Piper pa-32 cherokee 6 vs Cessna 205??

A

Arnold Cornellius

Filing Flight Plan
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Feb 9, 2025
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Arnold Marc
Hello Aviators,

I am a cessna 205 guy but alot of folks that I have spoken to swear by the cherokee 6. Most have said the lycoming engined io-540 is just a beast. Any other thoughts?
Before a panel upgrade for the 205. I am thinking maybe wait till i get a handle on this debate.

Cheers,
Arno
 
Why sell what you already have?
 
Be sure to check the useful load on any PA-32 you look at. Because they were the only high power planes available at the FBO where I took lessons, I did my HP and Complex endorsements in Piper Saratogas - one Fixed Gear for the HP, and then a retract for the Complex. PA-32-300 and PA32-300-R. Definitely the expensive way to get the endorsements but as a result I flew a lot of time and ended up feeling well trained handling those planes.

My point is that the older planes (Cherokee 6-250 for example) have better useful load. That does not make intuitive sense, with significant less power available…. but just be sure to check. Piper snuck a bunch of weight over the model years.

-Skip
 
Skip Miller said:
Be sure to check the useful load on any PA-32 you look at. Because they were the only high power planes available at the FBO where I took lessons, I did my HP and Complex endorsements in Piper Saratogas - one Fixed Gear for the HP, and then a retract for the Complex. PA-32-300 and PA32-300-R. Definitely the expensive way to get the endorsements but as a result I flew a lot of time and ended up feeling well trained handling those planes.

My point is that the older planes (Cherokee 6-250 for example) have better useful load. That does not make intuitive sense, with significant less power available…. but just be sure to check. Piper snuck a bunch of weight over the model years.

-Skip
Click to expand...
Thank you Skip!
 
Is the Cherokee 6 subject to the wing spar AD(s)?

That whole business has me turned off any non-Comanche Piper product.
 
Arnold Cornellius said:
I think both the cherokee 6 and cessna 205 have spar AD(s)
Click to expand...
Pa 32 has one for spar corrosion. That's the small one. Depending on service hours it may or may not have the Eddy current AD. Fixed gear 32's have a 1400-1500lb useful. Late model Saratoga's are sub 1,000lb useful.

Not sure id call a 300hp io540 a beast. Going from an o-360 to io540, the only time you really feel it is takeoff acceleration. My biggest thing for the 32 is shoulder room. A 49" wide cabin is NICE and underappreciated.
 
Pinecone said:
WTF?! My Mooney is over 1000 pounds useful load.
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Yep. It's bad. Hangar neighbor has a 2000 Saratoga

Payload W/Full Fuel: 356 Lb
Useful load 968 Lb

But he does have fiki and 102 gallons of fuel and a/c
 
Arnold Cornellius said:
Hello Aviators,

I am a cessna 205 guy but alot of folks that I have spoken to swear by the cherokee 6. Most have said the lycoming engined io-540 is just a beast. Any other thoughts?
Before a panel upgrade for the 205. I am thinking maybe wait till i get a handle on this debate.

Cheers,
Arno
Click to expand...
It kind of depends on what you use your plane for. Without knowing that, it's hard to give any advice.
 
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