Photograph:
Piper PA-20 Pacer VH-TPH (c/n 20-1103) at Wangaratta, VIC in June 1985 (David C Eyre)
Country of origin:
United States of America
Description:
Light single-engine cabin monoplane
Power Plant:
One 101 kw (135 hp) Lycoming O-290-D2 four-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 8.94 m (29 ft 4 in)
- Length: 6.2 m (20 ft 5 in)
- Height: 1.9 m (6 ft 2½ in)
- Wing area: 13.7 m² (147.5 sq ft)
- Max speed: 224 km/h (139 mph)
- Cruising speed: 201 km/h (125 mph)
- Stalling speed: 77 km/h (48 mph)
- Rate of climb: 189 m/min (620 ft/min)
- Service ceiling: 4,572 m (15,000 ft)
- Range: 933 km (580 miles)
- Take-off to 15 m (50 ft): 460 m (1,509 ft)
- Landing from 15 m (50 ft): 390 m (1,280 ft)
- Fuel capacity: 136 litres (30 Imp gals)
- Empty weight: 458 kg (1,010 lb)
- Useful load: 435 kg (958 lb)
- Loaded weight: 884 kg (1,950 lb)
History:
The Piper PA-20 Pacer, introduced to the market in 1949, was a development of the PA-16 Clipper, which was in turn a development of the PA-15 Vagabond. The PA-16 was fitted with an 86 kw (115 hp) Lycoming four-cylinder engine. In 1950 the Pacer was re-designed to have a larger tail, larger fuel tanks to increase fuel capacity, wheel controls rather than the normal stick which had been fitted up to that time, and balanced elevators. The prototype N7000K (c/n 20-01) was completed and flown on 13 July 1949 fitted with a Lycoming O-235-C1 engine, the second aircraft built N7100K (c/n 20-1) having a Lycoming O-290-D engine, being first flown on 4 October 1949.
Type Certificate 1A4 was issued on 21 December 1949 and the first production aircraft N6901K (c/n 20-3) was delivered in January 1950. Subsequently Max Conrad, an American-based ferry pilot, flew N7330K (c/n 20-231) from Minneapolis in Minnesota to Rome in Italy and back in September 1950. In 1951 he flew across the United States in 23 hours. In 1952 he flew across the Atlantic and returned. At one stage a six-cylinder Continental C-145 engine was installed but production aircraft remained with the Lycoming.
From 1950 it was produced in two versions, fitted with either the 85 kw (115 hp) Lycoming engine, or a 93 kw (125 hp) Lycoming, and from 1952 until production ceased in 1954, the 93 kw (125 hp) and 101 kw (135 hp) Lycoming O-290-D2 engines were installed. In 1953 the new model had a widened fuselage which increased the size of the baggage compartment. All Pacers were built at Lock Haven in Pennsylvania and a total of 1,120 was completed.
Subsequently, the Pacer was replaced on the production line by the similar Piper PA-22 Tri-Pacer, which was basically a re-designed Pacer fitted with a tricycle undercarriage. In recent years a number of Tri-Pacers have been converted to tailwheel undercarriage, and in appearance are very similar to the Pacer. Others have been fitted with a 112 kw (150 hp) Lycoming O-320-A2B engine.
A number of Pacers have been registered in this region over the years. At one stage a New Zealand Tri-Pacer ZK-BSI (c/n 22-7354) was fitted with a tailwheel via a conversion kit. A number of examples are registered in Australia, one VH-AMA (c/n 20-1103 – ex JZ-PTB, N8133C) being fitted with floats for some years, later having its registration changed to VH-TPH. It was used for a period to spot prawns in northern Queensland for the CSIRO. It is still extant but has had the floats removed.