManufacturerPiper Aircraft
Number built32,778+
History
Manufactured1961–present
Introduction date1960
First flight14 January 1960[1]
Developed intoPiper PA-32 Cherokee Six

The Piper PA-28 Cherokee is a family of two-seat or four-seat light aircraft built by Piper Aircraft and designed for flight training, air taxi and personal use.[2] The PA-28 family of aircraft comprises all-metal, unpressurized, single piston-engined airplanes with low-mounted wings and tricycle landing gear. They have a single door on the right side, which is entered by stepping on the wing.[2][3]

The PA-28 is the fourth most produced aircraft in history. 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, Archer TX and LX,[4][5] the diesel-powered Archer DX and DLX,[6][7] and the Pilot 100 and 100i.[8] The Archer was discontinued in 2009, but with investment from new company ownership, the model was put back into production in 2010.[9][10][11]

The PA-28 series competed with the now discontinued, similarly low-winged Grumman American AA-5 series and Beechcraft Musketeer designs and continues to compete with the high-winged Cessna 172.[12]

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 propellers and stretching the fuselage to accommodate six people. The Piper PA-32 (initially known as the "Cherokee Six") is a larger, six-seat variant of the PA-28. The PA-32R Saratoga variant was in production until 2009.[2][13]

  1. ^ Taylor, John W. R. (1961). Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1961–62. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Company, Ltd. p. 305.
  2. ^ a b c Plane and Pilot: 1978 Aircraft Directory, pages 62–64. Werner & Werner Corp, Santa Monica CA, 1977. ISBN 0-918312-00-0
  3. ^ Twombly, Mark R. "Training Aircraft Review: The Piper Warrior III". Archived from the original on January 29, 2008. Retrieved February 6, 2008.
  4. ^ New Piper Aircraft. "Welcome to the Arrow". Archived from the original on December 13, 2007. Retrieved February 6, 2008.
  5. ^ New Piper Aircraft. "Welcome to the Archer LX". Archived from the original on January 27, 2010. Retrieved February 25, 2011.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference :2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference :3 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference Pilot100 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Piper Aircraft (2009). "Discontinued Aircraft". Archived from the original on June 21, 2009. Retrieved June 3, 2009.
  10. ^ Niles, Russ (July 2009). "Piper Likes Future With Imprimis". Retrieved July 29, 2009.
  11. ^ Piper Aircraft (2011). "Archer TX". Archived from the original on July 13, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  12. ^ Collins, Richard L. (May 2005). "Flying Four By Fours". Archived from the original on May 17, 2008. Retrieved February 6, 2008.
  13. ^ New Piper Aircraft. "Welcome to the Saratoga II TC". Archived from the original on May 9, 2008. Retrieved February 6, 2008.