www.piper.com

Piper Aircraft, Inc., is a manufacturer of general aviation aircraft, located at the Vero Beach Municipal Airport in Vero Beach, Florida.

Between its founding in 1927 and the end of 2009 the company has produced 144,000 aircraft in 160 certified models, of which 90,000 are still flying.

Contents

1 History

1.1 2008/09 economic crisis

2 Aircraft

2.1 Current projects

3 List of Piper aircraft

4 See also

5 References

6 External links

//

History

Piper Aircraft Company factory in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, with the Piper Cub logo superimposed at the top.

Piper Super Cub

Piper PA-28-161 Warrior II

Piper PA-32-RT-300T Turbo Lance II

Piper PA-44-180 Seminole

Originally founded as the Taylor Brothers Aircraft Manufacturing Company in September 1927 by Clarence Gilbert Taylor and Gordon A. Taylor in Rochester, New York. The company was renamed Taylor Brothers Aircraft Corporation in April 1928, shortly before Gordon Taylor died in a plane crash on April 24, 1928. The company was enticed to move to Bradford, Pennsylvania with the promise of larger facility and investment capital from local businessmen, including an initial investment of $ 400 from local oilman William T. Piper. The move was completed in September, 1929.[citation needed]

In late 1930 the company filed for bankruptcy and William T. Piper purchased the assets of the company for $ 761. Reorganized as the Taylor Aircraft Company, Piper effectively took control of the firm when he assumed the position of corporate secretary-treasurer, although he retained C. G. Taylor in the role of president. Piper, often called the “Henry Ford of Aviation”, firmly believed that a simple-to-operate low-cost private airplane would flourish, even in the darkest depths of the Great Depression.[citation needed]

In December 1935, after a series of clashes, William Piper bought out C. G. Taylor, who left the company and went on to form the Taylorcraft Aircraft Company. On March 16, 1937 a fire destroyed the Bradford factory and Piper relocated to an abandoned silk mill in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania. By November, 1937, all traces of Taylors’ involvement with the company were erased when it was renamed Piper Aircraft Corporation.[citation needed]

Piper continued operations in Lock Haven throughout World War II. In their business planning following the war, it became clear that the Lock Haven facility would not support larger manufacturing efforts, and in 1955, they acquired rights to property at the Vero Beach Municipal Airport. Initially, this location was limited to the design and production of the Piper Cherokee series.[citation needed]

The Lock Haven facility was nearly destroyed in 1972 when torrential rains from Hurricane Agnes caused the great Susquehanna River flood of 1972, flooding the manufacturing plant and destroying airframes, parts, and much of the tooling necessary for production of several designs, including the Aztec, Navajo, and Comanche. The company eleced to abandon production of the Piper PA-24 Comanche and Piper PA-30 Twin Comanche, neither of which were selling particularly well (and were very expensive to produce), move the production of remaining models to Florida, and within 5 years close all operations in Pennsylvania.[citation needed]

Manufacture ceased in the mid 1980’s when increasing insurance premiums made continued operation financially impossible for Piper Aircraft and other American sellers of light aircraft. Upon limitation of liability provided by new legislation in the early 90’s, manufacturing re-commenced in 1995. The firm was re-branded New Piper Aircraft at that time.[citation needed]

On July 2003, American Capital Strategies, Ltd. bought 94% of Piper’s voting equity.[citation needed]

In August 2006 the firm dropped the “New” from its name, reverting to Piper Aircraft. Also in that month, a partnership with Honda was announced to market the new HondaJet.[citation needed]

On 1 May 2009 American Capital Strategies sold the company to Singapore-based investment strategy company Imprimis, making a profit of US$ 31M on the sale. Piper headquarters will remain in Vero Beach, while the company is expected to seek expanded markets in Asia through Imprimis. Imprimis is funded by the Government of Brunei and has offices in Bangkok, Singapore and Brunei Darussalam.

In June 2009 James Bass, CEO of Piper Aircraft since 2005, announced that he would step down effective 26 June 2009. He was succeeded by VP of operations Kevin Gould. During his four years at Piper, Bass oversaw development of the PiperJet, the Meridian G1000 and the Matrix and negotiated a new business partnership with Honda. He also negotiated $ 32 million in incentives from the state and county that retained Piper’s factory in Vero Beach, Florida.

On 2 November 2009 another Piper executive resigned. Company president John Becker announced his resignation effective 1 December 2009 to “to pursue other career opportunities”. Becker was replaced as President by CEO Kevin Gould.

On 4 January 2010 the company announced that Boeing subsidiary Aviall will act as Piper’s sole global parts distributor.

2008/09 economic crisis

In response to the economic situation the company announced in November 2008 that it was reducing its work-week to save money while avoiding lay-offs. Piper is party to an agreement with the state of Florida that will see the company benefit from USD$ 32 million in incentives in exchange for increasing its work force to 1400 people plus building the PiperJet in the state.

In December 2008 the company announced that it will defer the USD$ 10M incentive that would have required it to hire 400 new workers by 2012 for the PiperJet project and retain 1,417 employees through 2015. The company stated that the move was precautionary. Piper spokesman Mark Miller said: “While this year has been a good one for Piper, we have taken measures to keep the company healthy and to weather any future adversity.”

In February 2009 the company announced that it was laying off an additional 300 workers without notice immediately and that the 650 remaining workers would be given unpaid weeks off in April and July to reduce unsold inventory. Piper spokesman Mark Miller stated that company regrets the pain caused by the layoffs and indicated that the employees will be rehired when the economy improves. He also said: “Even the willing buyers that we have find it incredibly difficult to get financing…We can’t keep a full workforce on at this point when people aren’t buying planes…If market conditions continue to deteriorate, it may be necessary for the company to take additional actions.” On 24 February 2009 the company announced that it would add two more weeks of unpaid furlough for its employees in May and June, bringing the total to four weeks in 2009, citing a need to reduce inventory and cut expenses.

Aircraft

Piper produced the Piper J-3 Cub, a two seat, 65 horsepower (48 kW) high-wing, single-engine aircraft. The Cub was the first inexpensive training aircraft produced in large numbers. Many former military examples were sold to civilian owners over the 1950-1995 period and seem certain to see many more years in recreational use. The more powerful Piper PA-18 Super Cub is popular for use as a glider tug.[citation needed]

The PA-28 Cherokee has been one of the company’s most successful products with variants being manufactured almost every other year. Both this design and the twin-engined PA-34 Seneca are used for pilot training around the world. The PA-23 Apache was one of the first aircraft associated with the term “air taxi” although it was superseded in that role by faster and more spacious designs from the competitive Beechcraft Corporation. In recent years, aircraft from SOCATA, and more lately Cirrus Design and Diamond Aircraft Industries, have been strong competitors with the Cherokee and Cessna designs that traditionally dominated flying schools.[citation needed]

Beginning production in 1965, the Piper PA-32 Series provided 6 or 7 seat single-engine designs based on the smaller Cherokee. Variously named the “Cherokee Six”, “Lance” and “Saratoga” these were available with both fixed and retractable gear models and with normally aspirated, fuel injected and turbo-charged engines. The PA-32s proved popular with private owners, air taxi and freight companies. Production of the Saratoga-II HPs and Saratoga TCs ended in 2009.

With the pressurized single-engined PA-46 Malibu, the company offers an aircraft for the lighter-end of the corporate aircraft market.[citation needed]

Current projects

Piper Seneca PA-34

In October 2006, Piper Aircraft announced the first jet (that the company would work all the way from design to production) that they would be developing, a single-engined very light jet (VLJ), known as the PA-47 PiperJet, to compete with the twin-engined Eclipse 500 and Cessna Citation Mustang. The aircraft will carry six (6) passengers, have a single, tail-mounted turbofan, and be capable of cruising at 360 knots (670 km/h), at a maximum altitude of 35,000 ft (11,000 m) Maximum range will be 1300 nm, with a full-fuel payload of 800 lb (360 kg). A selling price of $ 2.199 m (2006 USD) is quoted. An Entry-into-Service date of early 2010 is anticipated. On June 30, 2008 the Piper Jet made its maiden test flight at Vero Beach, Florida.

In September 2007, Piper announced the PA-46R-350T Matrix, an unpressurized, single-engine piston aircraft based on the Mirage. It will seat six and will be sold for a base price of $ 757,000 (2007 USD), to be a third model in the Malibu family, along with the top-end, turboprop-powered Meridian and the Piper Mirage.

On 21 January 2010 the company announced that they have licenced the CZAW SportCruiser and will market it as the PiperSport. Piper CEO Kevin Gould said: “The PiperSport is an amazing entry-level aircraft that will bring new customers into Piper and lead the way for those customers to step up into more sophisticated and higher performance aircraft within our line over time.”

List of Piper aircraft

Summary of aircraft built by Piper Aircraft

Model name

First flight

Number built

Type

J-2 Cub

1936

1207

Single-engined high-wing cabin monoplane

J-3 Cub

1938

19,888

Single-engined high-wing cabin monoplane

J-4 Cub Coupe

1939

1251

Single-engined high-wing cabin monoplane

J-5 Cub Cruiser

1940

1507

Single-engined high-wing cabin monoplane

P-1 Applegate Duck

1940

1

Amphibian

P-2 Cub

1941

1

Single-engined high-wing cabin monoplane

P-3

1939

1

Single-engined high-wing cabin monoplane, also known as J-4RX

P-4 Cub

1941

1

Single-engined high-wing cabin monoplane

P-5

1944

1

Single-engined high-wing cabin monoplane, also known as J-3X

PT-1 Trainer

1942

1

Two-seats in tandem, low-wing monoplane

PWA-1 Skycoupe

1943

1

Two seat low wing twin-boom monoplane, later became PA-7

PWA-8 Cub Cycle

1944

1

Single seat, mid-wing single-engine monoplane

PA-6 Sky Sedan

1945

2

Four seat, low-wing retractable gear monoplane

PA-7 Skycoupe

1944

1

Two seat low wing twin-boom monoplane, was PWA-1,

PA-8 Skycycle

1945

2

Single seat, mid-wing single-engine monoplane

PA-9

1945

None

Single-engined high-wing observation and liaison

PA-10

1946

None

Single-engined low-wing side-by-side two-seater

PA-11 Cub Special

1947

1541

Single-engined high-wing cabin monoplane

PA-12 Super Cruiser

1946

3760

Single-engined high-wing cabin monoplane

PA-13

–

none

Designation not used

PA-14 Family Cruiser

1948

238

Single-engined high-wing cabin monoplane

PA-15 Vagabond

1948

387

Side-by-side two-seat high-wing

PA-16 Clipper

1949

736

Four-seat version of the PA-15

PA-17 Vagabond

1948

214

Dual-control variant of the PA-15

PA-18 Super Cub

1950

10,222

Single-engined high-wing cabin monoplane

PA-19 Super Cub

1949

3

Military variant of the PA-18

PA-20 Pacer

1950

1120

Re-designed PA-16

PA-21

1949

None

Production version of the Bauman Brigadier

PA-22 Tri-Pacer

1951

9490

Updated version of the PA-20 with nose wheel

PA-23 Apache

1954

2047

Twin-engined low-wing cabin monoplane

PA-24 Comanche

1958

4717

Single-engine four-seat low-wing cabin monoplane

PA-24-400 Comanche

1964

148

Re-engined PA-24 development

PA-25 Pawnee

1959

5167

Single-engined agricultural monoplane

PA-26

None

High-powered version of the PA-24

PA-27 Aztec

1960

4929

Improved version of the PA-23, kept PA-23 designation

PA-28 Cherokee

1961

10,896

Single-engined low-wing cabin monoplane

PA-28-140 Cherokee

1964

10,089

Two-seat training variant

PA-28 Warrior

1974

4842

Improved PA-28

PA-28-235 Cherokee/Dakota

1964

2913

Improved PA-28

PA-28R Arrow

1967

6694

Improved PA-28

PA-28R-300 Pillan

1982

2 plus kits for Chile

Two-seat military trainer

PA-29 Papoose

1956

None

Enlarged PA-23

PA-30 Twin Comanche

1963

2001

Twin-engined low wing cabin monoplane

PA-31 Navajo

1967

1785

Twin-engined low wing cabin monoplane

PA-31-350 Chieftain

1973

1825

Stretched Navajo

PA-31P Navajo / Mojave

1970

309

Pressurized Navajo

PA-31T Cheyenne

1974

847

Turboprop powered Navajo

PA-32 Cherokee Six

1966

4373

Six-seat Cherokee

PA-32R Lance/Saratoga

1976

2721

Retractable landing gear variant of the PA-32

PA-33 Comanche

1966

1

Pressurized Comanche

PA-34 Seneca

1972

4354

Twin-engine low-wing cabin monoplane

PA-35 Pocono

1968

1

Twin-engined pressurized commuter airliner

PA-36 Pawnee Brave

1973

938

Single-engined agricultural monoplane

PA-37

1960s

None

Twin engined PA-33

PA-38 Tomahawk

1978

2519

Two seat basic trainer

PA-39 Twin Comanche C/R

1970

155

Improved PA-30

PA-40 Arapaho

1973

3 built,

5 not completed

PA-30 replacement

PA-41P

1974

1

Pressurized Aztec

Piper PA-42 Cheyenne

1980

175

T-tail pressurized twin

PA-43

1979

None

Piston-engined PA-42

PA-44 Seminole

1979

469

Twin-engined Arrow

PA-45

1970s

None

Six-seat T-tailed aircraft family

PA-46 Malibu

1984

344

Six-seat pressurized single

PA-47 Piperjet

2008

1 prototype only

Eight seat jet

PA-48 Enforcer

1971

4 prototypes

Single seat counter-insurgency aircraft

based on the Cavalier Mustang/P-51 Mustang

PA-60 Aerostar

1967

1010

Six-seat pressurized twin,

Piper purchased the design from Ted R. Smith

PiperSport

2010

1

Two seat light-sport aircraft

Piper licensed the design from Czech Sport Aircraft

See also

Beechcraft

Cessna

Cirrus Design

Diamond Aircraft Industries

Mooney Airplane Company

References

^ a b Grady, Mary (June 2009). “Bass To Step Down As Piper CEO”. http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/BassToStepDownAsPiperCEO_200533-1.html. Retrieved 2009-06-11. 

^ a b Grady, Mary (January 2010). “Piper Selects Aviall For Worldwide Parts Network”. http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/PiperSelectsAviallForWorldwidePartsNetwork_201792-1.html. Retrieved 2010-01-07. 

^ Pew, Glenn (May 2009). “Piper Has Been Sold”. http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/piper_sold_imprimis_200303-1.html. Retrieved 2009-05-04. 

^ American Capital Strategies, Ltd. (May 2009). “American Capital Realizes $ 31 Million Gain From Sale of Piper Aircraft”. http://news.prnewswire.com/DisplayReleaseContent.aspx?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/05-05-2009/0005019863&EDATE=. Retrieved 2009-05-07. 

^ Sobie, Brendan (July 2009). “New owner brightens outlook for Piper”. http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2009/07/18/329788/new-owner-brightens-outlook-for-piper.html. Retrieved 2009-07-27. 

^ Vanderhoof, Nadia (November 2009). “Piper President John Becker is resigning”. http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2009/nov/02/pipers-president-john-becker-resigning/. Retrieved 2009-11-02. 

^ Niles, Russ (November 2009). “Piper Names New President, VPs”. http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/PiperNamesNewPresident_201470-1.html. Retrieved 2009-11-06. 

^ Pew, Glann (November 2008). “Eclipse Promises Paychecks By Tuesday”. http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/eclipse_paycheck_payroll_cirrus_cessna_piper_beechcraft_layoff_199208-1.html. Retrieved 2008-11-15. 

^ Pew, Glenn (December 2008). “Piper, Mooney See Cutbacks”. http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/piperjet_mooney_layoffs_employee_199466-1.html. Retrieved 2008-12-29. 

^ Grady, Mary (February 2009). “Piper Cuts Another 300 Jobs”. http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/PiperCutsAnother300Jobs_199742-1.html. Retrieved 2009-02-12. 

^ Samples, Eve (February 2009). “Piper Aircraft lays off Vero Beach 300 workers, plans to close for 2 weeks”. http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/content/business/epaper/2009/02/10/1002piper.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=6. Retrieved 2009-02-12. 

^ Grady, Mary (February 2009). “Piper Adds Two More Weeks Of Shutdown”. http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/PiperAddsTwoMoreWeeksOfShutdown_199839-1.html. Retrieved 2009-02-26. 

^ Piper Aircraft (2009). “Discontinued Aircraft”. http://www.newpiper.com/pages/DiscontinuedAircraft.cfm. Retrieved 2009-06-03. 

^ Niles, Russ (July 2008). “PiperJet Makes First Flight”. http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/PiperJet_FirstFlight_198463-1.html. Retrieved 2008-07-31. 

^ Paul Bertorelli (October 5, 2007). “Piper’s New Matrix: A Deflated Mirage”. http://www.avweb.com/news/aopa/AOPAExpo2007_PiperMalibuMatrix_Mirage_196304-1.html. Retrieved 2007-10-11. 

^ Aero-News (October 4, 2007). “Piper Unveils A Malibu For The Masses… The Matrix”. http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?ContentBlockID=8fd63be7-3ae9-4626-9424-d4e61e2a5bf3. Retrieved 2007-10-11. 

^ Niles, Russ (January 2010). “Piper Unveils PiperSport LSA”. http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/PiperUnveilsPiperSportLSA_201878-1.html. Retrieved 2010-01-21. 

Bowers, Peter M. (1993). Piper Cubs. McGraw Hill. ISBN 0-8306-2170-9. 

Phillips, Edward H. (1993). Piper – A Legend Aloft. F

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