The Perfect Budget Airplane Piper Tomahawk

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For those who are interested in flying, and can afford $20k - $30k to buy their own airplane, the Piper Tomahawk is a great option to start. This is one of my favorite trainer/personal aircraft. It has a similar look with the DA40 with the T-Tail. As far as training aircrafts, Tomahawks rarely ends up in the conversation. That's because of the stigma that surrounds it with the stall characteristics and difficulty to recover from a spin. Best antidote to this? don't stall any airplane you fly.

The Piper Tomahawk featured in this video is well kept 1979 model with new Garmin avionics. So it's fully loaded with IFR equipment.

Piper PA-38 Tomahawk Specs:
Capacity: 2 People
Engine: Lycoming 112 HP
Range: 500 Miles
Speed: 110 mph
Price: $20k - $30k

[PeteLehmann]

I didn't read all the comments, so this may have already been addressed. The 125HP upgrade is not an O-320 engine. It's an STC modification of the stock Lycoming O-235 which involves a change of the prop, the cylinders, and then timing of the ignition (25° behind TDC as opposed to 20°). The changes all simply allow the engine to run safely at 2, 800 RPM to achieve that increase in power, which actually does make a heck of a difference.

Other than that, FANTASTIC video highlighting one of the most underrated trainer/ commuter aircraft on the market!

[flybouy]

As an instructor in the the Tomahawk it worked fine after the stall strips were added to the front of wings.

[classinstructor]

Also sooo much shoulder space!, One of The best throttle quadrants too. And The manual flaps.

[flyguy]

I did most of my training in a Tomahawk. I practiced spins and never had any issues with recovery. Big doors. Lots of glass great visibility. Cheap operating cost. Fun to fly!!

[jhmcglynn]

I also did my basic in a Tomahawk in 1990. A couple of cons; check the ADs. I saw another report that mentioned several reoccurring 100 hour ADs. My school had two, one dropped the left wing on the stall, the other dropped the right wing. My instructor got really upset when I tried to raise the wing with an aileron which could lead to a spin. The good news is that it taught proper stall recovery technique. Nice panel

[johnfield]

I can’t believe this plane has the stigma it has. I learned to fly in one of these. Actually this year I flew one after 33 years. I did my initial spin check also in a tomahawk as a student pilot in Australia.These planes are not would be like putting a pilot into a tail dragger without training. Or a cirrus for that matter. Very docile in a spin and easy recovery even from a flat spin.

[Tornadotom]

I’ve flown over 170hrs in a tomahawk in the past year and absolutely love it as a trainer and day tripper

[marc-andremuller]

What a meticulously kept and beautifully updated airplane; it looks better than new. My tomahawk on the other hand looks every one of it’s 40 years; the only thing these two planes have in common; they are currently missing their interior panels - there’s always something to update and perfect! I absolutely love the tomahawk! it flies amazingly well! lands like on rails; big doors; roomy interior; it’s a dream

[Spec]

My discovery flight was a Grumman. The next 200 hours hours were all Tomahawks and/or Sparrowhawks. That was back in 2005. I thoroughly enjoy flying PA38s. Years ago, yep. . .it had a bad rap. Smart people resolved that quickly making it, for me, the best trainer for the price. I will admit. . .I did have a few "hefty" CFIs that truly couldn't fit into a 150/152 without pinning my elbows into my side. Twas NEVER a problem with a Tomahawk. So much nostalgia with this bird. I've serious considerations towards re-doing one even today for the family.

[stevebrough]

I learned to fly in the Piper Tomahawk. I got my private license in this same plane in 1979 at Torrance Airport, now known as Zamperini Field.

[masheldon]

I did a lot of my training in the Tomahawk (and a fair amount in the DA-20 --- also a great plane). You are so on the money with the ergonomics and the space! When I got my license, my wife and I could put a picnic basket and beach towels (maybe a small backpack for overnight) in the back, and take off for Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, or Maine. Not a huge useful load, but enough for us. Not as stylish or responsive as the Diamond, but much more roomy and comfortable and easy to fly. The other nice thing is the trim was pretty good: 70 kts was kind of everything, Vy, best glide, approach (if I'm remembering), and if it was trimmed up and you did a go-around, power in, forward pressure on the yoke for a bit, and then it would find that speed again in the climb. No fussing around. Thanks for the trip down memory lane!

[gambog]

I took flying lessons in the piper in the 90's, felt like a proper plane with the lever throttle as opposed to the pull push cessna's. Did my solo in it but alas gave up after that, couldn't handle the radio work lol..Best 17hrs of my life..

[downwinddemon]

Fantastic airplane! I got my PPL in the Tomahawk this year, and this review hit all the best parts of the hawk! The visibility is amazing, tons of room, well-layed out flightdeck, and the iconic T-tail! The Tomahawk does have a more aggressive break during stalls than other aircraft, but this helps teach proper stall recovery technique and rudder coordination just as Piper intended. Instrument rating coming soon!

[KevinWBRY]

I am doing my private pilot in the Piper Tomahawk. I love it. Just soloed in it. I would like to have one of these to build time in!

[bretts]

I started my privates lic in a Tomahawk in 1979.: Was an easy fun plane to fly.
We did so many practice stalls. Had a lady instructor that flew in WW2 .

She slap her pencil on my hand when I first started I hand the yoke gripped so tight.

Was fun days of flying. Even had to do spins recovery’s as part of training. I was 17 and loved it.
My favorite thing to do besides night flights was touch and gos with a strong crosswind.
Crab and slip landings were a blast.

[marksmith]

The very first plane I began taking my flying lessons in! Mark in Iowa.

[wrayjordan]

I took lessons in one back in the day. 6’-5” and fit fine. Spin recovery was my favorite lessons. Great little plane. Would love to have one.

[alunjones]

I remember learning to fly in the 80's on a Tomahawk out of Manchester airport (Ringway). I preferred it to the 150 for the simple reason that you never lost sight of what you were turning towards with it being a low wing.

[AmirFazadh]

Hey Mike, great review of one of the more unloved GA trainers out there. I did most of my training in one, only time I ever felt it was underpowered was doing short/softs on grass. It was extremely stable at cruise, stalls were not super fun, but I only got to incipient stall territory before my CFI took it. We did do a spin or two, but that NOISE!!! I looked back to see that beautiful T tail whipping around and got spooked. My CFI got 8 rotations out of it once! I did my long solo XC in it, and got back just in time, as the sea fog rolled in at my second stop, which was close to my training area. Super comfortable, great visibility for looking out for other a/c, I actually tuned one of my radios to a local AM station on my way along the coast and caught an inning of a ball game...good times. Keep 70 on final til you flare and it's all good. Someone else had the bottom fall out on them, let it get too slow over the numbers and the tail quit flying. Tough little beasties, too. Thought hard about going into debt to get one after I got my ticket, but life got in the way. THAT particular one is really awesomely nice!

[nh-ff]

I got my license back in 2003. Life happened, and I didn't have my first BFR... until a couple weeks ago. The plane I've been flying lately (a 1977 C172N) is one that I trained in 17 years ago, but its avionics have been upgraded pretty much exactly the same as this Tomahawk: A GTN 650, two G5s, and a GTX 345 transponder. Becoming proficient with them is something I'm very much looking forward to.