Four-seat Jet A diesel training aircraft · Single-engine piston aircraft · production 2014–present · See its reach on the 3D globe
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A Piper Archer DX costs approximately $556k (€515k) to $665k (€616k) to buy at 2025 market values, and about $37k (€34k) a year to own flying 80 hours, roughly $459 (€425) per flight hour all-in. It seats 4, cruises at 123 kt (142 mph) and has a published range of 845 nm (1,565 km), needing about 1,640 ft (500 m) of runway. Figures are indicative planning estimates compiled 2026-07, not a quote for any specific airframe.
The Archer DX is the PA-28 with a Continental CD-155 turbodiesel in the nose, burning Jet A at roughly half the volume of the avgas Archer, which is why flight schools outside North America keep ordering it. Where avgas is expensive, taxed or simply hard to get, the fuel bill alone can justify the aeroplane. The engine is the whole risk and the whole reward. This powerplant family descends from Thielert and passed through bankruptcy to Continental, and it is maintained on a scheduled replacement regime, including the gearbox, rather than run to a traditional overhaul, so the cost profile is calendar and hour driven in a way an owner must plan for. Buy it where Jet A economics are decisive and a supporting dealer is close.
First-party reference values for this model. They are shown separately from PlaneFit planning estimates and do not enter Finder or cross-model rankings until each field is normalised across the catalogue.
| Maximum takeoff weight | 1,157 kg |
|---|---|
| Useful load | 360 kg |
| Usable fuel | 182 L |
| Landing distance | 427 m |
| Service ceiling | 16,100 ft |
| Engine | Continental CD-155, 155 hp |
Indicative planning data, compiled 2026-07. Verify against the AFM and records.
| Seats | 4 |
| Realistic payload with mission fuel | 745 lb (338 kg) |
| Published planning range | 845 nm (1,565 km) |
| Practical planning radius (4 people) | 566 nm (1,048 km) |
| Cruise speed | 123 kt (142 mph) |
| Runway need | ~1,640 ft (500 m) |
| Landing gear | Fixed tricycle |
| Pressurised | No |
| Fuel | Jet A-1 |
| Fixed annual base | $24k (€22k) |
| Direct cost per flight hour | $162 (€150) |
Excellent fuel efficiency and training simplicity, but the diesel installation reduces speed and useful-load flexibility.
Indicative cash costs at 2025 market values, before financing, depreciation and tax. The fixed base is the same whether the aircraft flies or not, so the effective hourly cost falls as utilisation rises.
| Annual use | Annual cash cost | Effective cost / h | Five-year cash outlay |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40 h / year | $30k (€28k) | $756 (€700) | $756k (€700k) |
| 80 h / year | $37k (€34k) | $459 (€425) | $788k (€730k) |
| 120 h / year | $43k (€40k) | $360 (€333) | $821k (€760k) |
| 180 h / year | $53k (€49k) | $294 (€272) | $869k (€805k) |
Every figure above is built from a $24k (€22k) fixed annual base, covering hangarage, insurance, scheduled maintenance reserves and recurring airworthiness costs, plus $162 (€150) per hour flown for fuel, reserves and consumables. It is a planning model for comparing aircraft and testing utilisation, not a maintenance programme quote, insurance quote or pre-buy assessment.
Older examples add calendar-driven maintenance: a 2011-built airframe is estimated at $43k (€40k) per year at 80 hours. Airframe and engine time, maintenance and damage history, avionics, equipment, geography and tax treatment move a real transaction further than the model year does, so price the aircraft in front of you, not the model. A cheaper example carrying deferred maintenance can be the more expensive aircraft once the first annual inspection is complete.
Piper Archer DX cost guide answers the same figures as standalone purchase and ownership questions, and the ownership cost calculator lets you replace these assumptions with your own hours and fixed costs.
Nothing beyond a pilot certificate for the category and class. With fixed tricycle gear and no endorsement requirement of its own, this is among the simplest certified aircraft to qualify in, which is a real part of why it is cheap to insure and easy to check out in.
US requirements under 14 CFR 61.31, stated for orientation and not as advice. PlaneFit is not an aviation authority or a training organisation. Other authorities set different rules, and the current regulation and your instructor are what govern.
An indicative 2025 market price for a Piper Archer DX is $556k (€515k) to $665k (€616k). This is a planning estimate normalised across the market, not a quote for a specific airframe. Condition, engine time remaining, avionics and damage history move the real number more than the model year does.
Flying 80 hours a year, a Piper Archer DX works out at roughly $37k (€34k) annually, which is about $459 (€425) per flight hour all-in once fixed costs are spread across those hours. The direct cost per hour alone, covering fuel, reserves and consumables, is about $162 (€150).
Published range is 845 nm (1,565 km). With 4 people aboard and realistic reserves, plan on a practical radius of about 566 nm rather than the brochure figure.
Plan on approximately 1,640 ft (500 m) for take-off. Check this against the actual runway, surface, slope, temperature and loading, all of which extend the requirement.