Complex single, retractable gear

What it costs to own a Piper PA-28R Arrow

An Archer with retractable gear and a constant-speed prop. Before the 2018 rule change it was the standard complex trainer for the commercial certificate, and schools still keep them for complex and high-performance endorsements. Expect insurance to cost noticeably more than a fixed-gear PA-28.

No credit card · Cancel anytime

Piper PA-28R Arrow at a glance

Public manufacturer and POH figures, rounded to what owners see in practice. Your airframe will differ.

Engine

Lycoming IO-360-C1C

200 hp

Fuel burn

10–12 gph

Cruise

135–150 KTAS

Useful load

~900 lbs

Seats

4

TBO

2,000 hrs

What it costs to run

Starting numbers for a Piper PA-28R Arrow, with the two figures that vary most between owners left editable. Change either one and the totals update.

Use your own numbers

Fuel and hangar vary more between owners than anything else. The rest holds at the Piper PA-28R Arrow baseline.

At 11 gph, that is $71.50 an hour in fuel.

$467 a month.

Fixed (annual)

$13,950

Hangar, insurance, annual, reserves

Typical range $12,000–$20,000

Variable / hour

$112

Fuel, oil, maintenance reserve

Typical range $100–$130

All-in / hour

$251

Fixed plus variable, at 100 hrs/year

Typical range $220–$330

Need financing in the number? the cost-of-ownership calculator takes a purchase price, down payment, and loan terms, and lets you change utilization and every reserve line as well.

Common ownership patterns

How Piper PA-28R Arrow owners usually split the airplane. Each one changes the cost math, the scheduling problem, and what needs to be written into the agreement.

Complex trainer

Commercial-track training and complex endorsements at schools that still have one.

Step up from an Archer

First retractable gear and first constant-speed prop, usually in that order.

Partnership

More systems means more cost, and partnerships absorb that better than one owner does.

Run the split in the partnership calculator, and for the agreement itself see the co-ownership guide.

Maintenance worth knowing about

Items that come up on this type specifically. Worth having in hand at a pre-buy and at every annual.

  • Retractable gear brings its own inspection cycle: actuators, switches, doors.
  • The constant-speed prop overhauls on a separate clock from the engine.
  • Insurance costs more than a fixed-gear PA-28, and low time in type makes that worse.
  • Some Arrows have the automatic gear extension system, which is its own maintenance conversation.
Keep the due-dates straight: the free inspection due-date calculator covers the annual, 100-hour, ELT, transponder, and pitot-static, and the engine reserve calculator sizes what to set aside per hour for the overhaul. For a fleet, Aloft360 tracks all of it against actual Hobbs time.

Piper PA-28R Arrow FAQ

What does it cost to own a Piper PA-28R Arrow?
Fixed costs — hangar, insurance, the annual, and reserves — run $12,000–$20,000 a year. Fuel, oil, and maintenance reserve add $100–$130 for every hour you fly. Put those together at 100 hrs/year and you land around $220–$330 an hour. Your own numbers will move with hangar rates, hull value, and how much you fly, so run them in the cost-of-ownership calculator.
What's the fuel burn on a Piper PA-28R Arrow?
10–12 gph at typical cruise power. Treat that as a planning figure. Power setting, altitude, how you lean, and what you are carrying all change it.
How long is the engine TBO on a Piper PA-28R Arrow?
2,000 hrs per the manufacturer. Divide the expected overhaul cost by hours-to-TBO and set that aside every hour, or the bill arrives all at once.
Who typically owns a Piper PA-28R Arrow?
Commercial students, pilots working on complex and high-performance endorsements, and owners who want a fast airplane that does not burn much.

Other aircraft

Cessna 150Cessna 172 SkyhawkCessna 182 SkylanePiper PA-28-181 ArcherBeechcraft Bonanza A36Cirrus SR20Cirrus SR22Diamond DA40Beechcraft King Air

Track your Piper PA-28R Arrow in Aloft360

Inspections, squawks, flight logs, per-owner hours, and expenses in one place. Starts at $9/month for one aircraft, with a 30-day free trial and no credit card.