Piper PA-44 Seminole
| Piper PA-44 Seminole | |
|---|---|
| 300px | |
| Role | Training and personal aircraft |
| Manufacturer | Piper Aircraft |
| First flight | 1978 |
| Produced | 1979-present |
| Unit cost | |
| Developed from | Piper Cherokee |
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.
Contents
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
Specifications (PA-44-180 Seminole)
Data from Airliners.net[6]
General characteristics
- Crew: one pilot
- Capacity: three passengers
- Length: 27 ft 7.2 in (8.41 m)
- Wingspan: 38 ft 8 in (11.77 m)
- Height: 8 ft 6 in (2.59 m)
- Wing area: 184 ft2 (17.1 m2)
- Empty weight: 2,360 lb (1,070 kg)
- Max. takeoff weight: 3,800 lb (1,723 kg)
- Powerplant: × 1 Lycoming O-360-A1H6, 1 Lycoming LO-360-A1H6 air-cooled, direct-drive, horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine, 180 hp (135 kW) at Sea Level each
- Propellers: Hartzell HC-C2Y(K,R)-2 two-bladed, constant speed, fully feathering, with pitch controlled by oil/nitrogen pressure propeller, one per engine
- Maximum Ramp Weight: 3 816 lb (1,731 kg)
Fuel: two main nacelle tanks, each of 55 U.S. gallon capacity (110 U.S. Gal. total), two U.S. gallons unusable.
Performance
- Cruise speed: 155 kt
- Range: 1,000 miles (1,630 km)
- Service ceiling: 17,100 ft (5,213 m)
- Rate of climb: 1,200 ft/min (366 m/min)
- Wing loading: 21.1 lb/ft2 (100.8 kg/m2)
- Power/mass: 10.55 lb/hp (0.16 kW/kg)
- Single Engine Service ceiling 3,800 ft
Related content
- Related development
- Comparable aircraft
References
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Montgomery, MR & Gerald Foster: A Field Guide to Airplanes, Second Edition, page 92. Houghton Mifflin Company, 1992. ISBN 0-395-62888-1
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
External links
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