Piper Dakota Guide and Specs : All You Need to Know
Introduction Big-engine four-place singles have something
in common; they are reasonable to own, and they offer a nice value for the money.
Cirrus currently dominates this segment, but the 60s ushered in a legend that is still
loved today; the Piper PA-28-235/236 Dakota.
Big-engined singles, exemplified in this segment include the Cessna 182, 185 and the Maule.
The 185 and the Mule are more in the line of working bush-planes, however.
The 182 and the Piper entry are more mainstream in their design.
The 182 has been, by any measure, a success.
It features a good combination of utility, roominess and performance.
The Piper entry, however, never quite matched the 182 in terms of popularity.
Nevertheless, it has a lot going for it: decent performance, simplicity, and common, proven
components.
If your needs include a big dose of horsepower coupled to a simple airframe, the biggest
Cherokee is certainly a valid candidate.
Design Overview Introduced in 1979, the Piper PA-28-236, popularly
known as the Piper Cherokee Dakota, is one of the many variants of the Piper Cherokee
and a direct successor to the Piper Cherokee Pathfinder, which was produced from 1974 to
1977.
The Dakota was essentially the same as the Pathfinder, with one major change: it was
given a tapered wing.
Like most of the variants in the Cherokee line, the Piper Dakota is a single-engine,
piston-powered, all-metal aircraft with low-mounted wings and fixed tricycle landing gear.
The aircraft can seat four people in total: one crew and three passengers.
Access to the aircraft is via a single right-hand side door.
The Dakota shared nearly all of its components with the Pathfinder, which included the 235-hp
Lycoming O-540-J3A5D.
A tapered wing has many benefits over a traditional rectangular wing because its design results
in an increase in lift and a reduction in drag.
The inclusion of a tapered wing in the design of the Piper Dakota meant that it outperformed
its predecessor in many aspects.
The first and biggest advantage the Dakota has over the Pathfinder is the increase in
overall speed.
Both aircraft weigh the same and have the same engine, which produces the same amount
of power.
The Pathfinder has a top speed of 140 knots and a cruise speed of 126 knots.
In contrast, the Dakota has a top speed of 8 knots faster and a cruise speed of 17 knots
faster.
Another benefit the Dakota has over the Pathfinder, thanks to its tapered wings, is the larger
wing tanks, which have a major impact on the range.
Smaller improvements from the design were an increased rate of climb and a reduced ground
roll.
Exterior The last Piper Dakota rolled off the line
in 1994, and over its 12-year production run, there weren’t any significant changes made
to the setup of the Dakota.
There were minor changes made to the aircraft’s paint, avionics, and interior to keep it updated,
but that was the extent of it.
Piper stretched and enlarged the frame of the standard Piper Cherokee to give the Dakota
a larger footprint.
The Dakota was made 5 in (12.7 cm) longer, a larger horizontal tail for more rudder authority,
Interior Piper’s habit of modifying the Cherokee
to meet different requirements means the design of the Dakota isn’t anything to write home
about.
A benefit to this is that all Cherokees have the same basic principles, and owners can
expect different models to behave similarly in nearly all aspects.
The larger fuselage of the Dakota translates to a more spacious cabin.
The extra space has allowed Piper to install four fully adjustable seats that are known
to be comfortable which makes long journeys in the Dakota easy.
These seats were also built with safety in mind.
In the event of a crash, the specially designed seat frame deforms on impact, absorbing energy
and protecting the passenger.
Performance Powered by a derated 235-hp Lycoming O-540
engine, you’ll never find yourself wanting power in the Piper Dakota.
Increasing the throttle produces a very palpable response from the aircraft, even when it’s
fully loaded.
Climb performance was also increased thanks to the new wing.
For example, the Pathfinder can only climb at the rate of 800-feet-per-minute, but the
Dakota has a climb rate of 1,110 fpm which is a 38 percent increase.
The landing ground roll also decreased significantly, from 1,040-ft on the Pathfinder to 825-ft
on the Dakota.
At 75% power the Dakota will blister along at 144-knots burning 13.5-gph, but if you
throttle back to 65%, you will see 138-knots at 11.8-gph.
Fuel capacity is quite reasonable, the Dakota can carry
a 77-gal fuel tanks, which allows the Dakota to fly 710-nautical-miles nonstop with 45-minute
reserve.
Handling
The Dakota behaves like any other Cherokee model.
However, the tapered wing makes it more responsive and requires less force to operate than older
models.
Many owners love the way the Dakota handles and say it’s a dream to fly.
The Piper PA-28’s have a nose gear that doesn’t self-center and is linked to the
rudder pedals full-time.
This is a feature that is present in the Dakota as well.
This poses an issue in flight, as anytime rudder is applied, the nose-wheel is also
deflected.
The addition of fairings only serves to exacerbate the effect.
The larger issue with this characteristic is the chance of the nose-wheel being unknowingly
deflected during a landing, which is an obvious hazard.
Seasoned Cherokee pilots are well-aware of the issue, but beginners should have it in
mind until it can be corrected subconsciously.
The center of gravity of the Dakota tends to be towards the front because of the heavy
engine and propeller combination.
While a forward CG ensures stalls are easy to get out of, take-offs require more back-pressure.
Landings are an entirely different story; finesse and fine control are required to prevent
nose-wheel landings because the Dakota tends to under flare.
Why should you buy one?
Piper Cherokees are known for being reliable machines, and the Dakota doesn’t step out
of line, which is great news for anyone looking to fly one.
Pick a part, any part, on the Dakota, and you’ll have no issues finding a replacement.
The sheer number of Piper Cherokees on the market means that you’ll be able to find
whatever you need with relative ease.
Servicing a Dakota is also cheap, because nearly every aircraft maintenance technician
has dealt with multiple Cherokees, and it doesn’t require specialization to work on.
The Lycoming O-540 engine that powers the Piper Dakota is a very popular one and is
used in many different single-engine aircraft, making parts easy to find, and aircraft maintenance
technicians with O-540 experience are plentiful.
And the best thing about the IO-540 in the Dakota is that it is derated, which means
low wear and tear.
Piper Dakota Common Problems Despite that the Dakota is a reliable aircraft,
it is not without its faults.
The brakes system on the Dakota is problematic.
Pilots often complain that there isn’t enough braking authority and that the pedal feels
too light.
Heavy-duty brakes can be fitted using an aftermarket kit unless the aircraft in question has been
fitted with them from the factory.
However, once heavy-duty brakes are fitted, it becomes much easier to flat-spot the tires
by adding too much force.
Piper Dakota Price The Dakota is the go-to model for anyone looking
for a bigger Cherokee.
Capable, comfortable, and easy to fly (mostly), prices for the Dakota have been increasing
over the last few years.
Currently, 1979 models are valued at $150,000.
Demand for Dakotas has increased, causing prices to rise by 40 percent.
If you’re worried about whether the Piper Dakota has good resale value, don’t be.
The Dakota is a favorite in the Cherokee lineup, and the combination of performance and utility
ensures that the demand for Piper Dakotas will only increase.
The current price trend for the Dakota is an increasing one, so it will hold its value
for years to come.
Competitors and Similar Aircraft The main competitor for the Piper Dakota is
the Cessna 182 Skylane.
Why?
Because the Dakota was built for the sole purpose of competing against the C182.
While it was in production, the Dakota successfully attracted customers who would’ve otherwise
bought a Skylane because many preferred its low-wing design over the Skylanes high-wing.
The Dakota beats out the Skylane in a few categories, such as maximum cruise speed,
payload, and total horsepower.
But why is the Skylane still in production while the Dakota isn’t?
The answer is simple: Piper expected it to perform better, but it didn’t, through no
fault of its own.
The C182 was simply too established and had better specifications.
The Grumman Tiger AA5B is also another great option, it is cheaper, but it’s not as powerful,
and it doesn’t fly as fast.
The manufacturing history of the AA-5 series is a colorful one.
The lineage began with Jim Bede’s homebuilt BD-1, which first flew in 1963.
Bede designed the two-place BD-1 with an emphasis on speed and economy, and when it was purchased
by American Aviation and developed into the AA-1 series, these qualities were carried
over.
In 1971, when American Aviation became Grumman American, the company identified a need for
a four-seat aircraft.
It introduced an enlarged version of the AA-1, equipped it with a 150 hp Lycoming O-320,
and called it the AA-5 Traveler.
The airplane received minor aerodynamic improvements for the 1975 model year, which was its last
year of production.
In 1976, the AA-5 Traveler was replaced with the AA-5A Cheetah.
With the assistance of aircraft designer Roy LoPresti, the airframe was cleaned up to reduce
drag, the horizontal stabilizer was enlarged to increase elevator authority and expand
the CG range, and fuel capacity went from 37 to 52 gallons.
Topping the range is the AA-5B Tiger, which entered production as a 1975 model and differed
from the Cheetah primarily by being equipped with the more powerful 180 hp Lycoming O-360.
A number of these became known as Gulfstream Americans when Gulfstream bought the Grumman
line and sold them through 1979.
The best thing about this plane is the crisp, responsive handling and excellent visibility.
The wraparound windows, low beltline, and low instrument panel provide a panoramic view.
Additionally, the airplane can be flown with a partially open canopy, which improves the
experience even further.
AA5 prices can vary widely, but the majority fall in the $75,000 to $100,000 range.
Predictably, more powerful, lower-time engines and modernized avionics are the primary drivers
behind higher prices.