Range Map

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1

Tank-dry, where fuel runs out at catalogue's stored cruise burn.

Excludes reserves: range beyond the dashed circle requires a leaner cruise than what we store. Great-circle, still air, book cruise. Estimates only: always verify against the POH.

Payload vs. Range

Occupants:

Fuel on board

Cargo

nm

Range

Cargo is additional payload after occupants and baggage.
full tanks
Available Range / nm
Mission capable. This load flies with full fuel.
Fuel reduced by . left aboard for nm range.
Over max payload by . At this load it cannot lift a single occupant.

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Mission Profile

MOSAIC Eligible
Used market Only available used
128
KTAS
Cruise Speed
600
nm
Max Range
13,236
ft
Service Ceiling
4
Occupants
846
lbs
Wet Payload
Piper PA-28-181 Archer II (D-ENGY) at Uetersen Airfield, Germany, March 2014. Photo: Frank Schwichtenberg, CC BY-SA 3.0.
Piper PA-28-181 Archer II (D-ENGY) at Uetersen Airfield, Germany, March 2014. Photo: Frank Schwichtenberg, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Estimated Ownership Costs

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About the Piper Archer II

Type certificated 1975 Source: FAA Type Certificate Data Sheet

Overview

The Piper Archer II (PA-28-181) is a four-seat, fixed-gear, single-engine piston aircraft built from 1976 to 1994. It mates the 180-horsepower Lycoming O-360 to the semi-tapered wing Piper introduced across the late Cherokee line, a combination that produces more climb and useful load than the 150- and 160-horsepower Cherokees and Warriors below it. Over its run it became one of the most common four-seat trainers and personal aircraft in general aviation.

The Archer II sits one rung above the Warrior in the PA-28 family: same airframe, more power, and a payload that lets it carry four adults with a usable fuel load. Cruise runs about 128 knots at 75% power on roughly 10.5 gallons per hour, fixed-gear simple, with the docile low-wing handling the Cherokee line is known for. It cross-shops against the Cessna 172 on the high-wing side and steps up to the retractable Arrow within Piper’s own range. Between the 160-horsepower Warrior II below it and the retractable Arrow above, the Archer II is the fixed-gear Cherokee that makes a four-adult load routine rather than careful: about 160 pounds more useful load than the Warrior on the same airframe, with the power to climb on a hot day. It is the rung to settle on for fixed-gear cross-country flying when retractable complexity holds no appeal.

Key Features for GA Buyers

  • Lycoming O-360 powerplant. The 180-horsepower O-360-A4M is carbureted, naturally aspirated, and direct-drive, with a 2,000-hour recommended TBO and a reputation for reaching it with routine maintenance.
  • Four-adult payload. A 2,550-pound gross weight and useful load above 1,100 pounds let the Archer II carry four occupants with a practical fuel load, a step up from the Warrior.
  • Semi-tapered wing. The tapered outboard wing smooths low-speed handling and improves glide over the earlier constant-chord ‘Hershey Bar’ Cherokees.
  • Parts and maintenance network. The PA-28 family is among the best-supported airframes in general aviation; almost any shop knows it, and parts availability spans the full production run.

Trade-offs

  • Fixed-gear cruise. Fixed gear keeps maintenance and insurance down but caps cruise near 128 knots, slower than the retractable Arrow on the same power.
  • Single cabin door. Like most Cherokees, all entry and loading is through the one right-side door, an awkward shuffle for the left-seat pilot.
  • Climb at gross on hot days. The fixed-pitch propeller cannot be optimised for both climb and cruise; full-gross climb performance degrades at high density altitude.
  • Vintage airframes. Most examples are decades old; avionics, interior, and corrosion inspection belong in the ownership budget.

See Also

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Technical Specifications

Dimensions & Weights

Wingspan 35 ft
Height
7 ft
Length
24 ft
Parking area (ft²2)
1,312 ft²
Max Takeoff Weight
Source: FAA Type Certificate Data Sheet 2,550 lbs
Max Landing Weight
2,550 lbs
Useful Load
1,134 lbs
Fuel Capacity
48 gal

Performance

Cruise Speed
Source: third-party reference 128 KTAS
Never-Exceed (VNE)
Source: manufacturer figure 154 KIAS
Max Structural Cruise (VNO)
Source: manufacturer figure 125 KIAS
Approach Speed
66 KIAS
Stall, Clean (VS1)
53 KIAS
Range
600 NM
Service Ceiling
13,236 ft
Rate of Climb
667 fpm
Takeoff over 50 ft obstacle
1,608 ft
Landing over 50 ft obstacle
1,390 ft

Engine

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Sources

Where the figures on this page come from. Piper Archer II specifications are traced to published references; estimated values are flagged inline next to the figure.

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