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Old June 23rd 05, 10:51 PM
Jay Honeck
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Close. The '72 Arrow II got the fuselage extension; 5 more inches of
legroom for the rear seat passengers.


Does make it a retractable Pathfinder?
The Turbo Pathfinder had the turbo IO-360 like the Turbo Arrow had.


Actually, the Turbo *Dakota* (which the Pathfinder evolved into) had the
turbo IO-360, which turned out (from everything I've read -- I have no
personal experience) to be a real disaster.

The 4-cylinder IO-360 didn't provide nearly the take-off performance or
useful load of the 6-cylinder O-540, and had a very hard time making it to
TBO. It was somewhat better "upstairs" (where a turbo really shines) than
the normally aspirated O-540, but that small improvement didn't justify the
expense and complexity of the turbo, and Piper soon abandoned the idea and
reverted to the bullet-proof (if more fuel-thirsty) O-540.

Interestingly, it seems the same turbo IO-360 has not been a big problem in
Arrows, although (again) I have no personal experience with them.

The thing I don't understand (and everyone I've talked to at New Piper
agrees) is why Piper never built a Pathfinder RG. THAT sucker would have
been awesome.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"