Aircraft overview

The Piper PA-28 Archer is the 180 hp, fixed-gear, four-seat member of Piper’s PA-28 Cherokee family. The broader PA-28 line first flew in 1960, while the Archer name appeared in the 1970s and evolved into the PA-28-181 Archer II, Archer III, and current Archer LX/TX models. It is a low-wing, all-metal piston single used for private ownership, touring, instrument training, and flight schools. Its importance comes from a simple airframe, predictable handling, wide parts support, and a large global fleet, making it a benchmark aircraft for buyers comparing practical used singles.

Performance & specifications

Most Piper PA-28 Archer aircraft are powered by a 180 hp Lycoming O-360 four-cylinder engine driving a fixed-pitch propeller. Typical cruise performance is about 120-128 knots, depending on model year, rigging, propeller, weight, and power setting. Usable range is commonly around 500 nautical miles with reserves, and useful load often falls in the 850-1,000 lb range depending on equipment and empty weight. Service ceiling is generally in the 13,000-14,000 ft class. The aircraft is not designed for high-altitude speed; its strengths are economy, stability, and straightforward operating costs.

Cabin & avionics

The Archer has seating for four, a single right-side cabin door, and a baggage area aft of the rear seats. Cabin width and rear-seat access are modest by modern standards, but the layout is familiar and functional for two adults with baggage or short trips with four occupants. Older aircraft may have analog flight instruments, legacy BendixKing or Garmin radios, and later retrofit GPS units such as the Garmin GNS or GTN series. Newer Archer LX and TX aircraft are typically equipped with Garmin G1000 NXi integrated avionics. Garmin Perspective is associated with other aircraft types, not the standard Piper PA-28 Archer installation.

Buying & value

Used-market value depends heavily on airframe time, training history, engine and propeller time, paint and interior condition, and avionics modernization. Buyers should review complete logs, damage history, corrosion status, fuel tank condition, compliance with PA-28 wing-spar inspection requirements where applicable, and the quality of any panel upgrades. Key variants include early Cherokee Archer models, the PA-28-181 Archer II and Archer III, and later LX/TX versions; some markets also include diesel Archer DX aircraft. PlaneFox listing data currently shows an average asking price around EUR 165,000, with examples ranging from about EUR 51,000 to EUR 431,000, reflecting the gap between older basic trainers and recent glass-panel aircraft.