The Practical Endurance of the Piper Cherokee Six

FLYING investigates what it's like to own, maintain, and fly the original Cherokee Six.

Jason McDowell

Friday, December 24, 2021 at 08:23 AM ET

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The Cherokee Six was designed with simplicity and utility in mind. Credit: Jason McDowell

Key Takeaways:

The Piper PA-32 Cherokee Six, introduced in 1965, was designed for maximum utility, offering 6-7 seats and extensive cargo capacity with fixed-gear simplicity, making it an economical choice for transporting large loads.
Powered by reliable Lycoming 260hp or 300hp O-540 engines, it offers robust performance, though flight characteristics and fuel burn vary significantly when heavily loaded, requiring pilot awareness.
Owners value its straightforward maintenance, widespread parts availability, and relatively lower operating costs compared to light twins or retractable-gear aircraft, despite specific considerations for insurance and BasicMed due to its seating capacity.

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When Piper introduced its popular four-place PA-28 Cherokee in 1960, it didn’t take long for the company to realize that a significant number of customers (and potential customers) had a need for more space and more load-carrying capability. By 1963, Cessna had responded to that market segment by introducing its six-place 205, and Piper followed suit in 1965 by introducing the PA-32 Cherokee Six.

The Cherokee Six was designed with simplicity and utility in mind. While it later evolved into the Saratoga, Lance and “Six”—all with various blends of retractable gear, turbocharged engines, T-tails and tapered wings—we’re focusing on the original version, built from 1965 to 1979.