Piper PA-32R Lance

Piston single engine • Low Wing • Retractable gear

Range Visualization

Origin:

· nm at current load

· click map to move · two fingers to move map

Payload vs. Range

Configure weights

Pax weight (lbs)

Default: 190 lbs

Luggage / pax (lbs)

Default: 30 lbs

Occupants

lbs lbs / pax

Select payload

Fuel on board

Extra weight

Range

Available Range / nm

Mission capable. Aircraft can handle the current load with full fuel tanks.

Fuel tradeoff required. You'll need to leave gallons of fuel behind ( gal usable for nm range).

Over max gross weight. Reduce payload by lbs to safely operate this aircraft.

Extra weight is the additional payload available with your selected passengers.

Mission Profile

Endorsements & ratings:

• High-Performance
• Complex

177

KTAS

Cruise Speed

Occupants

784

Max Range

910

lbs

Wet Payload

Estimated Ownership Costs

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About the Piper PA-32R Lance

The Piper Lance (PA-32R-300) represents the first generation of retractable gear aircraft in the PA-32 family. It is essentially a Cherokee Six with retractable landing gear, retaining the iconic constant-chord ‘Hershey Bar’ wing. In the GA market, it is often referred to by several aliases, including the Cherokee Lance, Lance II (for the T-tail variant), and simply the retractable Six.

Key Features for GA Buyers

Utility Champion: Features the legendary double rear doors, making it easy to load passengers, pets, or bulky gear like mountain bikes.
Payload Specialist: Often offers a higher useful load than the later Saratoga models because it lacks the heavy interior refinements and complex tapered wing structures of the newer models.
Robust Systems: The landing gear is based on the Piper Seneca twin-engine design, providing a level of ruggedness not found in lighter retractables.

Trade-offs

Speed/Drag: The rectangular wing provides excellent lift but creates significant drag, limiting real-world cruise speeds to roughly 155-160 knots.
The T-Tail Quirk: The Lance II (PA-32RT-300) variant features a T-tail which looks sleek but is known for high pitch forces at low speeds and longer takeoff ground rolls compared to the conventional tail model.
Aspiration: Most standard Lances are naturally aspirated; for high-altitude or mountain performance, the ‘Turbo Lance’ is required to match the performance of later Saratoga TCs.

Featured in our buying guides

Best Aircraft for Family Travel

Technical Specifications

Dimensions & Weights

Height: 8.5 ft
Length: 28.2 ft
Parking area (ft²): 1533.84 ft²

Max Takeoff Weight: 3,600 lbs
Max Landing Weight: 3,600 lbs
Useful Load: 1,522 lbs
Fuel Capacity: 102 gal

Performance

Cruise Speed: 177 KTAS
Never-Exceed (Vne): 197 KIAS
Max Structural Cruise (Vno): 160 KIAS
Approach Speed: 80 KIAS
Stall, Clean (Vs1): 60 KIAS
Range: 784 NM
Service Ceiling: 20,000 ft
Rate of Climb: 1120 fpm
Takeoff over 50 ft obstacle: 1,420 ft
Landing ground roll: 732 ft

Engine

Piston single engine High Wing Used market

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Piper PA-32R Lance

Range Visualization

Payload vs. Range

Mission Profile

Estimated Ownership Costs

About the Piper PA-32R Lance

Key Features for GA Buyers

Trade-offs

Featured in our buying guides

Technical Specifications

Dimensions & Weights

Performance

Engine

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