Piper 22 Tri-Pacer vs Piper PA-16 Clipper

Side-by-side specs, range, and operating costs.

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Dimensions & configuration

Representative planforms, drawn to shared scale.

Piper 22 Tri-Pacer
29 ft × 20 ft ⭥ 8 ft
1× Piston Fixed Unpressurized
Piper PA-16 Clipper
29 ft × 20 ft ⭥ 6 ft
1× Piston Conventional Unpressurized

Flight Profile

Service ceiling, range, and climb rate.

Tap legend to isolate

Arc represents the climb-cruise-descent profile based on published service ceiling and range. Climb rate annotated on ascent. FL180 (18,000 ft) shown for reference.

Mission Performance

Stall, approach, cruise, range, ceiling and climb: best values are at the top.

Mission performance specifications
Specification Piper 22 Tri-PacerPiper PA-16 Clipper
Stall speed 43 kt43 kt
Approach speed 56 kt56 kt
Cruise speed 113 kt102 kt
Range 430 nm417 nm
Service ceiling 16000 ft11000 ft
Rate of climb 750 fpm580 fpm
Fuel burn 9.0 gph6.1 gph

Each axis is scaled independently across the compared aircraft and printed in its own units; every vertex sits at the published figure. Higher is better on all axes: Stall, Approach and Fuel Burn are inverted (lower = higher). A missing figure breaks the line at that axis.

Fuel Burn & Range

Range, endurance, and what the fuel costs by the hour.

Piper 22 Tri-Pacer Avgas
9.0 gph
Baseline
430 nm range 12.6 nm/gal 36 gal usable $58 fuel/hr 4h 00m endurance
Piper 22 Tri-Pacer: 9.0 gph at cruise, 430 nautical mile published range, 4 hour 0 minute endurance, 12.6 nautical miles per gallon.
Piper PA-16 Clipper Avgas
6.1 gph
Baseline
417 nm range 16.7 nm/gal 30 gal usable $40 fuel/hr 4h 55m endurance
Piper PA-16 Clipper: 6.1 gph at cruise, 417 nautical mile published range, 4 hour 55 minute endurance, 16.7 nautical miles per gallon.
Avgas range each cell = 1 hr of cruise · width scales with speed

Bars show published still-air range: select a cell to view cruise-hours and fuel usage. Endurance is full tank at the displayed cruise burn rate; the extra is reserve and economy margin. Estimates only. Always verify against the POH.

Runway Performance

Density altitude adjusted estimates

Outside Air Temp
0°F57°F115°F
Field Elevation
SL4,0008,000 ft

Takeoff over 50 ft obstacle

Landing over 50 ft obstacle

Density Altitude

Monte cristo

Base distance DA penalty
Scale: 6,000 ft

FAA 10%/1,000 ft DA rule of thumb (FAA-H-8083-25B). Turboprops and jets are less sensitive in practice. Always verify against the POH.

Estimated Operating Costs

Hourly direct and annual fixed costs

Scale:
Piper 22 Tri-Pacer Avgas
$102 /hr
Baseline
Piper 22 Tri-Pacer: $102 per flight hour — fuel $58, maintenance and reserve $44.
Piper PA-16 Clipper Avgas
$79 /hr
Baseline
Piper PA-16 Clipper: $79 per flight hour — fuel $40, maintenance and reserve $39.
Piper 22 Tri-Pacer Piston
$5,710 /yr Baseline
Piper 22 Tri-Pacer: $5,710 per year — insurance withheld, hangar $4,510, annual inspection $1,200.
Piper PA-16 Clipper Piston
$5,639 /yr Baseline
Piper PA-16 Clipper: $5,639 per year — insurance withheld, hangar $4,439, annual inspection $1,200.

Estimates only. Hourly direct operating cost, based on fuel price and reserves; Annual fixed costs (insurance, hangar, and inspection). Costs vary by location, pilot profile, and market conditions. See individual aircraft pages for source notes.

Capability & limits

Payload vs useful load limit

+ cargo
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Piper 22 Tri-Pacer Piston
4 / 4 seats cargo 36 gal / 36 gal fuel 674 lbs wet payload 890 lbs useful 2,000 lbs MTOW
Piper PA-16 Clipper Piston
4 / 4 seats cargo 30 gal / 30 gal fuel 618 lbs wet payload 798 lbs useful 1,650 lbs MTOW

Shows selected occupants against full fuel, within the aircraft's useful-load limit. Fuel weight at 6.7 lb/gal jet-A, 6.0 lb/gal avgas; pax and luggage are 190 + 30 . Change payload weights in global settings.

Payload-Range Map

Origin: → · two fingers to move map

+ cargo
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