Piper Comanche - search results

The original airplane had a 60-gallon fuel system. In 1961, Piper offered an optional 90-gallon system, which gave the Comanche 180 seriously long legs: nine hours, provided it was only loaded with the pilot, one passenger and a little baggage. Range remains one of the Comanche's strong points and many have been fitted with even more fuel capacity in tip tanks and fuselage tanks to give it impressive endurance. In 1961, the gross weight of the 250 was boosted by 100 pounds. Electric flaps replaced the manual ones in 1962 models. Production of both the 180 and 250 ended after the 1964 model year. The 180, which obviously came second to its bigger brother in load carrying and was not selling as we'll as the 250, was dropped altogether while the 250 was upgraded to the 260.

First hitting the market in 1958, the Piper PA-24 Comanche was a radical departure for Piper. Until then, the company had built mostly rag-and-tube taildraggers. Instead, the Comanche was a thoroughly modern design focused on speed and good looks, and targeting the high-performance piston-single market being tapped by the Beech Bonanza and Cessna 210, among others.Pipers sleek, roomy all-metal design featured an oval-section fuselage, tapered laminar-flow wing and sharp-edged styling. The looks still turn heads today. A South African company is even building an all-composite lookalike for the kit-built crowd, the Ravin. More important for the discriminating used aircraft buyer, the Comanche lends itself to upgrading, and owners who bring the airplane up to the state-of-the-art tend to hang onto them forever. There's no shortage of mods that step the aircraft up in speed and looks.

A radical departure for its day, the PA-24 still holds its own. Its a favorite for mods and state-of-the-art upgrades.

Aviation history is littered with "what-if" questions. What if Fred Noonan had been a better navigator? What if the Hindenberg hadnt approached Lakehurst, New Jersey, with a thunderstorm nearby? What if the Susquehanna River hadnt flooded Pipers Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, factory in 1972-would the venerable Comanche still be a leading light in Pipers line-up? Despite its relatively high parts count and labor requirements compared to, say, the Cherokee Arrow, there are many good reasons to think so. First hitting the market in 1958, the PA-24 Comanche was a radical departure for Piper-until then, the company had built mostly rag-and-tube taildraggers. Instead, the Comanche was a thoroughly modern design focused on speed and good looks, and targeting the high-performance piston-single market being tapped by the Beech Bonanza and Cessna 210, among others. Pipers sleek, roomy all-metal design featured an oval-section fuselage, tapered laminar-flow wing and sharp-edged styling. The looks still turn heads today and a South African company is even building an all-composite look-alike for the kit-built crowd, the Ravin. More important for the discriminating used aircraft buyer, the Comanche lends itself to upgrading, and owners who bring the airplane up to the state-of-the-art tend to hang onto them forever.

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In the mid and late 1950s, Piper was rapidly transforming itself. Up until then, it had built airplanes like the PA-22 Tri-Pacer, the woefully underpowered Apache, the Super Cub and the like.

General aviation was progressing fast, and tube-and-fabric airplanes were giving way to shiny new all-metal monocoque creations. For Piper, it meant moving to more capable airplanes like the Comanche.

The Comanche, being a thoroughly modern design, was a real departure for the company. With the exception of the Apache, everything Piper had produced up until that time was fabric covered, and all save the Tri-Pacer were taildraggers. The Comanche boasted a roomy oval-section fuselage,...

When we looked at the current Twin Comanche market, we found that owners generally prize the Piper Twin Comanche for the same reasons that they always have. Its a relatively affordable, economical and accessible twin with decent performance. There isn't much more to ask for. In many ways, its one of the few twins that can claim to be not much more expensive than a single to own and operate, but thats only if you buy the right one. There are plenty of basket cases in the weeds. But there are some pretty nice ones, too, and you'll pay top dollar for them.

Twin-engine reliability and safety at single-engine prices. Although long in the tooth, the airplane is still supported with parts and mods.

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If youre in the market for a light twin, the Twin Comanche has two appealing traits: A top speed of 170 knots or more and two fans that operate almost as cheaply as one. But the real charmer is its price-$88,000 to $122,000 average equipped price, according to the Aircraft Bluebook.

you'll pay that much for many good, used singles-ones with less impressive performance and lacking the security (at least in cruise) of an extra engine. And, while the oldest Comanche is 35 years old, you'll have the benefit of a fairly decent parts supply, reliable IO-320 engines and an owners association filled with satisfied members.

History
Between 1963 and 1972, Piper produce...

Piper's Twin Comanche occupies a special status in the world of GA airplanes. When we last examined the model five years ago, we compared it to Diamond's new-age DA42 twin. Diamond may have stubbed its toe since then, but the Twinco has lost none of its luster. Owners prize the airplane for the same reasons that they always have. It's an affordable, economical and accessible twin with decent performance. In many ways, it's one of the few twins that can claim to be not much more expensive than a single to own and operate. Or so many owners say. Prices of Twin Comanches have softened in the last five years, but they haven't plummeted. It's possible to find one with a spiffed-up panel and new paint for around $70,000.

The Piper PA-30 series has an earned reputation for pleasant handling and efficiency, but stay ahead of the maintenance and training.

In our view, the Seneca is an entirely reasonable airplane. That, more than anything, may explain why it endures in Pipers line, although the latest Seneca V is far more complex than the original Seneca I. The Seneca V is one of only five twins still in production-the others being the Baron, Pipers own Seminole, the Diamond Twin Star, plus the Tecnam P2006T.

At one time, a normally aspirated 200-HP Piper Arrow was our go-to aircraft for travel around the Northeast and occasional hauls from Connecticut to the Carolinas. While the Arrow lacked the excitement of a Mooney 201, it was stone simple to fly, had reasonable operating costs and most important to our mission-it delivered good dispatch reliability.