Photograph:
Piper PA-14 Family Cruiser ZK-BZL as ZS-BZL when it operated in South Africa (NZCIVAIR)
Country of origin:
United States of America
Description:
Four-seat light touring cabin monoplane
Power Plant:
One 86 kw (115 hp) Lycoming O-235-C1 four-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 10.82 m (35 ft 6 in)
- Length: 7.06 m (23 ft 2 in)
- Height: 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in)
- Wing area: 16.66 m² (179.33 sq ft)
- Max speed: 198 km/h (123 mph)
- Cruising speed at 80% power at 457 m (1,500 ft): 178 km/h (111 mph)
- Stalling speed no flaps: 74 km/h (46 mph)
- Landing speed with flaps: 71 km/h (44 mph)
- Rate of climb at sea level: 175 m/min (575 ft/min)
- Service ceiling: 3,658 m (12,000 ft)
- Fuel capacity: 132 litres (29 Imp gals)
- Cruising range at 80% power at 457 m (1,500 ft): 805 km (500 miles)
- Empty weight: 454 kg (1,000 lb)
- Useful load: 386 kg (850 lb)
- Payload with 57 litres (12.48 Imp gals) of fuel: 263 kg (580 lb)
- Baggage allowance: 36 kg (80 lb)
- Loaded weight: 839 kg (1,850 lb)
History:
In the late 1940s Piper Aircraft Corp at Lock Haven, Pennsylvania was looking at producing a four-seat high-wing monoplane along the lines of the PA-12 Super Cruiser and it became known as the PA-14 Family Cruiser, this being achieved by widening the fuselage by 10.16 cm (4 in). It was offered to the market in 1947. First flight was made on 21 March 1947. At that time Piper was suffering from a downturn in the market but production commenced in April 1948, Certification ATC-797 being issued on 26 August 1948.
Power was provided by the Lycoming O-235-C1 engine which provided 80 kw (105 hp) continuous power, and 86 kw (115 hp) for take-off, driving a Sensenich propeller, the engine being fitted with an electric starter. The wing was a two-spar all-metal framework fitted with slotted flaps. The fuselage was of welded steel and was fabric covered. Fuel was carried in two fuel tanks in the wing roots. The aircraft had a fixed tailwheel undercarriage and could be fitted with skis or floats.
Examples were sold in Europe and South Africa. The model became popular for work in Alaska, USA. First example of the series imported to this part of the world and registered became ZK-BZL² (c/n 14-132 – ex ZS-BZL) to Argus Helicopters Ltd of Motueka, NZ in August 2018.