The PA-32 series began life in 1965 as the PA32-260 Cherokee Six, a significantly modified six-seat development of the PA-28 Cherokee. The Cherokee Six and its successors feature a baggage compartment in the nose between the cockpit and the engine compartment and a large double door in the back for easy loading of passengers and cargo.
PA-32-300
Some pilots thought the original Cherokee Six was underpowered, so on 27 May 1966, Piper obtained FAA type certification for a version, designated as the PA-32-300. It was offered by the company as a 1967 model.
PA-32R
The 1975 addition of retractable landing gear resulted in the first of the PA-32R series, the Piper Lance. This was the earliest aircraft in the Piper Saratoga family, Piper's luxury, high-performance single line. Piper's transition to tapered wings for the Cherokee series resulted in a new wing for the PA-32 series, as well. The tapered-wing version of the Cherokee Six was named the Saratoga and debuted in 1980. Due to product liability concerns and economic conditions, the general aviation industry went into decline in the early 1980s, and Saratoga production ceased in 1985.
Piper 6X
After the General Aviation Revitalization Act of 1994, production of the retractable-gear Saratoga resumed in 1995. A fixed-gear PA32 was reintroduced in 2003 as the Piper 6X and the turbocharged 6XT. Sales of the 6X and 6XT models did not meet expectations and production ceased in late 2007.
PA-34 prototype
Piper built a prototype PA32-260 with IO-360 engines mounted on the wings. The trimotor aircraft was the proof-of-concept aircraft for the twin-engined, retractable-gear version of the Cherokee Six, the PA-34 Seneca.
Variants
;PA-32-250 Cherokee Six ;PA-32-260 Cherokee Six ;PA-32-260 Cherokee Six B ;PA-32-260 Cherokee Six C ;PA-32-260 Cherokee Six D ;PA-32-260 Cherokee Six E ;PA-32-300 Cherokee Six ;PA-32-300 Cherokee Six B ;PA-32-300 Cherokee Six C ;PA-32-300 Cherokee Six D ;PA-32-300 Cherokee Six E ;PA-32-300LD ;PA-32S-300 Seaplane Version ;PA-32-301T Turbo Saratoga ;PA-32-3M ;Embraer EMB-720C Minuano ;Embraer EMB-720D Minuano ;Embraer EMB-721C Sertanejo ;Embraer EMB-721D Sertanejo
