History:

In 1981 Piper Aircraft sold the rights to the PA-36 type to WTA based in Texas which Company thereafter marketed two variants from 1982, these being the PA-36-375 New Brave and the PA-36-400 New Brave with 280 kw (375 hp) and 298 kw (400 hp) engines. By 1987 it had completed 150 further aircraft, adding to the 4,400 Pawnees produced by Piper between 1957 and 1972.

Later companies such as Turbines Inc and G & G Mills in the United States developed a variant of the Pawnee Brave by replacing the original piston engine with a 410 kw (550 shp) turbine.  Part of the conversion included instrument markings to indicate the max power setting for the engine so the pilot would not exceed the 280 kw (375 shp) limit of the aircraft.  G & G obtained FAA approval by way of a Supplemental Type Certificate to carry out the modification commercially and a number of conversions were made, one becoming known as the PA-36-400 Super Brave. The aircraft carried 1,040 litres (229 Imp gals) of liquid, or 1,000 kg (2,200 lb) of dry chemicals.

A couple of examples were modified in Australia to take 410 kw (550 shp) Pratt & Whitney PT-6A-20 turboprops. Aircraft converted included VH-TVU (c/n 367760088) which had been built as a PA-36-300. This aircraft was converted at Coffs Harbour, NSW and made its first flight on 7 December 1995.  It was later sold to Thompson’s at Griffith, NSW and later went to Western Australia where it operated with South West Aerial Services of Katanning.  In 2011 it was operating with Neit Pty Ltd of Jerilderie, NSW.

Second aircraft converted was VH-BOV (c/n 36-7802054 – ex ZK-EII) which was built as a PA-36-375.  Using a G & G Mills conversion kit, the work was carried out by Blanch’s Air Maintenance at Tully, QLD and it made its first flight on 8 July 1994.  It later went to Peak Aviation Services.  The registration was cancelled on 1 April 2009 and the aircraft was exported to the United States as N399SD. In 2010 it went to Argentina as LV-CEF.

Third conversion was VH-PTV (c/n 367660005) which was built as a PA-36-285. It was also converted by Blanch’s Air Maintenance using a G & G Mills conversion kit, making its first flight on 18 March 1998 and being registered to Mary Blanch of Tully, QLD. It was still operating in 2013 before being exported to the USA in March that year.