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  • PIPER PA-12S

Comparison

AttributePIPER PA-12S
What it is
Seats3
Landing geartaildragger
Engines1
EngineLycoming O-235-C
Horsepower100 hp
Fuel100LL
Certification basisCAR3
Production start1946
Production end1949
Endorsements requiredtailwheel
Performance
Cruise speed79 KTAS
Range540 nm
Service ceiling11,040 ft
Climb rate510 ft/min
Stall speed (Vso)38 KCAS
Takeoff over 50 ft—
Landing over 50 ft—
Load and fuel
Seats3
Useful load738 lb
Full-fuel payload510 lb
Max takeoff weight1,838 lb
Empty weight1,100 lb
Usable fuel38 gal
Fuel burn at cruise5.6 gal/h
Cost of ownership
Price, low$65,000
Price, high$200,000
Prices as of2026
Engine TBO2,400 h
Overhaul cost, low$24,000
Overhaul cost, high$34,000
The fleet and its record
Registered, all time16
Active fleet5
Median year built1946.5
NTSB events, last 10 years2
Fatal events, last 10 years0
Events per 1,000 active, last 10 years—
Personal-flying events per 1,000 active—
Ownership transfers, last 24 months2
Transfers per 100 active—
Airworthiness directives2
Directives, last 5 years0
Rate confidencenone
Peer scores
Peer classFixed wing single-engine, piston, 1 engine, 3-4 seats
Accident record1—
Severity2—
Access30.6 of 10
Support40.9 of 10
Liquidity5—
Overall (sum of the categories shown)6—
  1. Accident record: class median 32.28 · 202 models in class.
  2. Severity: class median 12.5.
  3. Access: class median 775.
  4. Support: class median 147.5.
  5. Liquidity: class median 19.9.
  6. Each of the five categories places the model within its peer class, from 0 (the worst of the class) to 10 (the best): a position among comparable models, not a grade. The overall score is the sum of the categories shown that are scored, out of 10 for each (50 when all five are); it is given only when at least 4 of the five are scored, and it can be set against another model's only when both are in the same peer class and scored on the same categories.
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