Piper PA-38 Tomahawk

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1979 Piper Tomahawk

Piper PA-38-112 Tomahawk showing its rectangular wing planform

The axe logo was applied at the Piper factory to many PA-38s delivered

The Piper PA-38-112 Tomahawk is a two-seat, fixed tricycle gear general aviation airplane, originally designed for flight training, touring and personal use.

Contents

1 Development
2 Production
3 Safety Record
4 Roles
5 Specifications (PA-38-112 Tomahawk)

5.1 General characteristics
5.2 Performance

6 Related content
7 External links

Development

The Tomahawk was Piper's attempt at creating an affordable two-place trainer. Much feedback from flight instructors were collected, and a more spinnable aircraft was requested for training purposes, since similar two-place trainers such as the Cessna 150 or Cessna 152 were designed to automatically fly out of a spin. The NASA GA(W)-1 airfoil fulfills this request by making the aircraft efficient, yet requiring safe handling in spins, which in turn makes pilots more experienced in potentially dangerous situations.

A high spin accident rate and complaints that the Tomahawk stalls too violently made the manufacturer fit stall strips to the leading edge of the wing.

Another feature of the aircraft in the primary training role is that it mimics the flight controls of a heavier aircraft, so transition to bigger planes is made easier.

Production

The Tomahawk was introduced in 1977 as a 1978 model. The aircraft was in continuous production until 1982 when production was completed, with 2484 aircraft constructed.

Safety Record

The plane has a statistically significant number of both fatal spins and over-rotation accidents while taking off, but with proper training and understanding of the flight characteristics, most of these problems can be avoided. Early airworthiness directives were designed to improve the stall performance, and there has been a dramatic reduction in accidents as a result. Perhaps because of this colorful history, the PA-38 has earned the half-in-jest sobriquet "Traumahawk" from many who have flown it.

Roles

Besides from being a widely used primary trainer, it is also a great budget cross-country flyer for two persons with its spacious and comfortable cabin, with a more social side-by-side seating arrangement. Though it shares similar performance and costs of operation to the Cessna 152, the aircraft has more shoulder room, and a higher cruise speed. It also has good cabin airflow, using automotive-style air ducts. Common cruise speeds ranges from 90 to 110 knots (167 to 204 km/h).

Specifications (PA-38-112 Tomahawk)

General characteristics

Crew: one, plus one passenger
Length: 23 ft 1 in (7.04 m)
Wingspan: 34 ft 0 in (10.36 m)
Height: 9 ft 1 in (2.77 m)
Wing area: 125 ft² (11.6 m²)
Empty: 1,128 lb (512 kg)
Maximum takeoff: 1,670 lb (757 kg)
Powerplant: 1x Avco Lycoming O-235-L2A(Bendix magnetos) & -L2C(Slick mags), 112 hp (85 kW)

Performance

Maximum speed: 126 mph (202 km/h)
Range: 542 miles (867 km)
Service ceiling: 13000 ft (4000 m)
Rate of climb: 718 ft/min (219 m/min)
Wing loading: 13.39 lb/ft² (65.38 kg/m²)

External links

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