Founded in 1927 just before the Great Depression by Clarence and Gordon Taylor, Piper used to be called Taylor Aircraft Manufacturing Company. Their vision was to be a manufacturer of reliable and innovative aircraft. However, in an unfortunate plane incident, Gordon died one year after establishing the company.
After Gordon’s death, a wealthy businessman William Piper convinced Clarence to continue operations in Pennsylvania. And for some time, they had success in selling one of its first models, the Piper Cub, designed by the Taylor Brothers. When the stock market crashed in 1929, Piper bought the company from Clarence and proceeded to sell Piper Cubs. In fact, about 5,500 Piper Cubs remain airworthy.
By World War II, the company embraced the name Piper Aircraft Corporation. More importantly, it manufactured thousands of U.S. armed forces military fleet during the war – mostly J-3 Cubs and L-4 Grasshoppers.
Later on, the Korean War also proved fruitful for the aircraft company as more orders came in after somewhat of a slump following World War II. In 1960, production moved to Florida, and Piper started incorporating traditionally Native American names like Aztec, Comanche, and Cherokee into its model names.
After Piper died in 1970, the company experienced highs and lows financially, finding success in creating trainer aircraft. It’s difficult to find comprehensive lists of Piper’s aircraft because it produced them for over 100 years, with 160 various certified aircraft in its roster. Therefore, many divide Piper aircraft into single-engine, twin-engine, and jets (of which there are only a few left).
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Country of Origin: America
Piper Warrior II PA28 161 Statistics
|
127 kts Maximum Speed |
590 nm Maximum Range |
4 Maximum Occupants |
1977-1995 Range Of Years Manufactured |
|
32,000 Total Aircraft Build |
30,000 Current Operational Aircraft |
940 lbs Useful Load |
$112,600 Average Sale Value |
|
230 Average Days On Market For Sale |
Buyer VREF Demand Rating |
Piper Warrior III PA28 161
|
133 kts Maximum Speed |
417 nm Maximum Range |
4 Maximum Occupants |
1995-2017 Range Of Years Manufactured |
|
32,000 Total Aircraft Build |
30,000 Current Operational Aircraft |
560 lbs Useful Load |
$311,850 Average Sale Value |
|
105 Average Days On Market For Sale |
Buyer VREF Demand Rating |
Operational Resources
Operations Manual
Maintenance Document
Local Resources
Manufacturer
Insurance
Piper Warrior II & III PA28 161 Details
Below includes descriptions for the Piper Warrior II & III PA28 161.
Interior
The Piper Warrior II was advertised to evoke excitement for economy fliers. Many ads show this 4-seater variation with Scotchgard nylon fabric seating and vinyl paneling. At the time, avionics and panel additions were also available in a few options depending on the pilot’s needs. Piper designed the interior for comfort and transportation to make consumers realize they could have both in their aircraft.
The Piper Warrior III has an instrument panel that accommodates instruments and avionics equipment for VFR and IFR flights. There are 24 cubic feet of baggage area available, and the front two seats are adjustable vertically. This Warrior variation also features a pilot storm window, ashtrays, and armrests on the front seats. Additionally, you can find two map pockets and pockets on the backs of the front seats.
Exterior
The Piper Warrior II has an aluminum alloy frame and is a fixed-gear monoplane with low semi-tapered wings. This variation’s wings, in particular, are designed with a NACA 652415 airfoil section. Furthermore, when retracted and locked into place, the right-wing offers a step for cabin entry.
The frame of the Piper Warrior III is all aluminum except for the steel tube engine mount. This four-seater aircraft also features low semi-tapered wings. Its fuselage is a conventional semi-monocoque structure with its entrance and exit located on the aircraft’s right side. Wings have a semi-tapered design and fully retractable wing flaps.
Avionics
The following may or may not be available in the 1995 Warrior II.
- Avidyne Entegra PFD and MFD
- Dual 10” Display with Flight Director
- Emax Engine Monitor
- Dual Garmin 430W NAV/COMM/GPS
- GMA 340 Audio Panel
- STEC-55X Autopilot with GPS and Altitude Preselect
- Garmin GTX-330ES Transponder
- ADS-B Compliant
- Artex ELT
- Standby Alternator
The following may or may not be available in the 2016 Warrior III.
- Avidyne Equipment
- Dual Garmin 430 (WAAS)
- IFR Equipped
Specifications
The following may or may not be available in the 1995 Warrior II.
- Configuration: Single Engine, Piston, Fixed Gear
- Max Seats: 4
- Max Take-Off Weight: 2,325 lbs.
- Cruise 75%: 127 kts
- Take Off Run: 980 ft.
- Landing Roll: 595 ft.
- Wing Span: 35 ft.
- Length: 23 ft. 10 in.
- Height: 7 ft. 4 in.
- Range: 604 nm
- Take Off (50 ft.): 1,650 ft.
The following may or may not be available in the 2016 Warrior III.
- Configuration: Single Engine, Piston, Fixed Gear
- Max Seats: 4
- Max Take-Off Weight: 2,325 lbs.
- Cruise 75%: 127 kts
- Range: 604 nm
- Take Off Run: 980 ft.
- Take Off (50 ft.): 1,650 ft.
- Landing Roll: 595 ft.
- Wing Span: 35 ft.
- Length: 23 ft. 10 in.
- Height: 7 ft. 4 in.
Piper Warrior II & III PA28 161 Models
The following are variations of the Piper Warrior, ranging from early Cherokees and later Pilot 100 and Pilot 100i.
PA-28-140 Cherokee Cruiser
Powered by Lycoming O-320-E2A or O-320-E3D engines, this two-place, fixed landing gear landplane of 150 hp (112 kW). This aircraft was first certified on February 14, 1964, and it has a gross weight of 2,150 lbs.
PA-28-150 Cherokee
This four-seater, fixed landing gear landplane is powered by a Lycoming O-320-A2B or O-320-E2A engine with 150 horsepower. It also has a gross weight of 2,150 lbs and was first certified on June 2, 1961.
PA-28-151 Cherokee Warrior
This 1973 Cherokee is where the Warrior name is first introduced. This fixed-gear aircraft seats four and is powered by a Lycoming O-320-E3D engine with 150 horsepower. It has a gross weight of 2,325 lbs and was first certified on August 9, 1973. This aircraft features a tapered wing change from the PA-28-150.
PA-28-160 Cherokee
This four-place, fixed landing gear aircraft is equipped with either a Lycoming O-320-B2B or O-320-D2A engine of 160 horsepower. It has a gross weight of 2,200 lbs. and was first certified on October 31, 1960.
PA-28-161 Warrior II
The Warrior II, during its initial certification on November 2, 1976, had a gross weight set at 2,325 lbs. and increased slightly by the time it received its second notification to a total of 2,440 lbs. This aircraft seats four and is powered by either a Lycoming O-320-D3G or O-320-D2A engine of 160 horsepower. Changes from its predecessor include a tapered wing.
PA-28-161 Warrior III
This Warrior variation is powered by a Lycoming O-320-D3G engine of 160 horsepower with a gross weight of 2,440 lbs. It received its first certification on July 1, 1994.
PA-28-180 Cherokee
This four-seater, fixed landing gear landplane is equipped with either a Lycoming O-360-A3A or O-360-A4A engine of 180 horsepower. This aircraft has a gross weight of 2,400 lbs and received its first certification on August 3, 1962.
PA-28-180 Archer
This PA version from Piper has a Lycoming O-360-A4A or O-360-A4M engine of 180 horsepower and a gross weight of 2,450 lbs. The Archer was first certified on May 22, 1972. Changes from the PA-28-180 Cherokee feature a five-inch fuselage extension, wing span increase, larger horizontal tail, gross weight increase, and other minor changes.
PA-28-181 Archer II
Powered by a Lycoming O-360-A4M or O-360-A4A engine of 180 horsepower, this aircraft has a gross weight of 2,550 lbs. It received its first certification on July 8, 1975, and features a refreshed tapered wing.
PA-28-181 Archer III
The Archer III received its first certification on August 30, 1994. This four-seater, fixed landing gear landplane 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 introduced its first turbocharged version of the series equipped with a Continental TSIO-360-FB engine of 200 horsepower. It has a gross weight of 2,900 lbs. and received its first certification on December 14, 1978.
PA-28-235 Cherokee Pathfinder
Powered by a Lycoming O-540-B2B5, O-540-B1B5, or O-540-B4B5 engine of 235 horsepower, the Pathfinder has a gross weight of 2,900 lbs. and received its first certification on July 15, 1963.
PA-28-235 Cherokee Pathfinder
A fixed landing gear landplane, this variation comes with a Lycoming O-540-B4B5 engine of 235 horsepower and a gross weight of 3,000 lbs. It was first certified on June 9, 1972, with a five-inch fuselage extension, wing span increase, larger horizontal tail, and gross weight increase.
PA-28-236 Dakota
The Dakota has a Lycoming O-540-J3A5D engine of 235 horsepower and a gross weight of 3,000 lbs. It was first certified on June 1, 1978, with a refreshed tapered wing.
PA-28S-160 Cherokee
This Cherokee is a four-seater, fixed landing gear seaplane equipped with a Lycoming O-320-D2A engine of 160 horsepower and a gross weight of 2,140 lbs. It was first certified on February 25, 1963.
PA-28S-180 Cherokee
This Cherokee seaplane variation is powered by a Lycoming O-360-A3A or O-360-A4A engine of 180 horsepower and has a gross weight of 2,222 lbs. It received its first certification on May 10, 1963.
PA-28R-180 Arrow
Entering the Arrow series of the line, this four-place, retractable landing gear landplane comes with a Lycoming IO-360-B1E engine of 180 horsepower and a gross weight of 2,500 lbs. It was first certified on June 8, 1967.
PA-28R-200 Arrow
Just two years after the initial Arrow, this version received its certification on January 16, 1969. It’s a four-place, retractable landing gear landplane with a Lycoming IO-360-C1C engine of 200 horsepower and a gross weight of 2,600 lbs.
PA-28R-200 Arrow II
The Arrow II was introduced and received certification on December 2, 1971. It’s a four-seat, retractable landing gear landplane with a Lycoming IO-360-C1C or C1C6 engine of 200 horsepower. Its gross weight increased slightly to 2,650 lbs. A few changes from the 1969 variation include a five-inch fuselage extension, an increased wing span, and a larger horizontal tail.
PA-28R-201 Arrow III
The third Arrow is also a four-place, retractable landing gear landplane with a different Lycoming IO-360-C1C6 engine of 200 horsepower, and it has a gross weight of 2,750 lbs. This aircraft was first certified on November 2, 1976.
PA-28R-201T Turbo Arrow III
The first turbo Arrow received its certification also on November 2, 1976, along with its non-turbo sibling. This four-seat, retractable landing gear landplane comes equipped with either a turbocharged Continental TSIO-360-F or TSIO-360-FB engine of 200 horsepower. Its gross weight increased slightly to 2,900 lbs.
PA-28RT-201 Arrow IV
The fourth Arrow is a four-place, retractable landing gear landplane with a Lycoming IO-360-C1C6 engine of 200 horsepower and a gross weight of 2,750 lbs. It was first certified on November 13, 1978. This particular version features a T-tail.
PA-28RT-201T Turbo Arrow IV
The final four-seater Arrow variation is the Arrow IV, available with a turbocharged Continental TSIO-360-FB engine of 200 horsepower. It also has retractable landing gear, a gross weight of 2,900 lbs., and was first certified on November 13, 1978. It also features a T-tail.
PA-28-161 Cadet
The first and only Cadet is a two-place, fixed landing gear landplane with a choice of a Lycoming O-320-D2A or -D3G engine of 160 horsepower. It decreased in its gross weight to 2,325 lbs. and replaced the PA-38 Tomahawk trainer in the late 1980s. However, this aircraft features the older Cherokee’s 2-side window fuselage with the later tapered wing.
Archer DX
The Archer DX features a compression-ignition engine that is simpler to operate, avoiding starting difficulties. It also features carburetor icing or propeller and mixture controls. The liquid cooling does not suffer shock cooling in a rapid descent. This variation reverts back to four seats with fixed landing gear and a turbocharged Continental CD-155 diesel engine of 155 horsepower.
Introduced at AERO Friedrichshafen in April of 2014, the turbocharger maintains full power up to over 10,000 ft. and climbs at 700 to 500 ft./min. at 86 knots. Its cruise fuel flow is 4.2 to 6.3 US gal at 50 to 75% power and a 100 to 117 knots IAS. This particular engine must be replaced every 2,100 hours.
Pilot 100 and Pilot 100i
The Pilot 100 and Pilot 100i were introduced in 2019 as low-cost VFR and IFR trainers, respectively, for the flight training market. The VFR features a fixed landing gear, 180 horsepower Continental Prime IO-370-D3A engine, and Garmin G3X Touch Certified avionics.
The IFR version includes a GFC500 autopilot, 2-side-window fuselage with the later tapered wing, no baggage door, no air conditioning, no instruments on the right-hand panel, and all-white paint with decals. It comes with a two-place seating standard on the 100, and rear third seat with push-to-talk and Bluetooth functions standard on the i100 (optional for the 100). These newer versions were type certified in December 2020 in the United States and in August 2021 in Europe.
Top Piper Warrior Questions
The following are answers to FAQs about the Piper Warrior.
Are The Piper Warrior & Piper Cherokee The Same?
They are extremely similar but not exactly the same. The Cherokee is simply the earlier version of the Warrior, which used to have the signature “Hershey bar” wings. More modern versions decided to go with traditional tapered wings. The first officially named Warrior appeared to the public in 1974.
Which Is The Fastest Piper Warrior?
The answer to this question depends on which type of Warrior you plan on purchasing. The Piper Warrior II has a top speed of 126 knots. The top speed for a Warrior III and Warrior 151 is 117 knots. This makes Warrior II the fastest out of the three.
Why Is Piper Associated With A Hershey Bar?
Piper is well known for its Hershey bar wing style seen in earlier models. Many people referred to the popular confection as the design looked almost exactly like the shape of a traditional Hershey’s candy bar. However, it wasn’t popular with pilots over time as it impacted landing. Its design wasn’t as aerodynamic as other tapered versions and induced quite a bit of drag. Piper scrapped the Hershey bar wing and eventually designed aircraft with tapered wings.
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