Comanche 180

The Piper PA-24-180 is the entry-level, four-cylinder member of the Comanche family -- the model FAA TCDS 1A15 lists simply as "PA-24," approved June 20, 1957 and put into production in 1958 alongside the six-cylinder 250. Where the 250/260 use the six-cylinder Lycoming O-540, the 180 uses the smaller four-cylinder O-360-A1A, and the certificate gives it a materially lower gross weight (2,550 lb against the 250/260's 2,900-3,200 lb) and a different useful-load and speed class entirely. This page exists because those differences cross the splitting rule's Step 2 thresholds against the rest of the family -- see the main Comanche 250/260 page for the split reasoning.

The 180 was the original, most affordable way into a Comanche: the same laminar-flow wing, retractable gear and roomy cabin as its bigger siblings, at a lower price and a more modest fuel burn. It gave up 70-80 hp and a meaningful chunk of useful load and cruise speed in exchange. Piper discontinued the 180 hp option in 1964, after which the Comanche line was six-cylinder only through the 260 and eight-cylinder for the rare 400.

Source: The Piper Comanche Airplane Owner's Handbook, Piper No. 753 570, PA-24 180 column (see data/vault/raw/poh/pohaoh753570-pa24-180-250-2026-09-08.md). At 75% power and sea level, the AOH's own figure is 130 KTAS burning 10 GPH, giving a published range of 652 nm on standard fuel. A second 75%-power row exists at an unstated "optimum altitude" (160 mph = 139 kt) but since the AOH does not print which altitude that is, this page does not use it as the reference (runbook rule 3's "leave the altitude out if the source does not state it" does not apply cleanly here since a NUMBER is given without its condition -- so the safer choice is the fully-specified sea-level row).

Fuel capacity is a genuine gap on this page (see validator_exempt): the certificate states 60 gallons total with no unusable-fuel breakdown for this specific model, and the AOH's own "Standard 50 / With Reserve 60" pair does not reconcile with the certificate's single figure. A buyer should confirm actual usable fuel against the specific airplane's POH supplement or a fuel-totalizer calibration rather than plan against a number this page cannot responsibly publish.

Climb (910 fpm at sea level) and takeoff/landing ground rolls (750 ft / 600 ft) are all sourced, but this AOH's spec table -- unlike the later 260C AOH -- does not print over-50-ft obstacle distances or a best-angle-of-climb (Vx) speed for the 180/250 columns; both are exempted rather than estimated.

Because this page cannot responsibly state a usable-fuel figure (see the confidence note), payload-range planning here is necessarily qualitative rather than a worked fuel/payload table like the 250/260 page's. A buyer should get the specific airplane's actual W&B and fuel system supplement before planning a mission.

Cross-Country (8/10): A genuine 4-seat, retractable, 130-knot traveling machine at a meaningfully lower fuel burn than the 250/260 -- the practical case for choosing the 180 over its bigger siblings.

Business Travel (7/10): Respectable speed and IFR-capable panel space, at the lowest acquisition and operating cost in the Comanche line.

Cargo Hauling (5/10): 1,040 lb useful load is solid for a 4-seat retractable of this era, though well short of the 250/260's 1,270-1,427 lb.

Local Fun (6/10): Pleasant handling from the same airframe as its faster siblings, without the fuel bill.

Flight Training (3/10): Complex (retractable gear, constant-speed prop) -- usable only for complex/high-performance-adjacent training, not primary instruction.

Backcountry (2/10): Retractable gear and a low-wing laminar airfoil are a poor match for unimproved strips.

Aerobatics (1/10): Normal category only.

Surveying (4/10): Low wing hurts downward visibility; no survey-specific equipment is common on this type.

Shares the Comanche family's wide panel and the same avionics STC base as the 250/260 -- Garmin GTN/GNS series, G500 TXi, and GFC 500 (certified for the PA-24-180 as well as the 250/260/260C) are all common upgrades. See the main Comanche page's Avionics Ecosystem section for the full breakdown; nothing about the 180's panel is materially different.

The most consequential modification on this specific variant is the engine upgrade path: a documented STC exists to bring a PA-24-180 up to the Lycoming O-540 (250 hp), effectively converting it into a 250 -- a common move for owners who bought a cheap 180 airframe and wanted 250-class performance. Otherwise the airframe shares the 250/260's modification ecosystem (speed mods, gear door seals, LED lighting) -- see the main Comanche page.

Parts and mechanic familiarity track the rest of the Comanche line -- the ICS type club, shared airframe parts with the 250/260, and widely available Lycoming O-360 parts and service. The O-360 itself is one of the most common Lycoming engines ever built, so engine-specific parts and shop familiarity are, if anything, easier to find than for the 250/260's O-540/IO-540.

The 180 consistently sells for less than a comparable 250 or 260 -- less horsepower, less useful load, and a smaller pool of buyers who specifically want the four-cylinder model. It is the value entry point into Comanche ownership: same airframe, same type-club support, same cabin, at a real discount. Buyers planning to fly mostly solo or with one passenger, at lower fuel cost, are the natural market; buyers who need to regularly fill four seats with baggage are better served by a 250/260.

Shares the Comanche family's AD list -- stabilator inspections, wing spar attach-point inspections, and the electro-mechanical landing gear's routine maintenance items apply equally to the 180. See the main Comanche 250/260 page for the full AD and pre-buy discussion; nothing in the certificate or the AOH suggests the 180 has a different AD exposure than its siblings.

Falls into a complex/retractable category but below the FAA's 200 hp "high performance" line the 250/260 sit in -- typically a modest discount against the 260's premiums for a comparably experienced pilot. See GA Insurance Underwriting for category detail.