Piper PA-28R-180 Arrow

Piper introduced the PA-28R-180 Arrow in 1967 as the retractable variant of the Cherokee 180. The Arrow added a Lycoming IO-360-B1E (fuel-injected, 180 hp) replacing the carbureted Lycoming O-360 in the standard Cherokee 180, plus an electrically-driven hydraulic retractable landing gear system. The retract gear added about 5 to 10 knots of cruise speed at the cost of substantial additional maintenance complexity.

Production ran from 1967 to 1971 with about 1,500 Arrows delivered. Piper replaced the 180 hp Arrow with the PA-28R-200 Arrow II in 1972, which used a more powerful IO-360-C1C at 200 horsepower. The 180 hp Arrow became a used-market-only buy after 1971. The fleet has remained reasonably popular with pilots who specifically want a four-seat retractable at lower acquisition cost than the higher-power Arrow variants.

The hershey-bar wing on the PA-28R-180 carried over from the contemporary Cherokee 180. Piper introduced the tapered wing on the PA-28R-201 Arrow III in 1977, which delivered better cruise efficiency. The 180 hp Arrow remains the entry-level path into Cherokee retractable ownership. Piper Owner Society covers the Arrow family with substantial type-specific knowledge.

The PA-28R-180 Arrow cruises at about 130 KTAS at 75% power, burning 9.5 gph of 100LL. At long-range cruise (65%), the airplane drops to about 120 KTAS on 8 gph. The 180 hp Arrow is meaningfully slower than the later 200 hp Arrow II (about 8 to 10 knots) and slower than the tapered-wing Arrow III by another 5 knots or so. Performance is adequate for the cabin size but the airplane is at the low-power end of the retractable four-seat market.

Useful load on a PA-28R-180 is about 950 to 1,000 pounds. Full fuel (50 gallons usable) leaves about 650 to 700 pounds for people and bags. Four adults of typical weight plus light luggage fits within gross with careful loading. Range with reserves is about 600 nm at long-range cruise. Service ceiling is 14,150 ft on paper. The Arrow is one of the cheapest four-seat retractables on the used market, which is the primary reason buyers choose it over alternatives.

The Lycoming IO-360-B1E is the engine on every PA-28R-180 Arrow. It's a four-cylinder, horizontally opposed, fuel-injected, direct-drive piston rated at 180 hp at 2,700 RPM. Lycoming's published TBO is 2,000 hours per Lycoming Service Instruction 1009 BE. The IO-360-B family is widely supported by the broader Lycoming shop network.

Field overhauls at Penn Yan, Gann Aviation, or other reputable Lycoming shops run $32,000 to $44,000 in 2026 prices. The IO-360-B is moderately more expensive to overhaul than the carbureted O-360 in the standard Cherokee 180 due to the fuel injection components. The IO-360 family has accumulated decades of fleet experience and parts availability is excellent.

Oil consumption on a healthy IO-360-B1E runs about 0.15 to 0.25 quarts per hour. The engine reaches TBO routinely when operated regularly. Many Arrows have engines past TBO running on-condition. The constant-speed propeller on the Arrow requires overhaul concurrent with the engine. Hartzell two-blade or McCauley two-blade prop overhauls run $2,500 to $4,000.

Plan on $155 to $220 per flight hour at 100 hours a year of utilization, all-in. The PA-28R-180 Arrow's operating cost runs about $40 to $55 per hour above the Cherokee 180 fixed-gear due to the retract gear maintenance and slightly higher fuel burn. Fuel and oil run about $52 to $67 per hour at 9.5 gph and $5.50 to $7 for 100LL. Engine overhaul reserve is $16 to $22 per hour based on a $32,000 to $44,000 overhaul amortized across the 2,000-hour TBO. Prop overhaul reserve adds $1.25 to $2.00 per hour. Airframe maintenance reserve is $20 to $35 per hour due to gear-system maintenance.

Annual fixed costs (hangar, insurance, annual inspection) add another $50 to $90 per hour at 100 hours a year of utilization. Insurance on the Arrow is meaningfully higher than on fixed-gear Cherokees because of the retract gear. First-time retract Arrow owners pay $3,000 to $5,500 a year typically. Established Arrow pilots with 200+ hours in type pay $1,800 to $3,500.

Acquisition cost in mid-2026: A PA-28R-180 Arrow with mid-time engine and steam-gauge panel runs $55,000 to $80,000. An Arrow with fresh engine and modern Garmin panel runs $80,000 to $115,000. Aircraft with documented gear-system rebuilds trade at premiums. The PA-28R-180 is the cheapest path into a four-seat retractable single and trades 20-30% below comparable Arrow II aircraft.

Piper Owner Society covers the Arrow family. Annual dues are about $80. The Arrow has substantial type-club support including pre-buy guidance on the gear system, engine overhaul shop recommendations, and accumulated fleet experience.