Piper Cheyenne II

Overview

The Piper PA-31T Cheyenne II is the first of Piper’s PT6-powered turboprops and the variant that established the family. Powered by two 620 shp Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-28 engines on a short-coupled airframe derived from the Navajo, it delivers exceptional climb performance and a 283 knot cruise that put it in direct contention with the Beechcraft King Air 90 of the same era.

The trade for that performance is handling. The combination of high power and short fuselage produced longitudinal stability concerns at high angles of attack and aft CG, leading Piper to certify the Cheyenne II with a mandatory Stability Augmentation System. The SAS is part of the type, not optional, and a buyer’s preflight diligence on the system’s condition is non-negotiable.

In the used market the Cheyenne II typically sits below the Cheyenne I and the stretched IIXL on price, partly because of the SAS-driven handling reputation and partly because the model’s primary direct competitor, the King Air 90, holds value better. For a pilot with the experience and training to fly it, the Cheyenne II offers some of the best knots-per-dollar economics in the twin turboprop segment.

Key Features for GA Buyers

• Power-to-weight. 620 shp per side at 9,000 lb MTOW yields a sea-level climb rate above 2,800 fpm and direct ascent to the flight levels.
• Range with tip tanks. Standard tip tanks bring total fuel to 382 gallons, supporting a published range of roughly 1,350 nm at long-range cruise.
• Pricing. Lower acquisition cost than Cheyenne I or IIXL on the used market, and frequently described as one of the lowest-cost twin turboprops to operate when maintained well.
• Pressurized cabin. Seating for up to seven in a pressurized cabin with cruise altitudes to FL310.

Trade-offs

• Mandatory Stability Augmentation System. The SAS is required equipment, certified to address longitudinal stability behavior at high AoA. SAS health is a primary diligence item on any pre-purchase inspection.
• Pitch handling. Short-coupled airframe makes pitch control more sensitive than the stretched IIXL or competing King Air 90, particularly during takeoff and landing.
• Cabin noise. Engines mounted close to the fuselage produce a louder cabin than the IIXL or King Air series of the same vintage.
• Pilot transition. Not an aircraft for first-time turboprop pilots without proper type-specific training.

See Also

• Piper Cheyenne I – lighter sibling with 500 shp PT6A-11 engines and gentler handling. Compare
• Piper PA-42-720 Cheyenne III – stretched T-tail successor with higher useful load and longer range. Compare
• Beech King Air 90 – the era’s primary direct competitor and the benchmark Piper designed to undercut. Compare
• Cessna 425 Conquest I – contemporary PT6-powered twin turboprop in the same weight class. Compare
• Mitsubishi Marquise/Solitaire – MU-2 series direct competitor with a different design philosophy. Compare