Avweb has a video up on the “new” piper. As a trainer the Cherokee line is bulletproof with the lyc 0320 being its best asset. Continental quality being what it is I think the move to one of their engine is a mistake but then again the new engine looks like a lyc clone to me. The price point, though still crazy, is not bad considering the overall market. The observer seat thing is useless imo.

This thing in a 4 seat version would be a nice starter aircraft in the owner flown market.

The 3rd observer seat is great for training. You learn a lot by watching someone else make mistakes. P100 looks like a great trainer for 100k less than a 172.

I don't think anyone would disagree that students can learn a lot from watching someone else, but why a single seat in the back instead of a bench? The right rear seat in a 4 seater is perfectly positioned to watch the pilot's instrument panel and would seem better suited than a single seat mounted on the centerline.

So that people who want a 4 seater still pay $400K

Not really... it's hard to see anything from the right rear seat of an archer or 172. You want the observer seat to be positioned in the center, and slightly elevated to get a full view of the panel and outside and then it's like the observer position becomes a 3rd position in the cockpit rather than a backseat passenger.

The art of doing new with old….

Imagine if your 1976 car would suddenly get an Ipad in the dashboard.

I was hoping for more.

rgs.

Patrick

...well, they could have at least polished the spinner!!!!!

Does reducing the number of seats reduce the insurance premium? I vaguely recall reading that once and it somewhat makes sense because there's less liability with only 2 vs. 4 people in the airplane.

Didn't Mooney try this a few years ago with a clean sheet design? I think they folded up the M10 program a year or two ago. Is this Piper considerably cheaper and that's why they can make it work?

Adam, I have lots of hours as a scanner with CAP in the back seats of 172s and 182s. Perfect view of the whole six pack from the right rear, and you can see the center radio stack without having to lean too far.

Pipers aren’t much different.



Not really... it's hard to see anything from the right rear seat of an archer or 172. You want the observer seat to be positioned in the center, and slightly elevated to get a full view of the panel and outside and then it's like the observer position becomes a 3rd position in the cockpit rather than a backseat passenger.

Yes it does but the liability premium is usually less than 25 percent of the total premium so the premium impact to have reduced seating isn't significant. The hull insurance is where the bulk of the claims occur and also the component which sees the largest chunk of the annual premium.