I have a share in a PA28-140 Cherokee. The aircraft will be 50 years old in July of this year, having been first registered in July 1967. I wonder if the original design team foresaw their product still soldiering on as a basic trainer / tourer after 50 years? I suspect they thought of a design life of 20, perhaps 30 years at most. Perhaps particularly so in the affluent 50s and 60s in the USA.
I’m curious to know about the aircraft’s genesis here in the UK, so a few questions for the knowledgeable folks on this forum.
Am I correct in believing that aircraft were imported from the USA in a partially dismantled state and then reassembled in the UK by Vigors Aviation Ltd. (later known as CSE) at Oxford? Were any flown from the USA for customers in the UK?
Were the aircraft for the UK built at Vero Beach, test flown and then dismantled before being shipped to the UK. How dismantled were they? Were they packed in individual crates or as pairs in what we now refer to as containers? Wiki says that by the end of the 1960s, 7,000 PA28s were being assembled per annum.
Once reassembled, what sort of inspection was carried out and by whom? Was there also an air test by an ARB approved test pilot before being sold?
Am I correct in understanding that the ARB / CAA disputed some of Piper’s performance claims? Our aircraft’s POH has some spin recovery procedures specifically issued by the CAA
Any other information / stories on the early days of the Piper Cherokee range here in the UK would be interesting.
Last, a friend found this advert from the early 1960s.
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By: jimwomble - 20th May 2017 at 01:55
I know that Piper was loosing out to Cessna in the low cost 4 seater market in the late 50’s so they commissioned Fred Weick (father of the Ercoupe) and Jim Thorp(home-built designer) to design a low cost, easy to build all metal replacement for the antiquated, fabric covered Tri_Pacer. It was built in a new plant in Florida to escape union labor cost. Actually easier to fly than a Cessna 172(especially in high winds) they are still built today as the Archer. Next year if the creek does not rise plan on buying a PA28-140 of the 60’s vintage which can be bought in the states for about $20,000.
By: Barrie MacLeod - 19th May 2017 at 02:05
I was an air controller in Gander and they were already flying Cherokees across the Atlantic when I got there in February 1968.
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I took this crummy photo in Gander on 28 April 1974 at 7pm just to remember one night’s traffic.
They all will be heading out over the Atlantic in the morning.
Three RAF C-130s, a Saudi C-130, the local Nordair ice patrol Electra, two Senecas, an Arrow and two Cherokees going to France. The little guys were probably going via the Azores.
By: Chris Royle - 18th May 2017 at 22:01
Many thanks to all who have responded, especially Planemike for that link. And yes, who can forget Goldfinger? Didn’t Piper take maximum advantage of their appearance by painting Piper in large letters on the aircraft?
I’ll take a look at the Vintage Piper Club site. Thanks.
An enduring design. (Let’s not forget that John Thorp was also involved with the design)
Any more anecdotes / information chaps?
Chris
By: Auster Fan - 15th May 2017 at 20:22
If you’re not already, ever thought about joining the Vintage Piper Aircraft Club? Quite a few experts in there (and yes, even as an Auster fan I am a member as I fly a PA-22 Colt)….
By: J Boyle - 15th May 2017 at 16:35
Anon…
I’m sure Cessna and Beech fans might question your statement calling the Cherokee the “first modern” light aircraft. Even at Piper the Cherokee was preceded by the all metal retractable gear Comanche.
Technically and construction-wise the Cherokees aren’t much different than the Cessnas (180-182, 170-172) introduced in the 50s.
And if we want to consider bestowing the title of first modern post war light aircraft, the Beech Bonanza…which also remains in production likely deserves that title, although it is in a different class and price segment than the Pipers and Cessnas.
What was special about the “golden age” of American general aviation in the 50s-70s, was the sheer choice available. Cessna, Beech and Piper all offered complete lines (everything from basic trainers to pressurized executive twins and later, jets) and many large fields had dealers offering all three, for awhile the flying public had choices almost akin to auto buyers. Indeed in 1969-70 Piper Piper and the automaker Dodge had joint ads that ran in aviation magazines highlighting similarities between the Cherokee 235 (named “Charger” for a few years) and the Dogde Charger (many of you will know it the car the bad guys drove in the chase scene in “Bullit”).
And aside from the mass market builders, there were smaller firms offering 1-2 types like Mooney, Aero Commander, Helio as well as offerings from France, Italy, Japan and the UK.
By: Arabella-Cox - 15th May 2017 at 15:07
The Piper and Cessna light types will I am sure, in 50-plus years time, be viewed as post-WW2 icons; the first modern (and still modern-looking) light aircraft bringing style and affordability to the aviation-minded citizens of the time.
When I was training at Oxford/Kidlington around 20 years ago, me being me, I used to have a sneaky look around the dump from time to time. I came across various dumped plaques or shields awarded by Piper to CSE for their outstanding sales of their aircraft in the UK way back then. I still have them somewhere.
Anon.
By: Arabella-Cox - 15th May 2017 at 12:46
I do like the old slab-winged Cherokees, always look so much better than the later taper-winged models. Particularly in an original scheme.
By: JollyGreenSlugg - 15th May 2017 at 08:33
Still being built in 2017, not bad for a design going back to 1960. Almost Herculean!
By: ericmunk - 15th May 2017 at 06:28
Fred Weick.
Also of Pawnee and Ercoupe fame. Quite a legacy he left.
By: J Boyle - 15th May 2017 at 00:56
Cherokees predate your example by several years…remember Pussy Galore’s Cherokees in Goldfinger?
Quite a step up from the tube and fabric short-wing Pacers, andTri-Pacers and Colts. A real groundbreaking design by Fred Weick.
By: Arabella-Cox - 14th May 2017 at 21:54
Chris, Take a look at this this thread, contains a fairly lengthy section on early British registered Cherokees………………..http://derbosoft.proboards.com/thread/3567/departing-residents?page=5
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May 14, 2017 at 8:22 pm