Overview

The Piper PA-28-161 Cherokee Warrior II is a four-seat, single-engine trainer and personal aircraft introduced in 1977 as a development of the earlier Warrior (PA-28-151). The most significant change from its predecessor was the adoption of a semi-tapered wing, replacing the original rectangular ‘Hershey Bar’ planform of the Cherokee line. That wing revision improved climb efficiency, reduced stall speed, and gave the aircraft more balanced handling across the speed range.

The Warrior II sits at the entry point of the PA-28 family: same airframe lineage as the Archer and Arrow, but with a 160 HP Lycoming O-320-D3G and fixed-pitch propeller that keep operating costs and training overhead low. Post-1982 models received a gross weight increase to 2,440 lb, improving useful load to a competitive 972 lb. With over 3,000 units produced and a deep parts and maintenance network, the Warrior II is well supported on the used market. Its mission is the entry rung of powered flight: primary and instrument training, time-building, and low-budget weekend cross-countries at 127 knots on 8.4 gallons an hour. That is the work it was built for, and the flight schools that fill their lines with it and the owners who fly it cheaply for years rarely wish for the Archer’s extra power and payload.

Key Features for GA Buyers

• Docile Handling. The Warrior II is known for gentle stall characteristics and high stability. It tolerates poor technique well, which is why it dominates flight school fleets, and that same quality makes it a low-workload personal aircraft for pilots who fly infrequently.
• Useful Load. At 972 lb, the Warrior II carries more than the Cessna 172S (895 lb) despite a similar gross weight. Full fuel (48 gal / 288 lb) leaves 684 lb for occupants and bags: four adults at standard weights is a realistic load.
• Parts and Maintenance Access. The PA-28 family is the second-most-supported airframe in GA after the Cessna 172. Almost any IA is familiar with it, and parts availability is broad across the full production run.
• Low-Wing Visibility and Ground Handling. The low wing provides better visibility in turns and a more intuitive ground reference for cross-country flying, at the cost of reduced visibility directly below. Ground handling in crosswinds is also easier than high-wing types in gusty conditions.

Trade-offs

• Cruise Speed. 127 KTAS is competitive for the class but not exceptional. Pilots looking for a meaningful speed improvement within the PA-28 family will need to step to the Archer or Arrow.
• Fixed-Pitch Propeller. Simplifies maintenance and reduces cost, but cannot be optimised simultaneously for short-field and cruise performance. The trade-off is felt most at high-altitude airports.
• Climb at Gross Weight. 710 fpm at sea level is adequate, but on a hot summer day at full gross weight the margin over minimum climb rates shrinks. Density altitude planning matters.
• No External Baggage Door. Like most PA-28 variants, all cargo loads through the cabin: a minor inconvenience that becomes less minor with four passengers.

See Also

• Piper Cherokee – the earlier Hershey Bar-wing Cherokee the Warrior II evolved from: simpler, slower, and cheaper to operate. Compare
• Piper Archer II – the natural step-up within the PA-28 family: same airframe with a 180 HP engine and longer range. Compare
• Cherokee Arrow – the retractable-gear PA-28 variant: adds complexity rating and a useful cruise speed increase. Compare
• Cessna 172 Skyhawk – the primary high-wing competitor: similar mission and price bracket, different visibility trade-offs and a larger support infrastructure. Compare
• Cessna Skylane 182 – a cross-manufacturer step-up comparison: more power and range, at a higher acquisition and operating cost. Compare