PIPER PA-42 CHEYENNE (400LS)

• Passengers 7

Developed from the Cheyenne I, II and III, the Piper PA-42 Cheyenne 400LS is a seven-passenger turboprop built to compete against the popular Citation I.

About this aircraft

• The PA-42-1000 Cheyenne IV was certified in 1984 and quickly became known as the PA-42 Cheyenne 400LS as it could fly faster than 400 mph.
• The Cheyenne 400LS is typically configured for up to seven passengers. A further passenger can be seated in the cockpit with a single pilot if the aircraft is owned, but this option isn’t available for charters.
• Depending on passenger numbers, the Cheyenne 400LS can fly nonstop from London to Cannes or New York to Atlanta.
• Production of the Cheyenne 400LS ceased in 1991.

Often overlooked, despite being faster than a Citation I and able to carry eight passengers further than a King Air 200, the Piper Cheyenne 400LS is an ideal charter option for both business and leisure.

Interior design

The cabin is typically configured to seat seven passengers, with a four-seat club arrangement and three additional seats in the rear.

Below is a typical layout found on a Piper PA-42 Cheyenne 400LS.

Interesting facts to learn before you fly

• The 400LS made aviation history on 16 April 1985, setting two new time-to-climb records for its class (C-1e Group 2, 3000m and 9,000m) and shattering two time-to-climb records for all turboprops (6,000m and 12,000m).

Technological features

The Piper Cheyenne 400LS is powered by two Honeywell TPE 331-14 engines with 1,000 shaft horsepower each. The original aircraft featured Collins Aerospace avionics such as the FCB 65 five-tube electronic flight instrument system, FCB 65 flight director, and APS 65 autopilot system. Some aircraft have been retrofitted with newer systems.

History

The Piper PA-42 Cheyenne 400LS has its origins in the PA-31T Cheyennes I and II. A larger derivative, the PA-42 Cheyenne, was created in 1979. The Cheyenne III followed in 1980 with a PT6A-41 turboprop engine.

Wanting to develop an aircraft that could compete with the Cessna Citation I, Piper stayed away from a clean-sheet design and instead updated the Cheyenne III with Honeywell TPE331 engines. The PA-42-1000 Cheyenne IV received certification in 1984 and deliveries began soon after, with Piper quickly renaming it the Cheyenne 400LS for its ability to fly faster than 400 mph. Production continued until 1991.

Manufacturer

Piper Aircraft began as Taylor Brothers Aircraft Manufacturing Company, founded by Clarence and Gordon Taylor in 1927. After going bankrupt, the business was bought by engineer William Piper and renamed the Piper Aircraft Corporation in 1937.

Piper went from strength to strength and was later sold to the Bangor Punta Corporation. In 1972, the company opened a factory in Florida after a hurricane flooded its Pennsylvania site, destroying about 100 aircraft and causing an estimated $23 million in damage.

Increasing insurance premiums caused sales of American light aircraft to slump in the mid-1980s, leading Piper to file for bankruptcy again. The company later relaunched, partnering with Honda in 2006 to market the HA-420 HondaJet. Today, Piper is owned by the Brunei government and based at Florida’s Vero Beach Regional Airport.

Cost

Depending on factors like age and condition, the price for a used Piper PA-42 Cheyenne 400 is approximately $1.3 million (USD).

Charter rates

Charter rates for the Piper PA-42 Cheyenne 400LS vary depending on the length of your journey and the airports you’re flying in and out of.

If you’d like to charter a Piper PA-42 Cheyenne 400LS, contact our team for a quote today. For information on other charter options, browse our list of available private aircraft.

Wet lease rates

ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, Insurance) wet lease rates for the Piper PA-42 Cheyenne 400LS vary depending on the age of the aircraft, lease term length, number of guaranteed block hours and average cycle ratio. Contact us for a personalised quote.