Four-seat retractable-gear complex trainer and tourer · Single-engine piston aircraft · production 1977–2009 · See its reach on the 3D globe
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A Piper PA-28R-201 Arrow III costs approximately $209k (€193k) to $249k (€231k) to buy at 2005 market values, and about $48k (€45k) a year to own flying 80 hours, roughly $606 (€561) per flight hour all-in. It seats 4, cruises at 137 kt (158 mph) and has a published range of 880 nm (1,630 km), needing about 1,598 ft (487 m) of runway. Figures are indicative planning estimates compiled 2026-07, not a quote for any specific airframe.
The Arrow is how most commercial pilots get their complex time, and the III brought the semi-tapered wing and the longest legs in the family. That training demand is the entire market: schools need retractable gear on an airframe everyone already knows, and this is the cheapest way to have it. It also means the fleet is worked hard. Gear cycles run into the thousands, the automatic extension system many owners have disabled by STC is a maintenance item either way, and the PA-28 spar inspection reaches trainers first. Buy the gear and spar records, then the aeroplane.
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 | 1,247 kg |
|---|---|
| Baggage weight | 91 kg |
| Engine | Lycoming IO-360-C1C6 piston engine, 200 hp |
Indicative planning data, compiled 2026-07. Verify against the AFM and records.
| Seats | 4 |
| Reported payload proxy | 712 lb (323 kg) |
| Reported range | 880 nm (1,630 km) |
| Practical planning radius (4 people) | Not used for mission ranking |
| Cruise speed | 137 kt (158 mph) |
| Runway need | ~1,598 ft (487 m) |
| Landing gear | Retractable tricycle |
| Pressurised | No |
| Fuel | Avgas 100LL |
| Fixed annual base | $19k (€18k) |
| Direct cost per flight hour | $200 (€185) |
A useful complex trainer with familiar Piper handling, but speed gains are modest relative to gear and maintenance complexity.
Indicative cash costs at 2005 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 | $41k (€38k) | $1,013 (€938) | $429k (€398k) |
| 80 h / year | $48k (€45k) | $606 (€561) | $469k (€435k) |
| 120 h / year | $56k (€52k) | $471 (€436) | $509k (€472k) |
| 180 h / year | $68k (€63k) | $380 (€352) | $569k (€527k) |
Every figure above is built from a $19k (€18k) fixed annual base, covering hangarage, insurance, scheduled maintenance reserves and recurring airworthiness costs, plus $200 (€185) 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 $41k (€38k) 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 PA-28R-201 Arrow III 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.
On top of a pilot certificate, this aircraft obliges the person flying it to hold the following. Each one is time and money before the first trip, and insurers usually attach their own minimums on top.
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 2005 market price for a Piper PA-28R-201 Arrow III is $209k (€193k) to $249k (€231k). 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 PA-28R-201 Arrow III works out at roughly $48k (€45k) annually, which is about $606 (€561) 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 $200 (€185).
Reported range is 880 nm (1,630 km). PlaneFit does not yet use this figure for mission ranking on this model.
Beyond a pilot certificate, a Piper PA-28R-201 Arrow III requires complex airplane endorsement. Retractable gear puts this aircraft in the complex class of 14 CFR 61.31(e), alongside flaps and a controllable-pitch propeller, which retractable types carry as a matter of course. It is a one-time instructor endorsement in your logbook, but the insurance condition behind it is the part that costs money: underwriters usually want a stated number of hours in retractable-gear aircraft before they will write the risk at standard rates. These are US requirements and are stated for orientation; confirm them against the current regulation and an instructor.
Plan on approximately 1,598 ft (487 m) for take-off. Check this against the actual runway, surface, slope, temperature and loading, all of which extend the requirement.