Piper PA-38-112 Tomahawk

Piper · United States · first flew 1977 · light aircraft

The Piper PA-38-112 Tomahawk is a two-seat primary trainer designed specifically for flight-school economics, featuring a T-tail and a symmetrical wing aerofoil intended to teach honest stall recovery.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Low-mounted, tapered
E — Engines	1 × piston, nose-mounted
F — Fuselage	7.06 m fuselage
T — Tail	T-tail

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

Spot it by:

T-tail two-seat trainer with side-by-side seating
large symmetrical NACA aerofoil giving honest stall behaviour
high-visibility bubble canopy with wraparound windows

The T-tail immediately distinguishes the Tomahawk from rival two-seaters; the large greenhouse canopy and low-wing layout with a single nose-mounted engine complete the silhouette.

Specifications

The Piper PA-38-112 Tomahawk has a length of 7.06 m (23 ft).
It has a wingspan of 10.36 m (34 ft).
Its maximum speed is 201 km/h (125 mph).
Typical crew: 2.

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

History

Designed in response to the dominance of the Cessna 150/152, Piper introduced the Tomahawk in 1977 following extensive input from flight instructors. Production ran to 2,497 aircraft by 1982, when it was discontinued as market demand fell.

Variants

Only one substantive variant was produced; the PA-38-112 designation remained unchanged throughout the production run, though minor avionics and interior updates were made annually.

Where you'll see it

Adopted by numerous flight schools in the United States and abroad as a primary trainer, the Tomahawk developed a mixed reputation — praised for its training fidelity but criticised for some handling characteristics near the stall.

Related aircraft

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