Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Use American English Template:Infobox aircraft
The Piper PA-32 Cherokee Six is a series of single-engine, fixed landing gear, light aircraft manufactured in the United States by Piper Aircraft between 1965 and 2007.<ref name="Plane and Pilot">Plane and Pilot: 1978 Aircraft Directory, page 63. Werner & Werner Corp, Santa Monica CA, 1977. Template:ISBN</ref><ref name="Foster">Montgomery, MR & Gerald Foster: A Field Guide to Airplanes, Second Edition, page 32. Houghton Mifflin Company, 1992. Template:ISBN</ref>
The PA-32 is used around the world for private transportation, air taxi services, bush support, and medevac flights.
DevelopmentEdit
The PA-32 series was developed to meet a requirement for a larger aircraft than the four-seat Piper PA-28 Cherokee.<ref name="flymd">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The first prototype PA-32 made its initial flight on December 6, 1963, with the type being publicly announced in October 1964, with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) aircraft type certification following on March 4, 1965.<ref name="jawa65p292">Template:Harvnb</ref> The first production aircraft was the Template:Convert PA32-260 Cherokee Six, a significantly modified six-seat (or seven-seat) development of the PA-28 Cherokee.<ref name="Plane and Pilot"/><ref name="Foster"/>
The Cherokee Six and its successors feature a baggage compartment in the nose between the cockpit and the engine compartment and a large double door in the back for easy loading of passengers and cargo.<ref name="Plane and Pilot"/><ref name="Foster"/>
PA-32-300Edit
On 27 May 1966, Piper obtained FAA type certification for a Template:Convert version, designated as the PA-32-300.<ref name="A3SO">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It was offered by the company as a 1967 model.Template:Cn
PA-32REdit
{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} The 1975 addition of retractable landing gear resulted in the first of the PA-32R series, the Piper Lance. This was the earliest aircraft in the Piper Saratoga family, Piper's luxury, high-performance single line.<ref name="Plane and Pilot"/><ref name="Foster"/>
Piper's transition to tapered wings for the Cherokee series resulted in a new wing for the PA-32 series, as well. The tapered-wing version of the Cherokee Six was named the Saratoga and debuted in 1980.
Piper 6XEdit
After the General Aviation Revitalization Act of 1994, production of the retractable-gear Saratoga resumed in 1995. A fixed-gear PA-32 was reintroduced in 2003 as the Piper 6X and the turbocharged 6XT. Sales of the 6X and 6XT models did not meet expectations and production ceased in late 2007.
PA-34 prototypeEdit
Piper built a prototype PA-32-260 with IO-360 engines mounted on the wings. The trimotor aircraft was the proof-of-concept aircraft for the twin-engined, retractable-gear version of the Cherokee Six, the PA-34 Seneca.<ref name="Foster96">Montgomery, MR & Gerald Foster: A Field Guide to Airplanes, Second Edition, p.96. Houghton Mifflin Company, 1992. Template:ISBN</ref>
VariantsEdit
- PA-32-250 Cherokee Six
- Prototype with 250hp Lycoming O-540 engine, two built
- Template:Visible anchor
- Production variant with a 260hp Lycoming O-540-E4B5 engine
- PA-32-260 Cherokee Six B
- 1969 model with increased cabin space
- PA-32-260 Cherokee Six C
- 1970 model with minor changes
- PA-32-260 Cherokee Six D
- 1971 model with minor changes
- PA-32-260 Cherokee Six E
- 1972 model with interior and instrument panel changes (note model letters not used after 1972)
- PA-32-300 Cherokee Six
- Variant with a 300hp Lycoming IO-540-K1A5 engine, named the Piper Six 300 after 1979
- PA-32-300 Cherokee Six B
- 1969 model with instrument panel changes, engine changed to IO-540-K1G5
- PA-32-300 Cherokee Six C
- 1970 model
- PA-32-300 Cherokee Six D
- 1971 model
- PA-32-300 Cherokee Six E
- 1972 model (note model letters not used after 1972)
- PA-32-300LD
- Experimental low-drag variant for increased fuel efficiency, one built
- PA-32S-300
- Factory built on floats, only a small number were made.
- Template:Visible anchor
- Variant from 1980 with a 300hp Lycoming IO-540-K1G5 engine
- PA-32-301T Turbo Saratoga
- Saratoga with a turbocharged Lycoming TIO-540-S1AD engine and revised cowling
- PA-32-3M
- PA-32 prototype modified as a three-engined aircraft with two 115-hp Lycoming O-235 engines fitted to the wings, for development of the PA-34 Seneca
- Embraer EMB-720C Minuano
- Brazilian license-built version of PA-32-300 Cherokee Six.<ref name=jawa80p17-8>Template:Cite book</ref>
- Embraer EMB-720D Minuano
- Brazilian license-built version of PA-32-301 Saratoga Fixed Gear version. Production by Embraer and its subsidiary Indústria Aeronáutica Neiva.<ref name=jawa82p18-9>Template:Cite book</ref>
- Embraer EMB-721C Sertanejo
- Brazilian license-built version of PA-32R-301 Lance.<ref name=jawa80p17-8/>
- Embraer EMB-721D Sertanejo
- Brazilian license-built version of PA-32R-301 Saratoga Retractable Gear version. Production by Embraer and its subsidiary Neiva.<ref name=jawa82p18-9/>
