Piper PA-25 Pawnee / PA-36 Pawnee Brave

The Piper PA-25 Pawnee is a purpose-built agricultural aircraft designed by Fred Weick (also designer of the Ercoupe and Cessna 150 nosewheel layout) at Texas A&M as the AG-3, then refined at Piper's Vero Beach and Lock Haven facilities. Between 1959 and 1981 Piper built 5,167 Pawnees, making it the most successful dedicated ag plane of its generation. A follow-on design, the PA-36 Pawnee Brave, was built from 1973 to 1981 (938 Piper-built units) with a larger 30 or 38 cubic foot hopper, cantilever wing, and progressively more power (285 hp Continental Tiara, then 300 hp Lycoming IO-540, then 375 hp Lycoming IO-720). In 1988 Piper sold the PA-25 design rights and tooling to Latino Americana de Aviación in Argentina, and the PA-36 rights went to WTA Incorporated in 1981.

While the Pawnee was built for crop dusting, its second career has become equally important: it is the dominant glider tug in the United States. Soaring clubs favor the Pawnee because its 235-260 hp engine, low-drag airframe (once the spray gear is removed), massive rudder, and steep climb profile are ideal for dragging a loaded sailplane off the ground and up to release altitude quickly. A surplus ag Pawnee with a clapped-out airframe but a good engine remains the cheapest route to a capable towplane, and most glider operations in North America fly one. The Pawnee is also widely used for banner towing. It is a single-seat, steel-tube fuselage, fabric-covered taildragger with a high-set cockpit for visibility over the nose and hopper, and it has no interest at all in being a traveling airplane — it cruises slowly, has minimal range, and has no second seat for a passenger. See Cargo Hauling for the mission this aircraft defines.

Two certificates, not one, and they describe different configurations of the same airframe. FAA TCDS 2A8 (Normal category) governs the airplane as manufactured — ferry flight, glider tow, banner tow, ag gear removed or never installed. FAA TCDS 2A10 (Restricted category, CAR 8.10(b), "for the special purpose of agricultural operations") is a SEPARATE document that applies once sprayer or duster equipment is installed. The two share the same 2,900 lb maximum gross weight and the same airspeed limits (Vne 135 kt, Vno 108 kt, Va 104 kt, Vfe 95 kt, all CAS) for the -235 and -260 — what differs is the aft CG limit (2A8 to +90.3, 2A10 to +92.5) and, more consequentially, the ag equipment's own installed weight (32 lb duster, 52.5-58 lb sprayer, per 2A10 Equipment item 2), which the Normal-category ferry airplane does not carry. This page's stored frontmatter describes the Normal-category, Clean configuration — no ag gear installed — sourced from the Piper Pawnee C Owner's Handbook (Part No. 671030), Section III performance table.

The stored figures (PA-25-235, Clean): cruise 99 KTAS (114 mph) at 75% power, 14.0 gph, range 252 nm (290 mi), rate of climb 700 fpm, takeoff run 785 ft (1,350 ft over 50 ft), landing roll 850 ft, Vs0 (flap down, max gross) 53 kt. The same handbook page also publishes Sprayer-configuration (Restricted category, ag-loaded) figures for the same PA-25-235: cruise 105 mph (91 kt), 14.0 gph, range 270 mi (235 nm), rate of climb 630 fpm, takeoff run 800 ft (1,370 ft over 50 ft) — close to the Clean numbers because the sprayer gear is light relative to the airframe, unlike the fuel/hopper load it carries once working. Do not average the two: a buyer planning a ferry flight should use the Clean figures above; a buyer planning ag work should use the Sprayer figures here.

Two figures the handbook simply does not publish for the Clean configuration, and are left blank on this page rather than filled from the ag-loaded columns: best angle of climb speed (Vx) and service ceiling. Service ceiling is published for Duster (9,000 ft) and Sprayer (13,000 ft) but the relationship between the two is backwards from what installed weight predicts — the heavier Sprayer configuration shows the HIGHER ceiling — and is recorded as an unresolved anomaly in poh-pawnee-c-671030-2026-09-11.md rather than picked from.

Empty weight is not sourced from any primary document on this page. Neither certificate states one (CAR 3-era practice leaves it to each airplane's own weight-and-balance report), and the Owner's Handbook excerpt obtained is four pages of Section III only — Section VI (Weight and Balance) was not available. Three secondary readings found (Wikipedia citing Taylor's 1965 Jane's, flugzeuginfo.net, risingup.com) scatter from 1,288 to 1,576 lb, a 22% spread — too wide to trust under this catalogue's rule for filling a field from secondary agreement. empty_weight_lbs and the derived useful_load_lbs are left blank rather than guessed; see validator_exempt.

At high-altitude soaring sites in Colorado and New Mexico, operators strongly prefer the 260 hp or Brave-series airframes because the 235 hp model's published rate of climb (700 fpm Clean, 630 fpm Sprayer at sea level) falls off faster with density altitude than the higher-powered variants — this remains an operational generalization, not a sourced density-altitude figure.

Stall behavior is benign with flaps — 61 mph (53 kt) flap-down at max gross, matching both the table and the narrative text's "with agricultural equipment installed the flaps down stall speed is 61 MPH" — but the Pawnee must be flown with respect at low altitude. Weick intentionally designed the crashworthy cockpit (full steel rollover cage, shoulder harness from day one in 1959) because the mission required low, slow flight in rough air near obstacles.

On the PA-36 Pawnee Brave figures elsewhere on this page: the Brave is a different airplane from the PA-25 — cantilever wing, 4,400-4,800 lb gross, Continental Tiara or larger Lycomings — and is NOT covered by 2A8/2A10 at all. This research pass did not re-source the Brave; its figures below remain as they were (unsourced/legacy). See the confidence note for a flag on the Brave's own certificate citation.

The Pawnee's "payload-range" conversation is unusual because the payload is hopper contents, not passengers or bags.

• PA-25-235 Pawnee B/C/D: Empty weight is not sourced (see Performance Notes — secondary readings scatter 1,288-1,576 lb, a 22% spread) so a precise hopper-payload figure cannot be computed honestly. Using the unsourced midpoint only as an illustration (~1,430 lb) against 38 gal fuel (228 lb) and a 200 lb pilot leaves roughly 1,040 lb toward the 1,200 lb hopper rating with a reduced fuel load — directionally consistent with the placarded hopper limit, but this arithmetic should not be treated as a verified figure until an empty weight is sourced.
• Pawnee as glider tug: Removing the ag gear (32-58 lb per 2A10) further lightens an already-unsourced empty weight; full fuel (38 gal usable) gives roughly the endurance implied by the 14.0 gph Clean-configuration burn rate (about 2.7 hr) and allows back-to-back tow cycles with refueling every 8-12 launches depending on release altitude.
• PA-36 Brave 375: 2,465 lb empty, 4,800 lb gross, 86 gal (516 lb) fuel. Full fuel leaves approximately 1,819 lb for pilot + hopper, or nearly the full 2,200 lb hopper rating with a reduced 40-gal fuel load. Range is a real 393 nm at 118 KTAS in ferry configuration, which is meaningful for ag operators moving between fields or seasonal work.
• Cross-country ferry: Realistic ferry flights in a Pawnee 235 require planning 150 nm legs at most, dropping to 100 nm in headwinds. Pawnee Braves can plan 300 nm legs. Neither aircraft is a traveler, but ag operators do routinely ferry them across several states at the start and end of the season.

• Cargo hauling / specialty work (9/10): This is what the Pawnee is. 1,200 lb (PA-25) to 2,200 lb (Brave 375) hopper payload, built specifically to pick up and release useful loads repeatedly. See Cargo Hauling.
• Surveying (5/10): High cockpit visibility and slow flight make it theoretically usable for ag aerial mapping, but the lack of a second seat for an observer/operator limits it compared to a Cessna 172 or Maule.
• Backcountry (4/10): Tailwheel, big tires available, rugged gear, and good short-field numbers — but single seat, no baggage, no utility for camping or passengers. Ag pilots do use them on unimproved grass strips daily.
• Local fun flying (3/10): A retired Pawnee configured as a private glider tug or banner tow plane is a blast to fly if you enjoy taildragger handling, but with no second seat you cannot share it.
• Aerobatics (2/10): Not certified aerobatic; airframe is stressed for ag pull-ups but not inverted or snap maneuvers.
• Cross-country / business travel / training (1/10): Single seat eliminates training and travel entirely; 99 KTAS and roughly 250 nm range eliminate any cross-country ambition.

The Pawnee lives in a VFR-day-only world. A typical panel is one nav/comm (often still a King KX-155 or KY-97A), a transponder with Mode C or ADS-B Out, intercom for tow communications, and the legally required minimum instruments. Ag Pawnees add GPS-based guidance systems (Satloc, AgNav) wired to the panel for spray work; glider tugs add a tow release cable actuator, a mirror, and sometimes a VHF radio tuned to glider-operation frequency 123.3/123.5.

ADS-B Out compliance for ag operators is typically a uAvionix tailBeacon ($2,000-$2,500 installed) or a Garmin GTX 335 replacing the older transponder ($4,500-$5,500 installed). IFR certification is not useful and almost never installed. See Avionics Pricing Reference for installation norms.

• Engine upgrades: STCs exist to install the O-540-G1A5 (260 hp) and the parallel-valve IO-540 (260-300 hp) in 235 hp Pawnees. The 260 conversion is the most common and is prized by high-altitude glider operations.
• Wing leading edge cuffs / VG kits: Micro Aerodynamics vortex generator kit lowers stall speed and improves low-speed aileron authority (useful for ag turns); installation around $3,500-$5,000.
• Tundra tires / Scott 3200 tailwheel: Common on grass-strip Pawnees.
• Removal of spray/dust system for glider tow or banner tow: Not an STC per se but requires a weight-and-balance revision and paperwork to reflect the de-ag'd configuration.
• Gippsland PA-25-235/A9 "Fatman": Australian STC allowing gross weight increase and airframe life extension; widely adopted outside the US.
• Canopy modifications, climate control, and seat cushion upgrades: Quality-of-life STCs for operators who fly 8-hour ag days.

The Pawnee benefits from Piper's steel-tube-and-fabric simplicity: anything a Super Cub or PA-22 mechanic has seen will feel familiar. A&Ps with tailwheel and fabric experience are common in agricultural communities and at soaring clubs. See Maintenance Ecosystem.

• Parts availability: Good. Univair, Wag-Aero, and Piper itself still support common Pawnee parts. Latino Americana de Aviación (Argentina) holds the current type certificate and produces some spares. The Pawnee Brave (especially the Tiara-engined 285) is the exception — parts support is notably thinner.
• Engine overhaul: Lycoming O-540-B2B5/G1A5 overhauls run $35,000-$42,000 at a reputable shop. The IO-720 on the Brave 375 is $55,000-$75,000 and has fewer shops that will touch it.
• Fabric recover cycle: Every 15-25 years depending on hangar vs outside storage and chemical exposure. Expect $25,000-$45,000 for a full Ceconite/Poly-Fiber recover including strip, inspect, repair, cover, and paint.
• Annual inspection: Clean private-use Pawnee $1,500-$2,500. Working ag Pawnee $3,500-$6,000 due to chemical corrosion inspection burden, hopper certification, and spray system maintenance.
• Expensive items: Wing spar and fitting replacement, landing gear attach fittings, tailwheel assembly rebuild, hopper tank repair or replacement, propeller overhaul (constant-speed models).
• Typical annual operating cost (non-ag): $8,000-$12,000 including fuel for a glider club operation flying 200-300 tows a year. Ag operations run $25,000-$60,000+ annually depending on hours and chemical exposure.

Pawnee pricing is almost entirely a function of engine time, airframe/fabric condition, and whether the aircraft is currently in ag work or has been converted to glider tow. Refer to Aircraft Valuation Methodology for the engine/avionics/airframe breakdown framework.

Stored price_min_usd/price_max_usd/price_typical_usd ($35,000 / $120,000 / $65,000) are MARKET ASKING, not a considered value — no Vref or Aircraft Bluebook subscription is available on this machine. Source: AeroGurus.com's aggregated Piper Pawnee listings, retrieved 2026-09-11, only 2 of 4 active listings actually priced (a 1971 project at $49,900 in Canada, a 1964 at $65,000 in Israel), reference band $35,000-$120,000. This is a thin, non-US-weighted sample — Barnstormers showed zero complete PA-25 listings the same day, and Controller.com/GlobalAir/Trade-A-Plane could not be read directly. Asking is not selling; treat this band as soft. See market-pawnee-aerogurus-2026-09-11.md.

• PA-25-150 (150 hp): $30,000-$50,000. Underpowered for modern glider towing; mostly used for banner tow or light spraying.
• PA-25-235 Pawnee B/C (235 hp): $45,000-$80,000 depending on SMOH, fabric age, and hopper vs glider-tow configuration. This is the sweet spot for soaring clubs.
• PA-25-260 Pawnee D: $60,000-$95,000. The 260 hp premium is real at high-altitude sites; can push $100K+ with fresh fabric and low-time engine.
• PA-36 Pawnee Brave 285 (Tiara): Heavily discounted ($40,000-$70,000) because of Tiara engine support problems.
• PA-36 Brave 300: $70,000-$130,000, favored by working ag operators.
• PA-36 Brave 375: $90,000-$180,000; the most capable and also the most expensive to operate.

Key value drivers: time since fabric recover (Ceconite/Poly-Fiber jobs are $25,000-$45,000 labor at a qualified shop), engine SMOH on the O-540 ($47,500–$56,500 overhaul) or IO-720 ($55,000-$75,000), hopper and spray system condition if still in ag work, and documented corrosion-free steel tube fuselage. A fresh-cover, mid-time Pawnee 235 commands a 30-50% premium over a tired-looking example with the same hours.

• AD 87-02-08 and follow-on actions on the early PA-25 fuselage fuel tank: NTSB recommended retrofitting a rubber bladder to replace the original fiberglass tank, which had been linked to post-crash fires. Most surviving early airframes have been retrofitted or had the D-model wing-tank conversion applied.
• Wing spar and fitting inspections: Repeated ADs target wing attach fittings and spar corrosion on airframes with heavy ag usage, particularly those operated in humid or corrosive (seawater, fertilizer) environments.
• Control cable corrosion and fairlead wear from chemical exposure.
• Tailwheel spring and attach points — ag pilots land on rough strips thousands of times, and the tailwheel assembly is a recurring inspection item.
• Steel-tube fuselage corrosion under the fabric near the hopper drain and battery box is a classic pre-buy finding; requires borescope or fabric removal to inspect properly.
• Tiara 6-285 support (PA-36-285 only): The Continental Tiara is effectively an orphan engine with minimal parts and almost no shop support. Buyers strongly prefer Brave 300 or Brave 375 airframes for this reason.
• IO-720 parts and overhaul costs (Brave 375): The Lycoming IO-720 is the largest flat engine ever certified and is rare outside the Brave and Aero Commander 400 fleet. Overhaul runs $55,000-$75,000.

The Pawnee is underwritten as an agricultural or special-use taildragger, not as a general aviation personal aircraft, and insurance behaves very differently as a result. See GA Insurance Underwriting.

• Commercial ag operations: Hull and liability are written by specialty ag markets (Starr, Old Republic Aerospace, ag-specific programs). Annual premiums are workload-dependent and commonly range from $8,000 to $20,000+ for working ag Pawnees carrying chemical-liability endorsements.
• Glider club tow operations: Typically covered under the club's soaring insurance (SSA-endorsed Costello/Falcon programs). Adding a Pawnee to a club policy runs roughly $2,500-$5,000 per year for hull and liability, depending on hull value and named-pilot experience.
• Private owner (banner tow or recreational): $3,500-$6,000/year, heavily dependent on tailwheel time and low-level maneuvering experience.
• Underwriting quirks: Insurers require documented tailwheel time (usually 100+ hours), a checkout in type, and for ag/tow work they require documented operational history and often chemical handling credentials.