Country of origin:

United States of America

Description:

Single-seat agricultural monoplane

Power Plant:

One 280 kw (375 hp) Avco Lycoming IO-720-D1CD eight-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine

Specifications:

History:

The PA-36 series of agricultural monoplanes appeared in 1971.  Originally announced as the Pawnee II, it was in fact a completely new design, being much larger than the PA-25 Pawnee, of which about 4,200 had been built. A survey was made by the Research & Development Centre at Piper’s facility at Vero Beach, Florida, of the operational record of Pawnees and, following this, the new design evolved.  The fuselage structure used heli-arc-welded chromium molybdenum steel tube graded in strength to provide energy absorption and progressive collapse. Polyurethane coating was applied to the entire airframe, stainless steel cables and other moving parts, along with internal oiling of lower truss planes against the corrosive effects of insecticides.

Safety provisions included the use of a totally isolated cockpit capsule sealed against the intrusion of toxic chemicals, and arranged so that the pilot was well clear of main structural members. Two hopper sizes were available, 0.95 m³ (30 cub ft) and 1.07 m³ (38 cub ft). Spraying equipment with a wind-driven spray pump was also available. To reduce fire risk, the fuel tanks were located in the wing roots and were filled with polyurethane safety foam, or Safom. It was offered with a choice of high, medium and low volume dispersal systems for liquid and dry materials.

The first Pawnee Braves built were powered by a 213 kw (285 hp) Teledyne Continental 6-285A six-cylinder engine, being the first agricultural aeroplane to use the new series of Teledyne Continental Tiara engines driving a Hartzell two-blade controllable pitch propeller, the 6-285 engine having a 2:1 gear ratio which permitted the use of a large slow-turning propeller to reduce the noise level.

By 1979 two basic versions were available, the model with the Teledyne Continental engine being deleted and replaced by the Brave 300 with a 224 kw (300 hp) Avco Lycoming IO-540-K1G5 engine driving a Hartzell two-blade propeller, with a three-blade propeller as an option. Later the Pawnee Brave 375 was added to the range, with the more powerful eight-cylinder engine. Maximum hopper load was 862 kg (1,900 lb). In more recent years the type has just been known as the Piper Brave.

No examples appear on the New Zealand register now but a number were registered there from 1977, all having been exported by 1986 due to a downturn in the industry and lack of work. These aircraft included: ZK-EIA (c/n 36-7760009) registered in May 1977 and exported to Australia where it became VH-FEX in October 1984; ZK-EIG (c/n 36-7802009) registered in June 1978 and exported to Australia in August 1984 as VH-XAV; and ZK-EIH(c/n 36-7802029) registered in August 1978 and destroyed by fire at Rotorua in March 1981.

ZK-EII (c/n 36-7802054) was registered in December 1978 and cancelled in September 1982; ZK-EIJ (c/n 36-780255) was registered in December 1978 and exported as VH-JND in July 1984; ZK-EIN (c/n 36-7802056) was registered in January 1970 and cancelled in July 1982; ZK-EIQ (c/n 36-7802057) was registered in January 1979 and cancelled in July 1982; ZK-EIW (c/n 36-790200) was registered in May 1979 and exported as VH-BOZ in March 1986; and ZK-EIZ (c/n 36-7902017) was registered in June 1979 and exported as VH-PXZ in 1984.

More than 40 examples have been registered in Australia. At one stage a fleet of seven was operated in the Wee Waa, NSW, area on spraying crops, including cotton. A few examples have been converted to turbine power, including VH-TVU (c/n 36-7760088), VH-PTV (c/n 36-7660005) and VH-BOV (c/n – 36-7802954 – ex ZK-EII), in northern New South Wales and Queensland.  Operators of the type in Australia have included Eyreial Ag Services of Port Lincoln, SA; Kevin Smith of Coffs Harbour, NSW; Yorke Air of Gilberton, SA; Nicholson’s Air Service of Wee Waa, NSW; Lauren Munro of Forbes, NSW; Griffith Agricultural Aviation, NSW; Blanch’s Aerial Agriculture, and Tapps Aviation of Murwillumbah, NSW.

The marketing rights for the Brave were sold to WTA Inc of Lubbock, Texas and the aircraft were subsequently built by Piper for WTA. The latter company marketed it as the WTA (Piper) PA-36 New Brave in two models, the New Brave 375 with a 280 kw (375 hp) Avco Lycoming IO-720-D1C eight-cylinder engine and the New Brave 400 with the 298 kw (400 hp) variant of the same engine.