Piper Saratoga Price, Speed, Fuel Burn & Specs
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Aviation journalists are supposed to adopt a shield of objectivity when writing about airplanes, but I have to confess to a long-time love affair with the retractable Saratogas. I’ve ferried dozens of them domestically and another dozen across various oceans, logging perhaps 700 hours in the type. In fact, a few years back, I even considered buying a fully-restored 1976 Piper Lance—the direct predecessor to the Saratoga.
Question: How much does an annual cost?
Whether online or in-person, clubs allow an owner to ask questions and discuss topics with like-minded individuals who may have more experience with that particular aircraft. When it comes to the Piper Lance, due to its six seats and high performance, it tends to have insurance that is on the higher side. The Piper Turbo Lance ii has had its fair share of hot-running engines. The FAA created an airworthiness directive to resolve these issues, and luckily the problem is no longer as prevalent as when the turbo first debuted. While the Piper Lance is an excellent performing aircraft that is appreciated by all its owners, it has its issues that need to be taken into consideration when purchasing the aircraft.
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For many, using the Piper Lance for commercial operations makes it more than worthwhile to spend the extra money for both liability and hull insurance. Experienced pilots that meet the minimum qualifications can expect between 13,500$ and 17,100$ a year. Meanwhile, pilots that do not meet the minimum requirements pay significantly more, from 23,000$ to 36,000$ a year.
Question: What is ‘wing loading’?
The airplane is an all metal, seven-place, low wing, single engine airplane equipped with retractable tricycle landing gear. In the normal category all aerobatic maneuvers including spins are prohibited. The airplane is approved for day and night VFR/IFR operations when equipped in accordance with F.A.R. 91 or F.A.R 135. As with most load carriers, the Saratoga is not a speed fiend, in fact, slower than the obvious competitors. Cruise speeds vary by model, yet 150 to 160 knots is standard for non-turbo aircraft, burning between 14 and 18 gallons per hour.
Limiting and Recommended Airspeeds
One way to speed up descents without shock cooling the engine is to install Precise Flight’s speed brakes. While helpful for pilots of the turbocharged models, who need time to come down from the flight levels, this may be overkill for normally-aspirated Saratogas. Piper compares today’s normally aspirated Saratoga II HP and turbocharged Saratoga II TC to SUVs. A friend who owned a 1981 fixed-gear Saratoga called his airplane a flying pickup truck. Having flown both, I think the SUV analogy is pretty close—and it turns into a pickup truck if you take the passenger seats out. For the retractable Saratogas, the primary operational benefit is improved endurance.
Question: Time before overhauling the engine?
The electric pump operates from a single switch and independent circuit breaker. Fuel quantity gauges for each of the tanks are located on the left side of the instrument panel. The airplane is an all metal, seven-place, low wing, single engine airplane equipped with tricycle landing gear. To generate 65% power you will have to stay at or below 11,000 feet. The highest manifold pressure you can set the throttle to is 19 inches with the corresponding prop speed at 2600 rpm.
How Fast Does The Saratoga Fly?
As the Piper taxied by, we noticed that the airplane seemed to be filled with huskies—though it did have a human pilot. I also noticed that it had no gear doors, the better to clear the potholes. Several staff members and friends have an encyclopedia of experience with the Six; some have owned one.
The current Saratoga II TC’s blower preserves the engine’s full sea-level power to the high teens, which means you can pull an easy 75% at 20,000 feet. More importantly, it means you’ll still have sea-level power available for any reasonable high/hot departures. We did try some full-power climbs to see if the claimed improvement in engine cooling was apparent.
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The tapered wings, landing gear treatment and tasteful paint jobs on the new Saratogas have changed all that. The Saratogas have a long and graceful look that eluded the older airplane. This is especially true of the SP, which rests more nearly level on the ground. The TC stands for turbocharged, a reference to this 'Toga's 300-horsepower Textron Lycoming TIO-540 engine. In practical terms, this means that the II TC's turbocharger operates almost transparently.
As with any six-seater, the Saratoga II TC is a heavyweight on the controls, featuring smooth but slow ailerons and muted pitch response. The PA32 series was never designed for ultimate speed or maneuverability. The intention was to create a good heavy hauler with comfort in mind. Pitch and power changes require large changes in rudder trim, and pilots of average strength quickly will learn to use the trim control down low on the pedestal.
In this case, the aircraft has hull insurance that covers damages to the aircraft, but only while it is stationary. An airworthiness directive was also released due to a series of engine fires on the Turbo Lance. The exhaust system of the aircraft needed to be inspected, and many were eventually replaced. Joining clubs and online groups is an excellent way to find used parts. Because there are many pilots who join a club for their specific aircraft, asking those who are already equipped with those parts will be easier than trying to shoot in the dark. Used parts can be less costly and in good condition but are generally more difficult to find.
If turbocharging helps define the mission of a Saratoga II TC, comfort is its true raison d’etre. It’s slightly wider than any non-Piper, and with the air-conditioning option, it offers perhaps the ultimate in creature comfort. However, a great deal more attention has been paid to cooling air flow.
Liability insurance only takes into consideration the pilot, passengers, and property damage in case of an accident. With impressive range, the Piper Lance also boasts impressive endurance. The aircraft can fly for 7 hours at 55% power while taking into account reserve fuel. With no reserve, the aircraft can fly for 7 hours and 45 minutes, much longer than most passengers would like to spend in the aircraft.
It was particularly noticeable at low airspeed and during takeoff and landing. The biggest dilemma would be in choosing between the retractable Saratoga SP and the one with fixed gear. When the two first came out, the SP was 30 grand more, which makes its eight- to 10-knot speed advantage the most expensive option on the airplane. The Piper Saratoga is fuel injected but not turbocharged, so you can expect that the power the engine develops decreases with altitude.
You don't need to replace the engine at every overhaul interval, but it is safe to assume that every third overhaul is going to call for a new engine. Two things you have to take into consideration is that if you take out a loan on the purchase price then you will have to insure the hull as well, increasing your insurance cost. You also have to have time in complex, high-performance aircraft to be able to qualify. If you don’t the insurance company will reject your policy until such time you satisfy that requirement. The second is the experience level of the pilot that flies the plane. If you are in a flight school or a flight club and will have a string of users in and out of it, then the price will escalate.
To take advantage of thinner air and winds aloft, getting above 11,000 feet and under 14,000 feet will only allow you to extract 55% of max power output. At 14,000 feet your manifold pressure should be set to 17 inches, and your RPM should be 2600. Anything less will give you reduced ground distance for the same fuel burn. Once you get to your target altitude, your choice of cruise will determine your power setting. If you are in a hurry, a power setting of 75% at 7,000 feet will result in the highest possible speed you can get out of level flight knots IAS.
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