Piper PA-31P Pressurized Navajo

Piper Aircraft · United States · first flew 1968 · light aircraft

The Piper PA-31P Pressurized Navajo is a pressurized, turbocharged twin-piston variant of the PA-31 Navajo, designed for high-altitude cruise operations and greater passenger comfort.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Low-mounted, tapered
E — Engines	2 × piston, wing-mounted
F — Fuselage	Rounder fuselage cross-section compared to standard Navajo
T — Tail	Conventional

WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.

Spot it by:

Pressurized twin-piston Navajo for high-altitude cruise
Lycoming TIGO-541 turbocharged geared engines
Rounder fuselage cross-section compared to standard Navajo

Similar to the standard Navajo but with a more rounded fuselage and different engine nacelles housing the larger geared Lycomings; also lacks the intake configurations of the Chieftain.

Specifications

The Piper PA-31P Pressurized Navajo has a length of 9.94 m (33 ft).
It has a wingspan of 12.4 m (41 ft).
Its maximum speed is 417 km/h (259 mph).
Typical crew: 1.

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

History

Introduced in 1970, the Pressurized Navajo used the same airframe as the standard Navajo but added a pressure vessel fuselage and turbocharged geared Lycoming engines for operation at altitudes where cabin pressurization is needed.

Variants

The PA-31P was a distinct line from the unpressurized PA-31; Chincul in Argentina assembled licensed variants for the South American market.

Where you'll see it

Operated worldwide by charter and air taxi companies requiring pressurized piston twin capability; particularly valued in regions with high terrain.

Related aircraft

AircraftIQ — the aircraft field guide: 5,024 recognition guides, live overhead identification, works offline.