Piper PA-38 Tomahawk
.jpg) Piper PA-38 Tomahawk. Photo: wiltshirespotter, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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| Make | Piper |
|---|---|
| Model | Piper PA-38 Tomahawk |
| Type | Light aircraft |
| Country |  United States
|
| Built | 1978–1982 |
| Number built | 2,484 |
| Registered in the US | 434 (FAA register, October 30, 2026) |
| Seats | one, one passenger |
| Engine | Avco Lycoming O-235-L2C, 112 hp |
| Cruise speed | 115 mph (PA-38-112 Tomahawk II) |
| Range | 539 mi (PA-38-112 Tomahawk II) |
| Service ceiling | 13,000 ft (PA-38-112 Tomahawk II) |
| Max weight | 1,670 lb (PA-38-112 Tomahawk II)
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The Piper PA-38-112 Tomahawk is a two-seat airplane designed and built by Piper specifically for flight training, also usable for touring and personal flying.[1] In the U.S. there are 434 with a valid registration.[2]
History
The Tomahawk began in the mid-1970s with Piper's plan for an affordable two-seat trainer. Before designing it, Piper surveyed about 10,000 flight instructors about what the ideal trainer should look like and how it should fly. Many asked for an airplane that could be spun more readily, so students could learn spin recovery.[1]
Safety record
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Air Safety Foundation published a Safety Highlight report on the Tomahawk, which found it has a one-third lower accident rate per flying hour than comparable trainers.[1]
As of 2020 a handful of Tomahawks were training Australian Air Force Cadets at RAAF Base Amberley, where they have flown since the early 2000s.[1]
Registered in the United States
The FAA register lists 434 of these airplanes with a valid U.S. registration. Here they are by the model name the FAA uses.[2]
| FAA model name | Registered |
|---|---|
| PA-38-112 | 434 |
Specifications (PA-38-112 Tomahawk II)
| Item | PA-38-112 Tomahawk II |
|---|---|
| Crew | one |
| Passengers / capacity | one passenger |
| Length | 23 ft 1+1/4 in |
| Wingspan | 34 ft |
| Height | 9 ft 0+3/4 in |
| Wing area | 124.7 sq ft |
| Empty weight | 1,128 lb |
| Maximum takeoff weight | 1,670 lb |
| Fuel | 30 USgal usable |
| Engine | Avco Lycoming O-235-L2C, 112 hp (air-cooled flat-four piston engine) |
| Propeller | Sensenich metal fixed-pitch propeller |
| Maximum speed | 126 mph |
| Cruise speed | 115 mph |
| Stall speed | 56 mph |
| Never-exceed speed | 159 mph |
| Range | 539 mi |
| Service ceiling | 13,000 ft |
| Rate of climb | 718 ft/min |
Figures as given in the Wikipedia article and its sources.[1]
Photos
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A Piper PA-38-112 Tomahawk (C-FBRL). Photo: Ahunt at English Wikipedia, Public domain
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All photos are from Wikimedia Commons; click a photo for its full credit and license.
Buying a Piper PA-38 Tomahawk
Sources
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Wikipedia, "Piper PA-38 Tomahawk", read November 1, 2026. Airplane Wiki's text is written in its own words; facts are checked against this article and its sources.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Federal Aviation Administration, Releasable Aircraft Database, file dated October 30, 2026. Valid registrations of fixed-wing airplanes whose FAA maker and model names belong to this family. Airplane Wiki uses only counts from this file, never owner names or addresses.