Piper PA-31T Cheyenne
Piper Aircraft · United States · first flew 1969 · light aircraft
The Piper PA-31T Cheyenne is a twin-turboprop pressurised business aircraft based on the PA-31 Navajo airframe, offering turbine performance and pressurisation in a mid-size cabin at a competitive price. It was Piper's primary competitor to the Beechcraft King Air.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × turboprop, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 10.57 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Turboprop conversion of the Navajo airframe with pressurised cabin
- Low wing with PT6A engines in slim nacelles
- Cheyenne I, II, IIXL, III, and 400 variants cover a wide range
Similar in overall shape to the Navajo but with turboprop engines and a cleaner cowling line. The Cheyenne III is distinct with its T-tail. Standard Cheyenne models have a conventional tail and PT6 engines with four-blade propellers.
Specifications
- The Piper PA-31T Cheyenne has a length of 10.57 m (35 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 13.01 m (43 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 528 km/h (328 mph).
- Typical crew: 1-2 pilots + up to 6 passengers.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Piper developed the Cheyenne by re-engining the successful PA-31 Navajo with Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A turboprops and adding pressurisation. The prototype flew in 1969 and the Cheyenne I entered production in 1974. A family of variants followed with increasing power and fuselage length, culminating in the Cheyenne III with a T-tail and the Cheyenne 400 (PA-42) with Garrett engines.
Variants
Cheyenne I (PA-31T, base model), Cheyenne II (upgraded), Cheyenne IIXL (stretched), Cheyenne III (T-tail, stretched, PA-42), Cheyenne 400 (Garrett engines, PA-42-1000).
Where you'll see it
Operated by private owners, corporate flight departments, and charter operators throughout the Americas, Europe, and Australasia; popular for its combination of turboprop efficiency and Piper handling.
Related aircraft
- Piper PA-31P Pressurized Navajo
- Piper PA-35 Pocono
- Piper Aerostar 600
- Piper PA-28R Arrow
- Beechcraft Baron 58
- Bulldog
- CAP 20
- Cessna 401B Businessliner
AircraftIQ — the aircraft field guide: 5,024 recognition guides, live overhead identification, works offline.