Piper PA-44 Seminole

Piper PA-44 Seminole
Role Training and personal aircraft
Manufacturer Piper Aircraft
First flight 1978
Produced 1979-present
Unit cost
US$663,500 (2013 base price)[1]
Developed from Piper Cherokee
Piper PA-44-180 Seminole
PA-44 landing
Piper PA-44-180 Seminole

The Piper PA-44 Seminole is an American twin-engined light aircraft manufactured by Piper Aircraft.[2]

The PA-44 is a development of the Piper Cherokee single-engined aircraft and is primarily used for multi-engined flight training.[2][3]

The Seminole was built in 1979-82, in 1989-90, and again since 1995.

Design and development

The first production Seminoles are equipped with two 180 hp (135 kW) Lycoming O-360-E1A6D engines. The right-hand engine is a Lycoming LO-360-E1A6D variant, which turns in the opposite direction to the left-hand engine. This feature eliminates the critical engine and makes the aircraft more controllable in the event that an engine needs to be shut down or fails.[4][5]

The Seminole was first certified on March 10, 1978 and introduced as a 1979 model year in late 1978. Gross weight is 3800 lbs (1723 kg).[5]

Later production Seminoles were built with Lycoming O-360-A1H6 engines.[5]

The PA-44-180T Turbo Seminole version was certified on November 29, 1979 and built between 1981 and 1982. It features two turbocharged 180 hp (135 kW) Lycoming TO-360-E1A6D engines, which offer a significant improvement in performance at high density altitude. The Turbo Seminole had its takeoff gross weight raised to 3925 lb (1780 kg), while the landing weight remained at 3800 lbs (1723 kg).[5]

The PA-44 features a high T-tail similar to the T-tailed Arrow IV. The Seminole resembles the competitive Beechcraft Duchess.[3]

Variants

PA-44-180 Seminole
Normally aspirated version powered by two Lycoming O-360-E1A6D or two O-360-A1H6 engines.[5]
PA-44-180T Turbo Seminole
Turbocharged version powered by two Lycoming TO-360-E1A6D engines.[5]

Operators

Civil

The PA-44 is popular with air charter companies and flight schools, and is operated by private individuals and companies.

Military

 Jordan

Specifications (PA-44-180 Seminole)

Data from Airliners.net[6]

General characteristics

Performance

Related development
Comparable aircraft

References

  1. Piper Aircraft (n.d.). "2013 Seminole" (PDF). Retrieved 18 July 2013.
  2. 1 2 New Piper Aircraft (n.d.). "Welcome to the Seminole". Retrieved 2007-10-02.
  3. 1 2 Montgomery, MR & Gerald Foster: A Field Guide to Airplanes, Second Edition, page 92. Houghton Mifflin Company, 1992. ISBN 0-395-62888-1
  4. New Piper Aircraft (n.d.). "Seminole Price and Standard Equipment". Retrieved 2007-10-02.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Federal Aviation Administration (August 2006). "TYPE CERTIFICATE DATA SHEET NO. A19SO Revision 10" (PDF). Retrieved 2008-09-09.
  6. Airliners.net (2009). "The Piper PA-44 Seminole". Retrieved 2009-08-26.
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