Ten-seat commercial and utility piston twin · Twin-engine piston aircraft · production 1973–1984 · See its reach on the 3D globe
.jpg)
A Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain costs approximately $447k (€414k) to $535k (€495k) to buy at 1980 market values, and about $238k (€220k) a year to own flying 80 hours, roughly $2,970 (€2,750) per flight hour all-in. It seats 10, cruises at 190 kt (219 mph) and has a published range of 885 nm (1,639 km), needing about 2,559 ft (780 m) of runway. Figures are indicative planning estimates compiled 2026-07, not a quote for any specific airframe.
The Chieftain is the stretched Navajo with 350 horsepower a side and counter-rotating propellers, and for forty years it has been the piston twin of choice for scheduled commuter routes, parcel runs and para operations, seating up to ten. Nothing else moves that many people that cheaply on a piston licence. The costs are commercial, not private. It burns in the region of forty gallons an hour, the two big turbocharged Lycomings need overhaul reserve funded from the first flight, and the fleet has been worked hard enough that a pre-buy on a Chieftain is a serious undertaking rather than a formality. Buy it with a paying mission behind it, and never as a large private 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 | 3,175 kg |
|---|---|
| Maximum operating altitude | 24,000 ft |
| Baggage weight | 318 kg |
| Engine | Lycoming TIO-540-J2BD and LTIO-540-J2BD, 350 hp each |
Indicative planning data, compiled 2026-07. Verify against the AFM and records.
| Seats | 10 |
| Reported payload proxy | 1,592 lb (722 kg) |
| Reported range | 885 nm (1,639 km) |
| Practical planning radius (4 people) | Not used for mission ranking |
| Cruise speed | 190 kt (219 mph) |
| Runway need | ~2,559 ft (780 m) |
| Landing gear | Retractable tricycle |
| Pressurised | No |
| Fuel | Avgas 100LL |
| Fixed annual base | $86k (€80k) |
| Direct cost per flight hour | $821 (€760) |
A large and productive cabin, but commercial-use fatigue, two turbocharged engines and high fuel burn require professional oversight.
Indicative cash costs at 1980 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 | $205k (€190k) | $5,119 (€4,740) | $1.51m (€1.4m) |
| 80 h / year | $238k (€220k) | $2,970 (€2,750) | $1.67m (€1.55m) |
| 120 h / year | $270k (€250k) | $2,254 (€2,087) | $1.84m (€1.7m) |
| 180 h / year | $320k (€296k) | $1,776 (€1,644) | $2.08m (€1.93m) |
Every figure above is built from a $86k (€80k) fixed annual base, covering hangarage, insurance, scheduled maintenance reserves and recurring airworthiness costs, plus $821 (€760) 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 $164k (€152k) 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-31-350 Navajo Chieftain 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 1980 market price for a Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain is $447k (€414k) to $535k (€495k). 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-31-350 Navajo Chieftain works out at roughly $238k (€220k) annually, which is about $2,970 (€2,750) 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 $821 (€760).
Reported range is 885 nm (1,639 km). PlaneFit does not yet use this figure for mission ranking on this model.
Beyond a pilot certificate, a Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain requires multi-engine rating and complex airplane endorsement. An airplane multi-engine land class rating. Insurers add their own minimum: multi-engine time, time in this make and model, and often a checkout with a named instructor before you fly it solo. These are US requirements and are stated for orientation; confirm them against the current regulation and an instructor.
Plan on approximately 2,559 ft (780 m) for take-off. Check this against the actual runway, surface, slope, temperature and loading, all of which extend the requirement.