PDF CHEYENNE 400LS SPECIFICATIONS & PERFORMANCE - Friend AirCare ground clearance of a meagre eight inches. Later models were offered with an optional cargo door to make it easier to load the after compartment. A friend and I seriously considered a Cheyenne a couple of years ago and I still think a Merlin would be a decent choice for what were doing. We have had a couple of engine problems, but discussions with our maintenance base, Des Moines Flying Center, have convinced us that all is well. The start sequence is fully automated. The Piper Cheyenne 400LS, PA-42-1000, is the final development and improvement of the venerable Cheyenne line of twin turboprop business aircraft. Payments as low as . The Honeywell (Garrett) TPE-331-14 is rated to a maximum of 1,650 shaft horsepower. This thread reminds me of the day that I decided to buy a Huey. In the summer, when the effective density altitude is higher, attempting to hand-fly at that altitude is simply impossible. Garrett TPE 331-engined airplanes, such as the Aero Commanders, Mitsubishi MU-2s or even Swearingen (Fairchild) Merlin II and III models are a totally different category and set of considerations. Taxiing is straightforward and with the checks As stated above, a normal phugoid will damp itself out eventually. Of course, you need bigger props too. Most of us know the addictive qualities of aso.com, controller.com and Trade-A-Plane. The other three Cheyenne models, the III, IIIA, and 400LS, dont really fit into the entry-level category. basically a re-engined piston pressurised PA-31P Navajo. The massive Dowty-Rotol composite propellers are expensive and have only eight inches of ground clearance, leading to erosion problems. less runway, climbs and cruises faster than many pure jets. 0000043747 00000 n As a result, the passengers either froze or cooked, and there never seemed to be a good fix for that. Vref pegs the 400LS value at $1 million for a 1984 model to $1.22M for a 1992 model. 0000007543 00000 n Most are outfitted with nine seats, including the pilot. Most can be laid to insufficient knowledge of systems, lack of proficiency, failure to use check lists and other human performance issues. It can cruise at the same long-range speed over 1,842nmi (3,411km), 400nmi (740km) more; it can carry eight passengers farther than a King Air 200 while cruising 50kn (93km/h) faster. Your email address will not be published. This reason they stop mfg chevenne 400Ls turboprop aor craft too. INSTALATION AFTER 10 UP. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. complete we lined up on Lanseria's runway 06. In the case of the Meridian and the TBM, the airplanes are still in production, an important consideration when it comes to parts. In the worst accident in terms of loss of life, seven people were killed when an ATP took off in a IIXL and tried to scud run but hit the side of a mountain. 0000179961 00000 n The plane must be flown within its loading envelope or there can be big trouble for the occupants. The system met the letter of FAA certification requirements in terms of achieving stick-free longitudinal stability but it did nothing for, and possibly aggravated, long-period phugoid divergence (in something approaching English, if pitch input moves the aircraft away from its trim airspeed, it tends to accelerate quickly in that direction, then recover abruptly [pull up or push over] with the divergence increasing with each cycle). When the altitude-hold is engaged, the trim wheel is in constant motion holding the aircraft level. There is one accident that occurred to a PA-31T under similar circumstances to the two that called the SAS into question: loss of control during an instrument departure in fog. Of course, high on the list of importance is speed. Its power-to-weight ratio of 6 lbs/hp allows for a climb rate of 3,200 feet per minute and a cruise speed of 350 knots. 0000092671 00000 n In 1975, he acknowledged many shortcomings and promised major improvements would take place in quality control and customer support. Are these big-engine Cheyennes as fast as they say? Think it would meet your range requirements. During certification, longitudinal stability was an issue, and an elaborate "stability augmentation system" (SAS) was installed in the II series.. Those in the market for a used, entry-level turboprop twin have a lot of choices these days. I find an airplane I like, switch to flightaware.com and check out the ground speeds on several trips. The potential danger is obvious. Pipers Cheyenne 400LS is one of those rare airplanes that has few compromises. The record shows that, when it comes to safely stepping up to turboprops, there is simply no substitute for a regimen of structured recurrent training. 91 or F.A.R 135. Therefore, every Cheyenne I or II pilot I know carries either 75 or 100 pounds of lead weights in the nose to keep the plane from sitting on its tailskid and to keep it within the legal center-of-gravity envelope. The McCauley Accessory Division of Cessna offers a propeller conversion kit that-according to the company-reduces interior noise and improves performance. The airplane failed to meet FAA stability requirements, so it was back to the drawing board for a fix. Visibility from the cockpit is a real shortcoming until the 1980 model year. He stuck to his word. Up front, most remaining 400LS models have been updated with some level of glass avionics. Cabin seating is commonly arranged in a four-seat club with three additional seats available. Even though there is an emergency backup to the SAS (a compressed air cylinder that imposes maximum nose-down force on the downspring), SAS is a no-go item on the PA-31T. Holding the column with my left hand, I tried a gentle turn and was The Cheyenne is no slouch in the cruise department, either. Quick Look: Piper Cheyenne 400LS - AOPA View photos, ownership, registration history, and more. 0000012075 00000 n The longitudinal stability characteristics and the SAS were fully covered in the November 1, 1981 issue of The Aviation Consumer. mwP:5L6r+,I-$X2ijbj)Q]B3ZFTV_ e V'&xT$,lFR/oFN`rX\Kil! W7 }/T]ip'Dl~ Flight test - Piper Cheyenne 400LS - PlaneCheck Talk about paying for the Piper. The airplane is fast and dependable and has a somewhat undeserved bad reputation arising out of its short-coupled fuselage and somewhat poor stability. hb``e`R 0000013855 00000 n I do know that when Piper modified the Malibu to make the Meridian, there were substantial changes. 0000012785 00000 n Piper Cheyenne III & IIIA | Business Jet Traveler The instructors will put the pilot through aft-loading drills in the simulator, as well as many other things that are life-savers. The toughest aspect of maneuvering in the traffic pattern in pre-1980 Cheyennes is the restricted visibility. ). A true performer (Single Pilot) that resembles Jet Performace for half of the fuel burn and operational cost. They arent. Ultimately, the superior pressurization system in the 400LS (under 10,000 feet at flight level 410) was paramount in the decision-making process to safely conduct international and oceanic flights above most weather and busy traffic altitudes, along with 50 KTS faster speed available on demand. And I have invested a small fortune and an inconvenient amount of time to the replacement of all manner of gyros. Handling While the basic nature of inertia and mass can make a Cheyenne a lumbering handful for pilots used to lighter airplanes, within their category they are responsive and nimble. Piper PA-31T Cheyenne - Aviation Consumer Even at that, parts are an issue for me. The majority of the flights were flown above most airliners in comfort, style and at a fuel cost less than economy class tickets for the same itinerary. In that same year, the interior was improved. Mike and Bill are known advisors, and they arent selling me anything, so I feel at home with their advice. 0000022771 00000 n The Cheyenne II is a bit of a handful, and not one in which a low-time or untrained pilot moving up from piston engines should fool around without first-class training. PDF Piper PA-42-1000 - McFarlane Aviation of the Cheyenne series, and Piper. At 24,000 feet, such an alteration results in a speed increase from 229 to 275 knots. Great aircraft, fast, long range and goes high had several times after traffic was given as twin turboprop at FL 410 disbelieving B747 drivers. Piper Cheyenne - AOPA - Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association 0000012901 00000 n The thing fits us like a glove. these blades will suffer when used on dirt airstrips, the clearance has Building a turboprop isnt as simple as hanging a pair of PT6s on a piston airframe, as Piper found out with the Cheyenne. Maintenance Steve Magginetti is service coordinator for Corporate Air Technology of San Jose, Cal. ttheir failure to develop a range of business jets which may have been 1984 - 1991 PIPER PA-42-1000 Cheyenne 400LS - Planephd The aircraft It was costly close to $40,000. As with any high performance airplane with many systems and basic all-weather capability, managing the Cheyenne is more taxing than maneuvering it. At any speed less than 130 knots, the aircraft starts to oscillate. This listing was posted on Jul 15, 2019. Maximum speed for extension of the first notch of flaps (15 degrees), or Vfe, is 181 KIAS. Theres a loophole in the regulations, in that there is no requirement for long-period dynamic longitudinal stability, only one for static stability. It carries a big load in a comfortable cabin at high speeds for long distances on a miserly amount of fuel. Weve done the interior its still beautiful and painted the airplane in colors we like. Some Meridians go for as little as $900,000, and they are 20 years newer than the 1980s models of Cheyennes out there. The airplane has two imposing TPE331-14 engines, each capable of producing 1,600+ SHP de-rated to 1,000 HP at its five-bladed MT propellers. outrageous or brilliant or both. Ive also had correspondence with Ed Black of Blackhawk. disperse. In 1981, auto-ignition was first offered as an option. The T-tail towers over the package to balance out the huge props. Many of the problems are reflected in service letters, bulletins (and, frequently, remedial kits. Single pilot, fast, can haul, mx and acquisition cost cheaper then a king air. That, together with the obvious success of the Beech King Air and the troublesome big Lycomings on the P-Navajo, undoubtedly was a factor in the decision to develop a pressurized turboprop. It uses less runway, climbs and cruises faster than many pure jets. Click here to view charts for Resale Values, Payload Compared and Prices Compared, Click here to view the Piper PA-31T Cheyenne features guide, Shopping For A Seaplane: Pick A Price Point. Careless operation has the obvious consequences. 0000261462 00000 n Proper loading is a key issue in the operation of any of the PA-31T series, most especially with the original Cheyenne. executive turbine fraternity. Piper Cheyenne 400LS - Centurion Jets - Private Jet Company The bobweight was made available as a retrofit to earlier PA-31Ts (The modification, called the Dynamic Stability Improvement Kit is covered by Service Letter 977. At altitude, you can pull the miserly Garrretts back to about 400 lbs (60 gallons) per hour for long-range cruise. Reg: N7222F photos. Piper Cheyenne 400LS: Outpacing the Test of Time This was one of several attempts to overcome the poor image of Piper engineering and manufacture. A power-to-weight ratio of 6 pounds/horsepower speaks volumes about the performance capabilities of the 400LS. If a person wanted to do that in a Cheyenne II, he could simply self-limit the -28 engines to the 500-HP output of the -11. This is more a nuisance than a problem. Physical dimensions are the same as the PA-31T except that the basic airplane wingspan is two feet shorter (40 feet, 8 inches versus 42 feet, 8 inches) because in standard form it does not have tip tanks (although most purchasers opted for them). Many products featured on this site were editorially chosen. of propeller clearance. Designers there basically did whatever it took to accomplish something without a great deal of attention to whether it was the best way to achieve the objective.This attitude was reflected in basic systems and fabricating techniques as well as in cockpit organization and interior fittings. The lack of suitable piston engines, however, was a major factor in the failure of Pipers own Fat Albert, the Pocono. [3], The 400LS made aviation history on 16 April 1985 by setting two new time-to-climb records for its class (C-1e Group 2, 3000m and 9,000m) and shattering two time-to-climb records for all turboprop classes (6,000m and 12,000m): with retired United States Air Force Brigadier General Chuck Yeager at the helm of N400PS (with co-pilot Renald "Dav" Davenport flying right-seat), the aircraft departed from Portland-Hillsboro Airport's Runway 31L, immediately reached a 5,959-foot-per-minute climbout and achieved its 3,000m record in 1 minute, 47.6 seconds; the 6,000m record in 3 minutes, 42.0 seconds; its 9,000m record at 6 minutes, 34.6 seconds; the 12,000m record at 11 minutes, 8.3 seconds (time-to-altitude records were captured by on-board video camera aimed at relevant panel gauges, timed with superimposed timer; also verified by Hillsboro Airport tower personnel via radar, using encoded altimeter data transmitted from aircraft to tower via transponder). One famous such move was to call in Ed TVw "O a ra.Jl8;yq6%b\u6LKfT-2x2;mpxWN*mBthB^sRqqG5UPhN'f+2Y0V"!1? The Cheyenne 400LS is usually configured to seat a pilot and seven passengers with an additional passenger occupying the right seat on the flight deck, if desired. My most trusted advisor is Bill Turley, a friend for 25 years and owner of our maintenance base, Aircraft Engineering in Bartow, Florida. Hb```f``Ib`e``bg@ ~6 x,2{q/l&EG%4-6_2FbTo`m7?$ L^'@dXD&'imi^;P w&8,% > endobj 20 0 obj << /ProcSet [ /PDF /Text ] /Font << /F2 45 0 R /F3 25 0 R /F4 22 0 R /F6 29 0 R >> /ExtGState << /GS1 50 0 R >> >> endobj 21 0 obj << /Type /FontDescriptor /Ascent 723 /CapHeight 713 /Descent -262 /Flags 70 /FontBBox [ -202 -288 1146 962 ] /FontName /HDBFEK+JansonText-Italic /ItalicAngle -15 /StemV 77 /XHeight 448 /CharSet (/l/u/m/C/w/o/d/c/comma/y/p/a/e/four/S/hyphen/g/f/n/A/period/r/space/h/qu\ oteright/s/i/L/t/zero) /FontFile3 23 0 R >> endobj 22 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /FirstChar 1 /LastChar 30 /Widths [ 259 685 315 667 389 389 296 444 259 407 519 519 463 278 296 259 463 500 370 407 315 463 778 667 519 519 611 556 259 259 ] /Encoding 26 0 R /BaseFont /HDBFEK+JansonText-Italic /FontDescriptor 21 0 R /ToUnicode 27 0 R >> endobj 23 0 obj << /Filter /FlateDecode /Length 3744 /Subtype /Type1C >> stream The rules require that the pull be roughly proportional to the speed displacement; i.e., a 20-knot displacement from trim speed will require twice as much control pressure as a 10-knot deflection. %%EOF The courses offered by outfits such as FlightSafety International and SimCom, which include extensive classroom and simulator time, are excellent for obtaining and maintaining Cheyenne proficiency. Piper is a strange company. There is not a lot of competition to consider in this category. 2023 Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, Max Operating Speed see POH for speeds above listed altitudes. The Negative Torque Sensing feature provides a level of safety similar to autofeather, reducing prop drag by approximately 80 percent in case an engine is lost immediately after takeoff. [3] It can climb directly to FL 410 at its 12,050lb (5,470kg) MTOW and typical single-pilot BOWs are 7,8507,900lb (3,5603,580kg). Original PA-31T The cabin is fine for three or four passengers even on longer flights, especially with the club seating arrangement. Gear extension speed is 153 KIAS (but Vlo-retract is 139). The PA-42 Cheyenne III was announced in September 1977. Some people think the Cheyenne I is a better airplane because it has no SAS system. The original system had some problems, but modifications over the years seem to have helped. I currently own a Commander 690 with dash 10 engines, gets me a high cruise of about 290-300 Kts depending on outside temperatures so a nice second place! Changes Many elements of the first Cheyenne fit the Mickey Mouse appellation that was applied to all Piper airplanes. The Cheyenne IIXL, manufactured from 1981 to 1984, is basically a Cheyenne II with a 2-foot stretch all of it forward of the main spar. more and further and does it all for about half the cost of a comparable 0000012267 00000 n With its 351-knot max cruise speed, efficient Garrett engines, fastest climb rate in its class, FL410 service ceiling, long range and short/unimproved runway capability, the rare Piper Cheyenne 400LS can still outperform many turboprops and light jets in various phases of flight and missions. In 1978, Piper came out with another version of the Cheyenne, the Cheyenne I. One of the most annoying characteristics of the Cheyenne is caused by the aileron/rudder interconnect. Indeed, the 1980 Cheyenne, which was Insulation and trim was changed to increase finished interior dimensions. 0000014026 00000 n be a direct competitor to the staid Beechcraft King Air 200. The tradeoff was poor dynamic stability. So the whole package can push $700,000.