Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee 140
Single-engine four-seat low-wing cabin monoplane

Archive Photos ¹

Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee 140 (N6794J, s/n 28-24533, 1968) on display at the 2009 Cable Air Show, Upland, California (Photos by John Shupek)

Overview ²

The original two-seat Piper Cherokee 140, with a 140 hp Lycoming engine, was announced in February 1964, primarily as a sporting and training aircraft to replace the Piper Colt, but equally suitable for general transportation use. It received FAA Type Approval on 14 February 1964.

In the autumn of 1965, the Piper Cherokee 140 was superseded by the Cherokee 140-4, which is convertible into a full four-seater, for four adults. The conversion kit included two separate upholstered seats, which could be installed with wing nuts on the raised rear floor over the main spar, two Back cushions, seat belts and attachment fittings.

To cater for this additional payload and to improve performance, the engines of all-new Piper Cherokee 140-4’s were rated at 150 hp, whether or not they were equipped as four-seaters. Conversion of existing Piper Cherokee 140’s to four-seat use was accomplished by installing the kit and by modifying the propeller to permit the Lycoming O-320 engine to produce 150 hp.

During 1968 the Piper Cherokee 140-4 was also available in Custom, Executive and Sportsman versions, and with four optional electronic packages.

Standard — Basic model with dual controls.

Custom — As basic model, with the addition of Piper TruSpeed Indicator, instrument panel light, cabin dome light, navigation, landing and taxi lights, rotating beacon, radio shielding, sensitive altimeter, lighter, coat hooks, step, full flow oil filter and Piper AutoFlite wing leveling stability system, adding 12 lb (5.5 kg) to basic empty weight.

Executive — As Custom model, with the addition of blind-flying instrumentation, arranged T configuration, clock, outside air temperature gauge, gyro air filter and vacuum pump.

Sportsman — As Executive model, with the addition of Piper electric trim, external power, and AutoNav tracking for AutoFlite.

Electronic Group A — Comprises Mk III Omnigator, 90-channel VHF transceiver plus 100-channel VOR/ILS nav indicator, cabin speaker, headset, microphone and antennae, adding 10 lbs (4.5 kg) to basic empty weight.

Electronic Group B — Same as Group A, with addition of ADF-31 automatic direction finder, adding total of 18 lbs (8 kg) to basic empty weight

Electronic Group C — Same as Group B, with the addition of Mk 12 series 360-channel VHF transceiver plus 100-channel VOR/ILS nav receiver, VOA-4 VOR/ILS localizer converter indicator and Piper marker beacon, adding a total of 33 lbs (15 kg) to basic empty weight.

Electronic Group D — Same as Group C, but with Mk 12 series 90-channel VHF transceiver instead of Mk III Omnigator, and addition of VOA-5 VOR/ILS localizer converter indicator with glide-slope indication, UGR glide-slope receiver and UDI DME with ground speed indication, adding total of 53 lbs (24 kg) to basic empty weight.

Most of the items covered under model and electronic group listings were also available individually. Other optional extras included Palm Beach external finish, stainless steel control cables, mixture control indicator, T-12 series ADF, Edo 89-2000 floats, 35Ah battery, Piper AutoControl III, radio coupler to AutoControl III, fire extinguisher, toe brakes and heated pitot.

Specifications and Performance Data ²

Type

• Two/four-seat sporting and training light aircraft.

Wings

• Cantilever low-wing monoplane.
• Wing section NACA 65₂-415.
• Aspect ratio 5.63
• Constant chord of 5 ft 3 in (1.60 m)
• Dihedral 7°
• Incidence 2°
• Single-spar wings, plain ailerons and slotted flaps made of aluminum alloy, except for glassfiber wingtips.
• Ailerons and four-position flaps have corrugated skin.
• Ground adjustable tab in port aileron.

Fuselage

• Aluminum alloy semi-monocoque structure.
• Glassfiber engine cowling.

Tail Unit

• Cantilever structure of aluminum alloy, except for glassfiber tips on fin and tailplane.
• Fin and rudder have corrugated metal skin.
• One-piece all-moving horizontal surface with combined anti-balance and trim tab.
• Trim-tab in rudder.

Landing Gear

• Non-retractable tricycle type.
• Steerable nose-wheel.
• Piper oleo-pneumatic shock-absorbers.
• Cleveland wheels and Schenuit tires, size 6.00 × 6, on all three wheels.
• Cleveland disc brakes.
• Parking brake.
• Toe brakes optional.
• Wheel fairings standard.
• Approved for operation on skis.

Power Plant

• One 150 hp Lycoming O-320 four-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine.
• Two-blade fixed-pitch metal propeller, diameter 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m).
• Two fuel tanks in wing leading-edges, with total capacity of 50 US gallons (189 liters).
• Standard fuel capacity of 36 US gallons (136 liters), the remaining tankage of 14 US gallons (53 liters) being regarded as reserve.
• PA-28-180 has standard capacity of full 50 US gallons.

Accommodation

• Two seats side-by-side in enclosed cabin, with dual controls, are standard.
• Two rear seats optional.
• Large compartment aft of seats for 100 lb (45 kg) freight or baggage in two-seat version.
• Cabin heated and ventilated.

Electronics and Equipment

• Details under model and electronic group listed above.

Dimensions, external

• Wing span: 30 ft 0 in (9.14 m)
• Length overall: 23 ft 6 in (7.16 m)
• Height overall: 7 ft 3½ in (2.22 m)
• Tailplane span: 10 ft 0 in (3.05 m)
• Wheel track: 10 ft 0 in (3.05 m)
• Wheelbase: 6 ft 2½ in (1.89 m)

Areas

• Wings, gross: 160 ft² (14.86 m²)
• Ailerons (total): 10.60 ft² (0.99 m²)
• Trailing edge flaps (total): 14.60 ft² (1.36 m²0
• Fin: 7.5 ft² (0.70 m²)
• Rudder: 4.10 ft² (0.38 m²)
• Tailplane: 24.40 ft² (2.26 m²)

Weights and Loadings

• Weight empty: 1,250 lb (567 kg)
• Max. T/O weight: 2,150 lb (975 kg)
• Maximum wing loading: 13.4 lb/ft² (65.5 kg/m²
• Maximum power loading: 14.3 lb/hp (6.5 kg/hp)

Performance

• Maximum level speed at S/L*: 144 mph (232 kmh)
• Maximum cruising speed at 75% power at 7,000 ft (2,135 m)*: 135 mph (217 kmh)
• Stalling speed, flaps down: 54 mph (87 kmh)
• Rate of climb at S/L: 690 ft/min (210 m/min)
• Service ceiling: 14,900 ft (4,540 m)
• T/O run: 780 ft (238 m)
• Landing run: 535 ft (163 m)
• Range at 75% power at 7,000 ft (2,130 m) with 36 US gallons fuel): 535 miles (860 km)
• Range at 55% power at 10,000 ft (3,050 m) with 36 US gallons fuel): 580 miles (933 km)
• Range at 75% power at 7,000 ft (2,130 m) with 50 US gallons fuel): 725 miles (1,165 km)
• Range at 55% power at 10,000 ft (3,050 m) with 50 US gallons fuel): 800 miles (1,285 km)

* with optional wheel fairings, which add 3 mph (5 kmh)

References

1. Photos: John Shupek
2. Taylor, John W. R. (editor). Jane’s All The World’s Aircraft 1968-1969, McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York, 1968, pages 360-361