Taylor Brothers Aircraft was established in 1927 by two brothers – Clarence and Gordon Taylor. About a year later, Gordon Taylor passed away, initializing a name change to Taylor Brothers Aircraft Corporation.
However, the start of the Great Depression caused Taylor Brothers Aircraft Corporation to go out of business. Clarence then retreated from his career in aviation. After its closure, investor William Piper stepped in to buy company assets for $761 in 1930 – equivalent to about $12,335 in the 21st century.
Meanwhile, Clarence had designed a small, two-seat aircraft to gauge public interest in lighter planes. Originally using a 20-horsepower engine, he switched to a 37-horsepower Continental Motors engine for faster performance. Because its original engine was called a “tiger kitten” engine, its nickname became the “Cub”. The Cub became the aircraft Piper would begin selling, and its design would eventually become legendary.
After Piper purchased the rest of Clarence’s shares in the company in the winter of 1935, he changed the name to Piper Aircraft Corporation two years later. Under Piper’s command, Piper Aircraft Corporation produced the J-3 Cub as the L-4 Grasshopper for military use during World War II.
Piper continued to make single-piston aircraft, using the names of legendary native tribes for many of them, including the Apache, Aztec, Cherokee, and Archer. Textron Aviation ended up buying Piper Aircraft 85 years after its founding.
Country of Origin: America
Piper Dakota PA-28-236 Statistics
- Maximum Speed: 148 kts
- Maximum Range: 740 nm
- Maximum Occupants: 4
- Range of Years Manufactured: 1979-1994
- Total Aircraft Build: 750
- Registered Aircraft: 506
- Useful Load: 1,401 lbs
- Average Sale Value: $237,882
- Average Days On Market For Sale: Unknown
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Operational Resources
Operations Manual
Maintenance Document
Local Resources
Manufacturer
Insurance
Piper Dakota PA-28-236 Details
Below includes descriptions for a 1994 Piper Dakota PA-28-236.
Interior
The Dakota’s bright interior features four seats with fabric upholstery. Its interior panel has a wider and lower design compared to similar popular manufactured aircraft and offers GPS and flight director capabilities.
Exterior
Piper’s Dakota is a stretched, constant-speed version of its original Cherokee. The Dakota has a wider stance, which makes it easier to land safely. The Dakota has a fixed gear in a tricycle setup. This aircraft also features a two-blade prop with a conventional tail.
Avionics
- Garmin GNS 530 GPS
- Garmin GTX 335 Transponder
- King KMA 24 Audio Panel
- King KX 165 NAV/COM
- Century 21 Auto Pilot
- PM 1000 II Four Place Intercom
- WX 10 Storm Scope
- Century 21 Auto Pilot
- Electric Trim
Specifications
- Configuration: Single Engine, Piston, Fixed Gear
- Max Seats: 4
- Max Take-Off Weight: 3,000 lbs.
- Cruise: 144 kts
- Range: 650 nm
- Take-Off Run: 886 ft.
- Landing Roll: 640 ft.
- Wing Span: 35 ft. 4 in.
- Length: 24 ft. 7 in.
- Height: 7 ft. 2 in.
- Take Off (50 ft.): 1,216 ft.
Piper Dakota Models
The following are variations of the Piper Dakota, which range from Piper’s Cherokee model to Pilot 100 and Pilot 100i models.
PA-28-140 Cherokee Cruiser
Piper’s Dakota initially comes from its Cherokee design, first certified on February 14, 1964. This aircraft has a gross weight of 2,150 lbs. and is powered by Lycoming O-320-E2A or O-320-E3D engines. The Cherokee Cruiser seats two, has fixed landing gear, and has a horsepower of 150. Its gross weight is 1,950 lbs.
PA-28-150 Cherokee
The second variation of the Cherokee has a gross weight of 2,150 lbs. and was first certified on June 2, 1961. It’s a fixed landing gear landplane that seats four and is powered by a Lycoming O-320-A2B or O-320-E2A engine with 150 horsepower.
PA-28-151 Cherokee Warrior
The Cherokee Warrior has a gross weight of 2,325 lbs. and was first certified on August 9, 1973. Its tapered wing is a noticeable change from the PA-28-150, and its Warrior name is added to this variation. Also a fixed-gear aircraft, the Warrior seats four and is powered by a Lycoming O-320-E3D engine with a horsepower of 150.
PA-28-160 Cherokee
The PA-28-160 received its certification on October 31, 1960, and has a gross weight of 2,200 lbs. Capable of seating four total flyers, this fixed landing gear aircraft is equipped with either a Lycoming O-320-B2B or O-320-D2A engine of 160 horsepower.
PA-28-161 Warrior II
Introducing the Warrior without its Cherokee namesake, this aircraft seats four and is powered by either a Lycoming O-320-D3G or O-320-D2A engine of 160 horsepower. It received its certification on November 2, 1976, with a gross weight of 2,325 lbs. Its total gross weight increases slightly by its second certification to 2,440 lbs. Changes from its former version include a tapered wing.
PA-28-161 Warrior III
First certified on July 1, 1994, the Warrior III is powered by a Lycoming O-320-D3G engine of 160 horsepower with a gross weight of 2,440 lbs.
PA-28-180 Cherokee
With a gross weight of 2,400 lbs. the PA-28-180 received its first certification on August 3, 1962. This Cherokee seats four and is a fixed landing gear landplane equipped with either a Lycoming O-360-A3A or O-360-A4A engine of 180 horsepower.
PA-28-180 Archer
The first of Piper’s Archer models received its certification on May 22, 1972, with a gross weight of 2,450 lbs. Changes from Piper’s previous model feature a five-inch fuselage extension, wing span increase, larger horizontal tail, gross weight increase, and other smaller alterations. The Archer is powered by a Lycoming O-360-A4A or O-360-A4M engine of 180 horsepower.
PA-28-181 Archer II
The second of Piper’s Archer lineup was first certified on July 8, 1975. It has a newly designed tapered wing and is powered by a Lycoming O-360-A4M or O-360-A4A engine of 180 horsepower. This aircraft has an increased gross weight from the first Archer to 2,550 lbs.
PA-28-181 Archer III
The Archer III received its certification on August 30, 1994. This fixed landing gear landplane seats four and is powered by a Lycoming O-360-A4M engine of 180 horsepower with a gross weight of 2,550 lbs.
PA-28-201T Turbo Dakota
Piper’s turbocharged Dakota variation received its first certification on December 14, 1978. It has a gross weight of 2,900 lbs. and is equipped with a Continental TSIO-360-FB engine of 200 horsepower.
PA-28-235 Cherokee Pathfinder
The Cherokee Pathfinder has a gross weight of 2,900 lbs. and received its first certification on July 15, 1963. It is equipped with a Lycoming O-540-B2B5, O-540-B1B5, or O-540-B4B5 engine of 235 horsepower.
PA-28-235 Cherokee Pathfinder
Piper’s refreshed fixed landing gear landplane, the Pathfinder, received its certification on June 9, 1972. Changes include a five-inch fuselage extension, wing span increase, larger horizontal tail, and gross weight increase. It is equipped with a Lycoming O-540-B4B5 engine of 235 horsepower at a gross weight of 3,000 lbs.
PA-28-236 Dakota
With an estimated starting price in 1993 of $148,800, Piper’s Dakota received its certification on June 1, 1978. It features a new tapered wing and has a Lycoming O-540-J3A5D engine of 235 horsepower.
PA-28S-160 Cherokee
This four-seater fixed landing gear seaplane is equipped with a Lycoming O-320-D2A engine of 160 horsepower. This aircraft was first certified on February 25, 1963, with a gross weight of 2,140 lbs.
PA-28S-180 Cherokee
Piper’s additional seaplane variation within the PA-28S-180 is powered by a Lycoming O-360-A3A or O-360-A4A engine of 180 horsepower. It has a gross weight of 2,222 lbs., and received its first certification on May 10, 1963.
PA-28R-180 Arrow
Piper’s Arrow seats four with retractable landing gear and is equipped with a Lycoming IO-360-B1E engine of 180 horsepower. This aircraft has a gross weight of 2,500 lbs., and was first certified on June 8, 1967.
PA-28R-200 Arrow
Two years after producing the first Arrow, this variation received its certification on January 16, 1969. It’s a four-place, retractable landing gear landplane with a 200-horsepower Lycoming IO-360-C1C engine and a gross weight of 2,600 lbs.
PA-28R-200 Arrow II
Several changes made to the Arrow II from the 1969 Arrow include a five-inch fuselage extension, a wing span increase, and a larger horizontal tail. It received its certification on December 2, 1971. With room for four, this aircraft is a retractable landing gear landplane with a Lycoming IO-360-C1C or C1C6 engine of 200 horsepower. Its gross weight increased from 2,600 lbs to 2,650 lbs.
PA-28R-201 Arrow III
The Arrow III was first certified on November 2, 1976. This variation seats four and is a retractable landing gear landplane with a different Lycoming IO-360-C1C6 engine of 200 horsepower and an increased gross weight of 2,750 lbs.
PA-28R-201T Turbo Arrow III
The turbo variation of the Arrow series increased its gross weight to 2,900 lbs. It received its certification on November 2, 1976. It seats four, is a retractable landing gear landplane, and comes equipped with a turbocharged Continental TSIO-360-F or TSIO-360-FB engine of 200 horsepower.
PA-28RT-201 Arrow IV
The Arrow IV received its certification on November 13, 1978. This aircraft features a T-tail design and retractable landing gear with a Lycoming IO-360-C1C6 engine of 200 horsepower and a gross weight of 2,750 lbs.
PA-28RT-201T Turbo Arrow IV
Piper’s turbocharged variation of the Arrow IV seats four, has retractable landing gear, a T-tail design, and a gross weight of 2,900 lbs. It was first certified on November 13, 1978, and is powered by a Continental TSIO-360-FB engine of 200 horsepower.
PA-28-161 Cadet
Piper’s Cadet replaced the PA-38 Tomahawk trainer in the late 1980s. As the only existing Cadet, it is a two-place, fixed landing gear landplane with either a Lycoming O-320-D2A or -D3G engine of 160 horsepower. However, this aircraft features the older Cherokee’s 2-side window fuselage with the later tapered wing. Its gross weight decreased to 2,325 lbs.
Archer DX
Introduced at AERO Friedrichshafen in April 2014, the Archer DX is turbocharged, reaching full power up to over 10,000 ft. with the ability to climb from 700 to 500 ft. per minute at 86 knots. Its cruise fuel flow is 4.2 to 6.3 US gal at 50-75% power and a 100 to 117 knots IAS. You must replace the engine every 2,100 hours.
Additional changes to the Archer DX feature a compression-ignition engine that is simpler to operate, avoiding starting difficulties, carburetor icing, or propeller and mixture controls, and the liquid cooling does not suffer shock from cooling in a rapid descent. This variation seats four with fixed landing gear and a turbocharged 155-horsepower Continental CD-155 diesel engine.
Pilot 100 and Pilot 100i
Piper’s Pilot 100 and Pilot 100i were introduced into the market for low-cost VFR and IFR trainers, respectively, in 2019. The VFR has fixed landing gear and a 180-horsepower Continental Prime IO-370-D3A engine. Its avionics include Garmin’s G3X with Touch Certification.
Piper’s IFR variation contains a GFC500 autopilot system, a two-side-window fuselage with the later tapered wing, no instruments on the right-hand panel, no baggage door, and no air conditioning. The 100 offers a two-place seating standard function and a rear third seat with push-to-talk and Bluetooth functions, standard on the i100 and optional on the 100. These new variations were type certified in the United States in December 2020 and later in Europe in August 2021.
Top Piper Dakota Questions
The following are answers to FAQs about Piper Aircraft’s Dakota.
How Fast Is a Piper Dakota?
Piper Aircraft’s Dakota has a maximum speed of 148 kts.
How Much Does It Cost To Own a Piper Dakota?
The average price for a pre-owned Piper Aircraft Dakota is about $275,000. However, this does not include operating, maintenance, and hangar expenses.
How Much Does a Piper Dakota Cost Per Hour?
The Dakota costs about $118 per hour.
What Is the Cruise Speed of a 1979 Piper Dakota?
Piper’s 1979 Dakota has a best cruise speed of 143 knots of indicated airspeed (KIAS).
