Piper PA-31-325 Navajo C/R

Piper Aircraft · United States · first flew 1973 · light aircraft

The Piper PA-31-325 Navajo C/R is a counter-rotating variant of the PA-31 Navajo in which both engines turn in opposite directions, eliminating asymmetric thrust and improving single-engine handling.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Low-mounted, tapered
E — Engines	2 × piston, wing-mounted
F — Fuselage	Standard Navajo square fuselage with longer nacelles
T — Tail	Conventional

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Spot it by:

Counter-rotating propeller Navajo for eliminated P-factor
325-hp Lycoming engines with opposite-turning props
Standard Navajo square fuselage with longer nacelles

Outwardly identical to the standard Navajo; the counter-rotating propellers are the key differentiator and are apparent only when the propeller-tip direction is observed on the ground.

Specifications

The Piper PA-31-325 Navajo C/R has a length of 9.94 m (33 ft).
It has a wingspan of 12.4 m (41 ft).
Its maximum speed is 384 km/h (239 mph).
Typical crew: 1.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Introduced in 1975, the C/R (Counter-Rotating) variant answered pilot demand for a Navajo without a critical engine; the 325-hp Lycoing engines provided a modest power increase over the standard 300-hp baseline.

Variants

The C/R designation distinguishes this from the standard PA-31-300 and the PA-31-350 Chieftain; Colombian manufacturer Aero Industrial Colombiana and Argentine Chincul both assembled licensed examples.

Where you'll see it

Widely used by commuter and air-taxi operators globally for its improved handling qualities; popular as an introductory multi-engine charter aircraft.

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