Piper Saratoga Guide and Specs : Is It A Reliable Aircraft?
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Though the last generation Saratogas were upgraded in most areas and are very different machines in almost every respect, the basic airframe/wing/engine configuration is still easily recognizable as a PA-32. Fuel capacity on the big Piper is 102 gallons, providing pilots with the flexibility to fly with lots of fuel or lots of people, but not both. Standard useful load runs around 1,140 pounds, so it’s apparent that full tanks would leave only about 400 paying pounds. If the required endurance is only an hour or so, you could leave 60 gallons in the truck and fly with nearly five folks (or perhaps four plus two).
Aircraft Performance Data
Pilots rave of its easy controls and responses, making it an all-time favorite. Although, the Bonanza isn’t the best when it comes to short-field takeoffs and landings. Aircraft insurance is a requirement when it comes to owning a plane. There are two options available to the aircraft owner, and that is liability or liability and hull insurance.
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I’m well aware most pilots won’t be flying their Saratogas across the Pacific as I’m doing, but aside from the inevitable numb-butt sensation, it’s not an uncomfortable airplane to sit in for long trips. Inflight handling is heavy but gentle, the stall is a non-event, and the big 300-hp, turbocharged Lycoming TIO-540-AH1A, though not bulletproof, is reliable and easy to manage. The whole idea behind turbocharging is to improve performance at higher altitudes. The Saratoga TC turns in a consistent 175 kt at 11,500 feet — a popular cruising neighborhood because oxygen isn't required by regulations. That represents a high-speed cruise condition, with manifold pressure set at 33 inches, propeller rpm set at 2,400 rpm, and a fuel burn of some 20 gph. The final Saratoga II HP became a favorite of pilots with big families and small companies with a need for fast travel between destinations as much as 800 nm apart.
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Toss your golf clubs or a tool box in the rear baggage compartment though, and you’ll be fine. Useful load varies with the year and equipment—the original 1980 fixed-gear version could carry up to 1,600 pounds, making it almost impossible to overload. Late model retractables carry about 500 pounds less, so you have to trade fuel for passengers or baggage.
Factory remanufacture of the current IO-540-K1G5D used in the normally aspirated Saratogas costs over $43,000. Rebuilding the TIO-540-AH1A used in current turbocharged Saratogas costs even more—and engine management on the turbo airplanes is critical. My friend with the 1981 fixed-gear airplane paid over $2,600 for his annual inspections; retractables of course are more expensive. Today’s top-of-the-line turbocharged retractable Saratoga-II TC is about 30 knots faster at optimum altitude, but it burns around 20 gph.
Question: Aircraft Gross Weight refers to what?
Suddenly, to the Piper Corporation, it was gone with the whisk of a marketing broom and transformed into the Saratoga, one of four wide-body singles linked in someone’s notion of a unique selling idea. It also got a new-to-it wing, the semi-tapered design first introduce on the Warrior and now common to all offspring of the Cherokee except the Seneca twin. Speak to any owner or maintenance professional, and they’ll tell you of the ready availability of Piper spares. Any of the major parts suppliers throughout the world retain stock of common Piper spares and can access the more unusual parts within a reasonable lead-time. Prospective owners should be aware of three maintenance issues involving significant service bulletins Piper considers mandatory.
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Fully loaded the aircraft breaks predictably, at the bottom of the white arc. It won’t be precise, since, at that angle of attack, the calibrated airspeed varies considerably from the speed indicated on the ASI. I mentioned earlier that you should always conduct a 100-hour inspection, regardless if you are renting your plane out. A hundred-hour on a Saratoga averages $800 which includes an oil change among other things, but will also include air filter changes and other inspections. Owners have also noticed issues with the landing gear, including broken nose gear actuators and trunnions. As a result, pilots are asked to carefully inspect the landing gear during the walk-around in order to catch any cracks or suspicious changes to the landing gear before departure.
The inside is laid out comfortably for four passengers in a club seating format. Entry to the passenger cabin is via two doors that make entry and egress easy without being clumsy. As an aircraft enthusiast and experienced flight instructor I have flown most general aviation aircraft. I frequently fly different Piper aircraft, including the Saratoga, the Piper Saratoga II and its sibling, the Piper Lance as well as the high performance turbocharged version known as the Turbo Lance II. Owners of the Piper Lance Turbo have mentioned difficulties with overheating.
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Air Compare: Piper Lance vs. Saratoga - FLYING
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Since the first Piper Lance was sold back in 1976, I always regarded the concept of a retractable Cherokee Six as a great idea. The first, fixed-gear Six 260 and Six 300 had been excellent sellers from their introduction several years earlier, and it’s no wonder. As always, approach slam dunks me down to 2000 feet, vectors me past Koko Head, and directs me back out over the ocean south of the airport.
In 1994, the ’SP’ changed to ’HP’ when New Piper introduced the Saratoga II HP (high performance), in both normally aspirated and turbocharged models. The basic airframe remains unchanged, however interiors and avionics have remained continuously upgraded. I’ve been fortunate to spend several hundred hours in a variety of Lance/Saratogas over the last 35 years and have delivered a dozen of the type to Europe, Africa, and Australia. By far, the largest single block of Saratoga time was in a new 2002 model. I picked up the airplane at the Piper factory in Vero Beach and flew to the Oshkosh airshow to show it off to the new owner who visited Oshkosh on the annual Qantas 747 charter direct from Sydney.
In any case, this works out to $5 per hour which you should set aside each time you fly. There are many Piper owner groups available on Facebook, some even aircraft or engine specific. This free platform provides a huge resource and the ability to ask questions to knowledgeable members and look for parts. Piper isn’t the only company that has a strong candidate for a six-seat single-engine aircraft. Cessna, their number one competitor, and other companies like Beechcraft, have also released some impressive aircraft that are greatly adored by the masses. This six-place aircraft stands out in its class when it comes to comfort, providing ample legroom and easily accessible seating.
Therefore, from 1976 to 1978, the Lance came from a solid pedigree and looked similar, although with retractable undercarriage. Initial designs mainly focused on installing a retractable undercarriage to the Cherokee Six fuselage, with the undercarriage borrowing heavily from the twin-engined Piper Seneca. The new design required engine mount and wing-spar redesign, while the engine remained unchanged. The aircraft is powered by a Lycoming IO-540-K1G5 and is rated at 300 horsepower. It is a six cylinder, normally aspirated, direct drive, air cooled, horizontally opposed, fuel injected engine.
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