Piper PA-28-235 Cherokee 235 / Pathfinder

Piper introduced the PA-28-235 Cherokee 235 in 1964 as the big-engine Cherokee. The 235 used a Lycoming O-540-B4B5 six-cylinder engine at 235 hp, six rather than four cylinders, with corresponding increases in useful load and performance. The airframe was the same as the smaller Cherokees but reinforced for the heavier engine and higher gross weight. Production began in 1964 with 6,000+ aircraft eventually delivered across all model designations.

Piper introduced model name changes through production. The Cherokee 235 ran 1964-1972. The Charger (PA-28-235) was a single-year model in 1973 with interior and equipment refinements. The Pathfinder (PA-28-235) ran 1974-1977 with further refinements. All three are mechanically similar, sharing the same airframe, the same O-540-B4B5 engine, and the same hershey-bar wing.

Piper replaced the PA-28-235 in 1978 with the PA-28-236 Dakota, which used the same general airframe with the tapered wing introduced on the Warrior and Archer. The Dakota also used a slightly different O-540 variant. The PA-28-235 line ended after 1977. The fleet that survives includes a mix of all three model names, often referred to collectively as 'Cherokee 235' or 'Piper 235' in the used market regardless of the specific model year designation.

The Cherokee 235 / Pathfinder cruises at about 130 KTAS at 75% power, burning 13 gph of 100LL. At long-range cruise (65%), the airplane drops to about 120 KTAS on 11 gph. The 235 is meaningfully faster than the Cherokee 180 (about 12 to 15 knots) due to the larger engine, and faster than a Cessna 182 by about 5 knots on similar fuel burn. The hershey-bar wing remains the airplane's defining aerodynamic feature.

Useful load on a Cherokee 235 is about 1,300 to 1,400 pounds. Full fuel (84 gallons usable on most variants) leaves about 800 to 900 pounds for people and bags. Four adults of typical weight plus full luggage fit comfortably within gross. The 235's useful load is meaningfully better than smaller Cherokees and competitive with the Cessna 182. Range with reserves is about 900 nm at long-range cruise. Service ceiling is 14,500 ft on paper. The 235 is one of the most-capable four-seat singles in its acquisition-cost range.

The Lycoming O-540-B4B5 is the engine on every PA-28-235. It's a six-cylinder, horizontally opposed, direct-drive, carbureted piston rated at 235 hp at 2,400 RPM. Lycoming's published TBO is 2,000 hours per Lycoming Service Instruction 1009 BE. The O-540-B4B5 is a low-compression variant designed to run on 80 octane fuel (now 100LL with appropriate timing). The engine has decades of fleet history and is well-supported.

Field overhauls at Penn Yan, Gann Aviation, or other reputable Lycoming shops run $38,000 to $55,000 in 2026 prices. The six-cylinder O-540 is meaningfully more expensive to overhaul than the four-cylinder O-360 in the Cherokee 180 but cheaper than turbocharged engines or the IO-540 variants in higher-power singles. The B4B5 specifically has the lowest overhaul cost in the O-540 family due to the simpler architecture.

Oil consumption on a healthy O-540-B4B5 runs about 0.3 to 0.5 quarts per hour. The six-cylinder engine is a thirstier oil burner than four-cylinder alternatives. Cylinder work at top-overhaul intervals (around 1,000 to 1,300 hours on hard-flown engines) runs $3,000 to $4,500 per cylinder. The 235's six cylinders make cylinder work a meaningful expense if it surfaces, but the engine has a strong fleet history.

Plan on $165 to $230 per flight hour at 100 hours a year of utilization, all-in. The Cherokee 235's operating cost runs roughly $50 to $70 per hour above the Cherokee 180 due to the six-cylinder engine. Fuel and oil run about $72 to $92 per hour at 13 gph and $5.50 to $7 for 100LL. Engine overhaul reserve is $19 to $28 per hour based on a $38,000 to $55,000 overhaul amortized across the 2,000-hour TBO. Airframe maintenance reserve is $18 to $30 per hour, slightly higher than smaller Cherokees due to the bigger engine and heavier airframe.

Annual fixed costs (hangar, insurance, annual inspection) add another $45 to $80 per hour at 100 hours a year of utilization. Insurance is moderate. Hull values are reasonable. First-time owners pay $2,200 to $4,000 a year typically. The airplane is partnership-friendly for groups of two or three pilots.

Acquisition cost in mid-2026: A Cherokee 235 (1964-1972) with mid-time engine runs $65,000 to $95,000. A Charger or Pathfinder (1973-1977) with fresh engine and modern Garmin panel runs $90,000 to $135,000. The Pathfinder variants at the high end of the range have the most-refined interior and equipment options. Aircraft with documented engine and panel work in recent years trade at premiums.

Piper Owner Society covers the PA-28-235. Annual dues are about $80. The 235 has substantial type-club support including pre-buy guidance, engine overhaul shop recommendations, and the accumulated 60+ years of fleet operating experience. Most maintenance decisions benefit from POS consultation.