Piper Tri-Pacer?

I want one of those.
What is the useful load on a tri pacer?
 
Man, it's been flown a LOT in the last 10 months! :rolleyes:

Total time on the engine is 1321.54 since its overhaul on 4/14/2014. Total time on the overall airplane is 3,025.
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The Tri pacer,flying milk stool is a nice older airplane,faster than a 172. The price seems to be about right.
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
I want one of those.
What is the useful load on a tri pacer?
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Useful load seems to be around 850 lbs.

I like them as well, my wife however says that they are too ugly... :rolleyes:
They have a second door for the rear seats and the reputation of being pretty capable backcountry planes. Also, many of them have been converted to taildraggers, what makes them IMHO really gorgeous.

There is plenty information in the internet, backcountrypilot might be a good starting point:
https://www.backcountrypilot.org/knowledge-base/aircraft/modifications/162-piper-pa-20-22

https://www.backcountrypilot.org/forum/ok-i-ve-read-through-all-10-pages-pa-22-or-c-172-9466#p123563
 
I know the owner and the A&P who maintained (and flew) it for several years.


Jim R
Collierville, TN

N7155H--1946 Piper J-3 Cub
N3368K--1946 Globe GC-1B Swift
N4WJ--1994 Van's RV-4
 
Tom-D said:
Their soft spot is corrosion in the lower longerons aft of the cabin.

Be really careful, many of the rag and tube aircraft have been thru the blast cabinet too many times.
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What's a blast cabinet
 
Tom-D said:
Their soft spot is corrosion in the lower longerons aft of the cabin.

Be really careful, many of the rag and tube aircraft have been thru the blast cabinet too many times.
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And other than looking for corrosion, what should one be careful of?
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
What's a blast cabinet
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It is for sand blasting, in order to remove rust and old paint.

While I admittedly have no experience with tubes in planes, I can tell from working on cars and motorbikes, that if you see corrosion on the outside of a cavity, the inside of the cavity usually looks much, much, MUCH worse.
When the rust is not obviously caused by a fault / damage in the paint, but instead shows as a bubble underneath it, I would be extremely careful. By the time the rust has worked its way trough a tube, so that a tiny little bubble can be seen on the outside, it can be expected that the material surrounding this little bubble has become thin as tinfoil. Simply removing the bubble will only be a short term cosmetic fix.


bflynn said:
And other than looking for corrosion, what should one be careful of?
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Piperowner has a nice article about Piper PA-20/22 on their website, including a section in which they discuss 'trouble spots':
http://piperowner.org/features/29-the-pacer-and-tri-pacer.html

Also interesting - 'Close Calls: Buyer Beware':
http://piperowner.org/articles/close-calls/266-close-calls-buyer-beware.html

Articles at AOPA and Plane & Pilot:
http://www.aopa.org/Pilot-Resources/Aircraft-Ownership/Aircraft-Fact-Sheets/Piper-Pacer
http://www.planeandpilotmag.com/air...le-engine-aircraft/piper-pa-22-tri-pacer.html

Super Cub drivers, discussing the Pacer:
http://www.supercub.org/forum/showthread.php?40462-Piper-Tri-Pacer

From Wikipedia, Pacer and Tri-Pacer in flight. As stated, many Tri-Pacers have been converted to tailwheel:

640px-Piper_PA-22-150TD_Tri-Pacer_Kyabram_Vabre.jpg



Fat bush wheels make her even sexier and pretty much turn her into a 4-seat Super Cub:

JSG_0744-1024x681(pp_w900_h598).jpg
 
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If you are a tall person I suggest you try and sit in one before spending to much time looking.
I am 6'2" and have a long torso. I added this to the list of planes where my head hits.
 
Tri pacers are great planes, good usefull load, decent speed, great bang for your buck.
 
PA-20---

You best be at the top of your game to land one in a crosswind.
 
German guy said:
Useful load seems to be around 850 lbs.

I like them as well, my wife however says that they are too ugly... :rolleyes:
They have a second door for the rear seats and the reputation of being pretty capable backcountry planes. Also, many of them have been converted to taildraggers, what makes them IMHO really gorgeous.

There is plenty information in the internet, backcountrypilot might be a good starting point:
https://www.backcountrypilot.org/knowledge-base/aircraft/modifications/162-piper-pa-20-22

https://www.backcountrypilot.org/forum/ok-i-ve-read-through-all-10-pages-pa-22-or-c-172-9466#p123563
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I have to agree. It looks more natural as a taildragger IMO.
 
Another great plane is an Stinson 108-3. Mine has a IO-360 Lycoming 200HP with a 1,000 useful. They are way better than the Piper Tripacer or pacer with lots more room.
 
Indeed they are! I think the 108 is a much better buy especially with your engine or a 180 lyc. Which is what I flew some. The tri pacer, returned to a taildragger with 150 hp is a lot of fun too. The tri pacer is not like the supercub in that it has a shorter wing with less lift than the super cub and will not perform like the super cub but still fun. Anyone who restores either knows to check the tubing very carefully and replace any section that's rusted out. They then, usually, coat the inside of the tubing with oil to preserve it. That is.....anyone with common sense. The big place to look for rust is near the tail wheel as if the airplane is left outside ( very bad idea) this is where any water ends up or condensation. Sunlight and water are the big killers of tube and fabric aircraft, regardless of covering brand. Leaving a fabric aircraft outside is really stupid unless it's a dog.
 
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