Airtest – Piper Dakota

The Dakota is actually the product of the Pathfinder’s passing; when Piper introduced the 1978 range they dropped the then Pathfinder. Not many people were surprised – the Pathfinder’s sales record had always been second to Cessna’s Skylane, reason unknown unless it was partly due to that fat Piper wing which aesthetically set nobody alight.

Now comes the Dakota, so close to many of the 182s numbers that in many cases it doesn’t make a tittle of difference. In some cases, such as useful load (1366lbs) and rate of climb (1110fpm), it outperforms the Skylane.

The Dakota has a number of already-proven features taken from other braves and squaws in the dear-departed Cherokee tribe – dear-departed in name only, thank Heaven:

• The Warrior’s semi-tapered slimline NACA 652-415 wing now sits very nicely thank you on the Dakota.

• While on wings, the old Pathfinder wing has been stretched from a 32ft span to the current Dakota 35ft – but taper evens out the wing area to an even Steven 170sq ft.

Among the most significant changes from the older Pathfinder is in the engine – a six-cylinder Lycoming 0-540- J3A5D; the Pathfinder was urged by an 8485. What that all means in English is that the Dakota’s engine turns slower for the same power, and therefore has been boosted in compression ratio – up to 8. 5:1, running on 100 octane. The Lycoming, developing 235hp at 2400rpm, turns a Hartzell twin-blade constant speed prop – and Hartzell really mean constant speed. During our evaluation there was minimal need to adjust rpm through that prop.

The specific type supplied by Ansett General Aviation for AADR’s evaluation was really a Piper PA 28-236; this, according to AGA’s Keith Robey, means it was a 235 with mods.

At rest, the aircraft looks just what it is; a sturdy, dependable and vicefree machine, capable of taking punishment, dishing virtually none out in return, and hauling a respectable load up to 810 nautical miles at one stride.

Piper’s laminar flow tapered wing was the first thing to catch the eye – and that wide, rugged and manly undercart, spatted like an American Eagle’s Disney caricature, ran a close second.

The Dakota’s 10ft wheel tread looked much, much wider than it really was. And during our evaluation, there was literally nothing to choose between Piper and Cessna soft-landings.

Structurally, the Dakota is as rugged as others in the Piper range; a steel engine mount hangs on the front end of a basically alloy airframe and semi-monocoque fuselage.

Entry and exit doors still number but one – starboard side, and there’s an adequate door covering the 200 lbs capacity luggage area aft. That one entry-exit door doesn’t seem to worry people as much as it did in days gone by – probably before ladies began wearing trousers for other things than jitterbugging.

Finish on our test aircraft was excellent. Pre-flighting meant a squat to test-drain each of the two wing-mounted 38. 5 galls/US tanks – but again, one goes for whatever one fancies – low or high wing – and does the usual expected thing.

Among items jotted down in our testpad were the beautifully cowled engine, really aerodynamically-proportioned wheel spats/speed pants/whatever they call th8m, and the yard-wide cabin door which really stayed open when the restraint strut was engaged. This copy trued out at $68,000, according to Keith. This Dakota sported many optional extras including an auto-pilot and was listed as an 1980 range model.

Stepping into the test aircraft, we looked round . . .

Comfort, thoughtfulness and downright pilot-orientation were apparent from first glance.

The cabin is airy, cheerfully bright and very well-ventilated. For the front seat people, a low coaming gives excellent visibility while topping a panel laid out by pilots, for pilots.

The panel is straightforward, with no concealed instruments unless purists among us nominate the EGT as the dial Most Well Hidden. Basic flight and nav instruments face the lefthand seat occupant, with temperature and pressure gauges plus fuel contents below in a neat line. Fuel selector control sits down by one’s left calf, easily got at without callisthenics.

I don’t know if it was because AADR was particularly hamfisted on evaluation day, but the throttle lever seemed close-set to the prop pitch control in this Dakota. A minor point, but I had to get to the pitch lever with finger and thumb, over the top of the throttle lever.

But as in all evaluations, one approaches an aircraft with a completely open mind, knowing that anything really bad will hit one between the eyes in short order – and nothing really did.

While eyeballing the accommodation, we found that all seats have three positions – normal, intermediate and recline – making the Dakota an ideal long-distance machine.

Cabin width, a shade under 42in, seems adequate enough for two average-size pilots.

The cockpit was moderately quiet after engine start, and stayed that way throughout our evaluation. True, it isn’t the quietest cabin we’ve been in, in a light single, but averages out at moderate.

The prop is exercised at 1500rpm at the holding point, mags at 2000. Flaps are operated via the usual Piper straight stick on the floor, and a notch at 0, 10, 25 and 40 degrees. Riding out to the holding point present zero sweat, thanks to relaxing air/oil struts.

Using the trade-plate callsign of Charlie India November, we lined up on 11 Centre at Bankstown for an immediate departure, with OAT (outside air temperature) indicating about +24C in a variable breeze.

Power application, even with only a twitch of right rudder trimmed in, presented negligible right-foot-forward exercises and gentle but firm back stick was fed in at Vr of about 65 knots indicated.

We let speed built up to about 87 after lift-off and then went into a raking climb to 1500ft while getting out of the circuit, the VSI topping 1100fpm. We were about 400lb under Max AUW, speed hovered between 87 and 90 knots and OAT was still a warmish +23C.

Book roc is 1110fpm at full power, full load, in ISA conditions.

Taking into account our power settings (about 23/2400) and the difference between ISA temperature and our actual mark, this 1100fpm indication proved to be yet another Piper understatement – typical of most Piper figures we’ve checked during our AADR evaluations.

And in retrospect, our take-off distance bettered the book’s 886ft by a handsome margin . . .

The weather was indifferent during our test, so we stayed at around the 3000ft mark for most manoeuvres, keeping a wary eye on a little Tomahawk pottering along sedately some thousand feet or so below.

Turns virtually co-ordinated themselves, all but tight turns needing little or no rudder input. Straight and level flight at what would be normal cruise (23/2400) with an outside air temperature of +20C produced an indicated airspeed of 134 knots – about 141 knots TAS, 75 per cent power, right on the button for max economy and a: whisker under for best power.

We had earlier hit max speed carded for gross weight – 148 knots while getting Charlie India November on the step.

And we hadn’t touched the 23/2400 settings. . .

There’s no doubt about it; this Dakota can certainly hike with enthusiasm, given the right treatment, and can obviously do anything the 182 can, as far as we could make out.

Stalls were accomplished without anything untoward happening. The stick had to be hauled back with some strength before the nose really dropped through cleanly. There was mild airframe buffet and a gentle pitch before a half-hearted break occurred. In both clean and dirty conditions, we got lower figures than the book – just above 60 indicated in clean condition (Manual figure is 65), and 52 in dirty mode (the book says 56 indicated). Sink rate was healthy up to 600fpm.

Cruise ranges? We obviously couldn’t try them but 65 per cent power should give you 710nm with 45min reserve. Economy at 6000ft, 55 per cent power, should stretch your legs (and imagination) to 810nm with reserves.

The glide figure, zero flap with 3000lbs in flight, is ideally 85 knots indicated.

We elected to make a full stop at Hoxton Park to disembark a photographer and arrived downwind at around the 90 knots mark. With flap extension speed carded at 102 knots, we had plenty in reserve and turned the corner onto the base at about 87 indicated, dropping first stage of flap. The second notch went in on finals at about 80 knots, and the final extension was made nearing short finals, bringing speed back to 70.

Our arrival over the fence was still a little “hot” and CIN floated, bouncing fractionally as it encountered ground effect. settling docilely enough after its induced enthusiasm. There was a light crosswind, but the fractional rudder coped with any side windage. Arriving at Bankstown after the Hoxton Park jaunt proved the point that prolonged acquaintance with the Dakota improves the pilot beyond any doubt.

The test aircraft was brought down the stairs exactly on book figures, and allowed to sink until being caught about six feet from terra firma with airspeed decaying comfortably towards the stall. The Dakota then feather-touched its way through the ground effect and settled without a whimper. moderate braking ensuring more than ample time to turn off at the first intersection and bettering the book ground roll of 932ft.

We gave the Dakota full marks for docility, faithful response to pilot input, the ability to better Piper’s conservative Manual figures in all respects evaluated – and, a compliment indeed, the ability to do almost anything a Cessna 182 can do.

A few wrap-up pointers; Piper gives the outside noise level of its Dakota as 72. 9 DB (Actual). We found that, too, to be an understatement while watching the Hoxton Park photo sortie from the runway sideline.

Limiting figures include Va at 3000lbs at 124kts IAS, at 1761lbs 96 indicated; Vne is carded at 173 IAS Vno at 137. Vfe at 102.

Best rate of climb is given as 85kts, best angle of climb 73 knots. Maximum flap extension is 102kts, finals should be negotiated at 76 knots with 40 degrees of flap, and demonstrated max crosswind component is 17 knots.

Sixty to 65 knots is given as take-off speed in most cases.