Piper PA-22 Tri-Pacer

1951

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Piper PA-22 Tri-Pacer

In 1951 Piper introduced its Piper PA-22 Tri-Pacer, basically a version of the PA-20 Pacer with tricycle landing gear that incorporated a steerable nose-wheel. It also differed from the PA-20 by having initially a 112kW Avco Lycoming O-320 flat-four engine, and introduced an interconnected aileron and rudder pedal control system,enabling the Tri-Pacer to be flown entirely by the control column without the need to have an input from the rudder pedals during turns. This system was easily disconnected, however, to permit independent use of the ailerons, elevator and rudder. The Tri-Pacer proved a very popular model, and late series aircraft were powered by the slightly more powerful O-320-B engine. When production ended in the early 1960s a total of 7,668 had been built. This figure included a number of a slightly more austere version with the 112kW engine which were marketed for airport operator and flying club use under the name Piper Caribbean.

Specification 
 MODELPiper PA-22
 ENGINE1 x Avco Lycoming O-320-B flat-four piston engine, 119kW
 WEIGHTS
  Take-off weight907 kg2000 lb
  Empty weight503 kg1109 lb
 DIMENSIONS
  Wingspan8.92 m29 ft 3 in
  Length6.28 m21 ft 7 in
  Height2.54 m8 ft 4 in
  Wing area13.7 m2147.47 sq ft
 PERFORMANCE
  Max. speed227 km/h141 mph
  Ceiling5030 m16500 ft
  Range1054 km655 miles

Comments1-20 21-40 41-60
LIDERMAN ALMEIDA, e-mail, 28.07.2011 03:05

DEAR FRIEND, GREETINGS FROM ECUADOR QUITO HE BOUGHT A 1953 MODEL AIRCRAFT PIPER 22-135 MECES MAKES 4.
NEED TO BUY THE MAINTENANCE MANUAL.
PARTS CATALOG.
AND OPERATOR'S MANUAL

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Bob Thomas, e-mail, 05.07.2011 07:22

I am looking for a STC or other basis to install a lyc o-320 in my PA22- 125 TRIPACER. hELP APPRECIATED.

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Ted Fields, e-mail, 09.06.2011 07:40

Hi Ron, I have abrand new 1962 PA22 108 Colt with 35 hrs Since total rebuild. I will give the specifications for the Colt.
PA 22 108 Engine 0 235-CIB 108 HP. Cruise at 108 MPH.
WEIGHTS
Take Off Weight 1650
Empty Weight 1096
DEMINSIONS
Wing Span 29' 3 1 /2"
Length 20' 1 7 /8"
Height 7' 4 1 /4"
Wing aera 147' 47"

PERFORMACE
Max Speed 120 MPH
Celing 14,000 FT

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Robert C Harold, e-mail, 06.06.2011 21:26

I owned 5788D a 1957 Tri-Pacer ftom 1963 to 1983. Paid $4900 and sold it for 4250 because of hail da It was metalized in 1967 by Skycraft Design in East Trenton, NJ, adding 18lbs to the empty weight. For less than $1600 including paint. Those wer the days, $.38 for 80 octane most those years. I was lucky.

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richard c harold, e-mail, 23.12.2021 Robert C Harold

yas that was fun loved that just sorry i did not buy the air coup 1947.

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Bob Freidt, e-mail, 17.05.2011 22:22

I owned a 1956 PA22 Piper Tripacer N4547A from 1988 to 1990 i was based at Hazen, North Dakota. it was a great little bird! does anyone know if its still flying? and might it be for sale? My Son was 8 yrs old and has fond memories about it he would like to own it if possible. I would like to hear anything you know about it.
Thanks
Bob 661 978 0722

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Don Bates, e-mail, 11.03.2011 02:41

Wondering where PA-22 8449 Delta is and if she is still flying? I had her for a few months, then traded for another.

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flyguy, e-mail, 07.03.2011 18:38

My '56 22 /20, 6956B flies out of SW Oregon, prefer to go to the Idaho backcountry or SE Oregon dry lakes for camping. It has been into (and out of) Mile-Hi near Big Creek and Middle Fork Salmon River in central Idaho, a short, steep natural surface strip. See Galen Hanselman's "Fly Idaho", a must-have for those backcountry strips. This Pacer was frame-up restored in the 90's and flies great with 150 HP. Probably be selling it soon, due to gas prices...

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Charles McGehee, e-mail, 01.03.2011 04:11

I am the proud owner of N2416A which is a PA22 /20 150. Tom the flaps are 2 position manual Johnson bar located on the floor in front of the seats. Performance is as good or better than most 172's but does have a quick sink rate. With 10 deg flaps it sinks about like a 150 at full flap and unlike Cessna's you not only fly it to the ground but also till you stop. :-) As far as i'm concerned Piper Pacers and Tri-Pacers are the very best ride for the buck of any time period.

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richard c harold, e-mail, 23.12.2021 Charles McGehee

yes loved the tri-pacers dad had a 57.

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Jim Lipsner, e-mail, 13.12.2010 21:56

I actually learned to fly in a PA 22....loved the airplane and would love to find out what happened to her. N6848B....I would love to get my hands on her again...after breaking the interconnected control syndrom..I went on to fly everything up to 414's. It was a great beginning. Thanks for the memories

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LARRY WHEAT, e-mail, 06.12.2010 20:40

I OWNED A COLT OUT OF PLAINWELL MI. IN THE 70'S. HER LETTERS WERE N5666Z AND SHE WAS RED AND WHITE. ANYONE EVER SEEN THIS PLANE. I LOVED EVER MINITE I EVER SPENT FLYING IT. THANKS MUCH LARRY

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Butch Roush, e-mail, 08.11.2010 15:09

Proud owner of Pacer 2929p from about 72-78. Great aircraft. Tricky in cross-wind landings over 10k. Great adventures and sure seemed to outperform all the 172s I ever flew. Good memories. Might want to go one more time with right chance?

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Ron Hulse, e-mail, 25.10.2010 08:15

I noticed in your coveage of Piper aircraft, there is no Piper Colt? Any reason for this, I would like to see the specifications for it. I've owened a PA12 and still own a PA 18

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Jeff Eckel, e-mail, 25.10.2010 04:04

Aerial Photographer.Learnt to fly the pacer in 2009. Fly regualarly. Take many pictures. Have it up for sale presently to purchase a real nice 175 Cessna with a much bigger window. Tri pacer only has 1024 TT airframe and engine as of 10 /2010. Most flights are 1-2 hours in length, 3 times weekly. Simple aircraft to fly. Addition of GPS 396 was a big plus. Allows me to find those towers since I fly at 1000' AGL most the time in NW Ohio. Just wish the window was alittle bigger.

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Ronald E. Demmler, e-mail, 14.10.2010 02:52

I bought my 1958 Tripacer with the 160 HP engine in Sept. 1968. When it was time for engine overhaul, I bought a 150 HP engine. Still have the 160 sitting in my garage. I fly regularly ( average four times a week ).
PA 22's are very versatile. Fly from rough grass strips or paved runways. Have all log books from day it left Lock Haven, Pa.

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Roger Mole, e-mail, 07.10.2010 12:31

When I was training for my PPL at Swanton Morley near Norwich, UK on Cessna 150s as a young man back in 1977, I noticed a beautiful 1961 Tri-Pacer Caribbean with only 1100 hours on it standing at the side of the airfield. I bought it and spent that summer making it airworthy again under the watchful eye of the engineer who used to maintain it. I got its C of A back and made my first flight in G-ARIK in September 1977 to get approved on type, with the club CFI. I loved that little aircraft and before I sold it in July 1978, did just over 50 hours in her. Only sold it because I didn't know anything about groups and all that. I'll never forget the handling - climbing like crazy with even just a light headwind when one up. Later in life I've now done the same again with an elderly two-seater microlight and the handling (high drag, low inertia) is so similar to that of my old Tri-Pacer, it's like going back in time. I'm glad to say that G-ARIK is still flying and is back in the area of the country where I bought it (East Anglia) having been 'modernised' unfortunately with an all-white paint job. When I had her she still had the original brown and cream Piper livery and underneath you could still see the original US registration - N3701Z. Thanks for the memories.

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Ron Collver, e-mail, 01.10.2010 08:18

I owned a "Fly-Chaser" in the early 80's same color scheme as the one pictured, only she had sexy skirts which really dolled her up. She had 160 horses and I just loved to show her off on cold days when there were ten knots or so head wind coming down runway 23 in Bay City, Mich. I would line her up on 23 with full flaps and usually less than 1 /4 tank, balls to the wall and after a short roll haul her back and she would practically hang on the prop at about 60 degrees and climb straight up to pattern altitude where I levelled her off...still less than half way down the runway. Then she forced me out to Saginaw Bay to buzz fish shanties.........I sure miss her.

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JAY HEIL, e-mail, 10.09.2010 04:32

hi I just saw this site just wanted to correct a comment on the "carribean" a carribean is indeed a tripacer not a colt it is a 150 hp and it was bare bones you might indeed say it is a trim package but it was always a 150 the 160's were super customs but everything was optional so you could technically get a decked out carribean that was the same as a super custom but it would still have been a 150 but..... not all 150;s had to be carribeans there were starting in 1955 pa 22 150 and the carribean package didnt come out untill later i know it was around in 59 but maybe also 58

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Anthony Smith, e-mail, 10.09.2010 02:29

I did quite parachute jumps out of Tripacer aircraft with the Scottish Parachute Club at Strathallan Airfield,Perthshire.It could take 3 parachutists to 7000ft.Took a while to get up and it was rather cramped.

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Ed Hutchinson, e-mail, 08.09.2010 23:07

I owned a PA22 Piper Tripacer (1959) N9582D from 1970 to 1976 and based at Sky Park, Wadsworth Ohio. I'm just wondering is anyone knows if its still flying??
ehutchinson@neo.rr.com

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Ernie Morris, e-mail, 20.08.2010 00:47

In the '60's our Air Force aero club at Kingsley Field,Klamath Falls,Oregon owned N9413D.I've great memories and a couple hundred hours in that aircraft

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