The most familiar of the Piper aircraft on the general aviation scene is surely the PA28 Cherokee. The Cherokee is one of Piper’s first attempts to bring a light aircraft to their range with a low purchase price, low ongoing operating costs and suitability for both training and private use.
Today there are plenty of Cherokee’s flying, along with its descendants, the Warrior, Arrow, Archer and so on. Most of the early models are very affordable for those seeking a basic trainer, cross country flyer or first aircraft. Later upgraded models may cost more but introduce benefits such as retractable undercarriages and constant speed propellers.
Piper’s PA-28 is a basic low wing, single engine configuration on a tricycle undercarriage. The wing is either a tapered design seen in Warrior models from the mid seventies, or the earlier ‘Hershey bar’ wing with a constant chord resembling the famous chocolate bar. Both wing designs taper forward where the leading edge meets the fuselage. There have been many arguments over the benefits of each design, but the figures say performance is hardly different between the two. When shopping, pay more attention to the finer details of younger aircraft, such as better finishing and fairings which reduce drag.
The horizontal tail plane is a stabilator design, meaning that the entire horizontal stabiliser is ‘flying’ or effectively used for pitch control. This makes pitching very easy, so much so that an anti-servo tab is incorporated to add weight to the controls.
The cockpit hatch is located on the right side of a smooth lined fuselage by stepping up the wing. Inside the cockpit is a normal four seat cabin configuration (even though low horse power Cherokees are really only suitable to carry two due to weight limitations). All PA-28’s have a yoke and rudder configuration for control in the cockpit, giving them the feeling of a much larger aircraft, though they are a little tight on space in the cabin if you are particularly tall.
If you haven’t flown this type before the flap lever is somewhat unusual. It is located between the two front seats on the floor and resembles a vehicle’s park brake lever. The flaps are operated by raising the lever to selecting each increasing angle. The benefit of the lever is being able to introduce or put away flap as slowly as desired, giving the pilot a great ‘feel’. The down side is turning base while having your hand jammed between two closely fitting seats.
Another unusual aspect of the earlier Cherokees you may find is the ‘coffee grinder’ style trim wheel on the ceiling. Using this old style of trim can be a ‘pat your head and rub your tummy’ experience. In later models, this is a wheel between the seats. Engine controls may also vary across the models, from push pull levers in the dash, to more refined throttle quadrants. Most noticeable in earlier Cherokees are the quite outdated and messy cockpits, often lacking an easy T panel layout, so pay particular attention to what you’re getting when you go shopping.
It pays to look carefully over the maintenance log books as Piper issued a service bulletin (no 1006) in 1997 addressing Cherokee spar corrosion. If not addressed, this corrosion has lead to complete scraping of wings, an expense any aircraft owner would prefer to avoid. This corrosion tends to occur especially in the area behind the fuel tank and in the adjacent wing bays. If this has not been addressed, you should negotiate this work being done by a Licensed Aircraft Maintenance Engineer prior to purchase.
From the pilot’s seat, the Cherokee is quite a pleasure to fly so long as you remember it was always intended as an entry level aircraft, or indeed a trainer. Once you get use to the narrow cabin and settle in for a cross country flight, it’s quite comfortable and everything is easy to reach. In the circuit, the low wing is a benefit by allowing you to keep visual with the runway during turns. Like any aircraft the landing has its only quirks, but the Cherokee is mostly forgiving and easy to land. With all its great attributes, the Piper PA-28 will certainly hold its slice of the used craft market for a while to come.
Snap Shot:
| Model |
PA28-180 |
| Empty weight |
1225lbs |
| MTOW |
2,440 lb (1,107kg) |
| Useful Load VFR |
940lb (426kg) |
| Engines |
Lycoming 160hp |
| Propellers |
2 blade, fixed pitch |
| Usable Fuel |
182 litres |
| Fuel Burn |
38lph |
| Normal Cruise |
126 knots |
| Wingspan |
10.7m |
| Length |
7.3m |
| Height |
2.2m |
