Piper PA-28 Cherokee 235/Dakota
The Piper Cherokee 235, and its later Dakota development, is the big-engined member of the PA-28 family, fitted with a 235-horsepower Lycoming O-540 rather than the 150-180 horsepower fours used in the Cherokee/Archer, giving noticeably higher useful load and climb performance. The Dakota, certified in 1978, combined that engine with the tapered semi-Fowler-flap wing shared with the Warrior/Archer series, distinguishing it from the earlier straight-wing 235 Charger and Pathfinder. Production ran until 1994, and its roomy cabin and load-hauling ability kept it popular for personal and utility flying.

Did you know?
The PA-28 family's big-engined member runs a six-cylinder O-540 where smaller Cherokees use fours, and the Dakota added tapered wings.
Specifications
| Length | 7.1 m (23 ft) |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | 9.1 m (30 ft) |
| Height | 2.2 m (7 ft) |
| Maximum passengers | 3 |
| Persons on board | 3 |
| Maximum take-off weight | 2 t |
| Range | 668 NM (1,237 km) |
| Maximum speed | 122 kt (226 km/h) |
| Stall speed | 52 kt (96 km/h) |
| Service ceiling | 12,700 ft (3,871 m) |
| Optimum ceiling | 15,000 ft (4,572 m) |
| Rate of climb | 820 ft/min (4.2 m/s) |
| Take-off distance | 518 m (1,699 ft) |
| Landing distance | 520 m (1,706 ft) |
| Fuel capacity | 250 l |
| Engines | Lycoming O-320-E2A |
| Units built | 288 |
Curated by CatchFlights from manufacturer documents, ICAO Doc 8643 and reference works; values are left out where no source could confirm them. Sources are listed on our credits page.
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