"Super" soundproofing of the cabin and internal dampening of engine mounts enable the new Cherokee2356 to provide an exceptionally quiet and smooth flight. The all-metal 235~ has a top speed of 166

m.p.h. and a cruising speed of 156 m.p.h., the manufacturer says. Piper says the low wing, low center

of gravity and wide tricycle gear enable the 2356 to operate safely on small, unimproved fields

A new, longer propeller spinner is one of the features of the new Cherokee 2356. The smooth two-piece

Fiberglas cowling, which is quickly removable to expose the entire engine, and the forward-mountedexhaust also are Model 2356 features. The Dynaflair wheel fairings are standard equipment

Just about the time you think thatthey've hit a pretty good peak ofrefinement with a stable airplane likethe Cherokee, Piper comes up with stillmore light touches to intrigue the po­tential customer. This is the case withthe latest model of the 235 Che7'okee,officially known as the 235B.

Not long ago I had what apparentlyis the production prototype of the new235B, just to fly around and experi­ment with for a couple of days. Eventhough it has been about a year sinceI last spent any considerable time atthe controls of the 235, I was quicklyaware of changes and improvementsin this latest Cherokee. The first glanceinside the cockpit shows you there issomething different; the instrumentpanel has been modified on the copilot'sside to take just one more little pieceof radio equipment, which everybodyis pushing for all the time. So nowthere's a slight hump in the glareshield on the right-hand side of thepanel, and this alone can immediatelydistinguish the 235B from the earliermodel.

The improvements don't stop there,however. Piper's greatest effort hasbeen aimed at soundproofing and vibra­tion. The 235 h.p. Lycoming 0-540 nowhas an entirely new engine mountingsystem and shock-mounted engine cowl­ing, something that's quite noticeablealmost from the first time you open thethrottle. Then there are double sidecabin windows, heavy insulation aroundthe instrument panel and the forwardbulkhead, special seals around all theside windows and even a new attackon the greatest source of airplane cabinnoise these days-the ventilating sys­tem. The inlets for the outside aircirculating system are now mountedclose to the floor where their noise isheld down to the minimum.

The entire cabin interior has beenrestyled again, with more and moreappeal being added all the time for theladies. They've· even managed tosqueeze a little room inside by recessing"the arm rests into the cabin wall.

The airplane I had for this shortfamiliarization was N9076W. I enjoyedflying 76W as much as I did the orig­inal 235 Cherokee. I was tempted togo back to the gigantic Dulles Airportnear Washington and make anotherseries of 13 landings and takeoffsstraight ahead on one of those 11,000ft. runways (as I did with the original235), but I didn't have time. But the235B retains that same kind of per­formance, which makes it a lot of funto fly. With a full load (gross weightremains 2,900 pounds) the 235B isstill an outstanding workhorse for al­most any airport down to the smallestand roughest bush field. Best rate ofclimb speed with a full load is 100m.p.h. indicated, which is suppo~ed togive you 900 f.p.m. in standard air.My experience with 76W indicates thatthis performance is readily availableunder actual conditions.

76W was the essence of simplicityto fly. Like all its Cherokee brethrenthis one is extremely stable, verymaneuverable, and has no nasty or

J

PIPER CHEROKEE 2358

The Improved

Cherokee 235PILOT edit01' finds that first !Jlnnceinside the cockpit of the new

Model 235B sholVs that "something is different." Added refinements of

n stalJle lJroduct aTe expected to appeal to prospective buyers

IIY MAX KARANT • AOPA 18

Specifications

Engine

H.p. and r.p.m.

Gross weight (lbs.)

Empty weight (lbs.)

Useful load (Ibs.)

Wing loading (lbs./sq. ft.)

Power loading (lbs./h.p.)

Fuel capacity (main and tip tanks;

83.3 gals. usable)

Maximum luggage (lbs.)

Wing span (ft.)

Wing area (sq. ft.)

Length (ft.)

Height (ft.)

Wheel base (It.)

WheeI tread (ft.)

Performance

Lycoming 0-540

235 @ 2,575

2,900

1,435

1,465

17.0

12.4

84

200

32.0

170

23.7

7.1

6.1

10.0

The slight hump on the right side of the instrument panel is one of the Cherokee 235B's marks of

distinction. This enables the adding of one more piece of radio equipment on the copilot's side. This

well-equipped panel is one of a variety available to 235B buyers

tricky flight characteristics that Icould find. It's one of those airplanesthat you hear about during hangar­flying sessions, that have such goodflight characteristics that they canactually land themselves with a veryminimum of help from you. With flapsdown it lands just a little above 60and the brakes are good and powerful.I found one thing about those brakesa little disturbing, incidentally. Theyare toe brakes at the top of the pedalbut the entire pedal itself is suspendedfrom a metal bar above the pedals.I found several times that when Ipushed hard on the toe brakes I foundmyself pushing on the metal bar in­stead of the brake, because the baritself is too easily reached with yourtoes-at least when you have feet asbig as mine.

Piper's true airspeed indicator was alittle out of calibration on 76W-ifthe engine instruments were readingreasonably accurately, that is. At 75%power I set up 24.5 inches and 2,400r.p.m., which is the normal rated cruis­ing power specified by Piper. For thealtitude I was at the manual saysthe true airspeed should have been143 m.p.h.; actually the indicator wasshowing 158. I took 76W over to aU.S. Navy speed course on ChesapeakeBay where I made four low altitudepasses (two in each direction) overthe one nautical mile course at 75%power. My average ground speed, timedwith a stop watch, was 10 miles lessthan the 145 m.p.h. shown in the235B's owner's handbook. On one suchrun incidentally, I found that I hadaccidentally left the carburetor heatin the full-on position. Having flownfuel-injection engines for some time,and not being recently exposed to acarburetor engine until I got the 235Bto fly, I was forever forgetting to putcarburetor heat on for an approachand landing, or turn it off for cruisingperformance. So I caught myself aftermaking one pass over the speed course,and turned the carburetor heat off.

There's an interesting thing aboutthe efficiency of the 235B: in its stand­ard configuration it weighs 1,435 poundsempty, yet retains the 2,900-poundgross weight. That means that thisairplane carries a useful load that is30 pounds higher than its own emptyweight. So the 235B can carry four175-pound passengers, 84 gallons offuel (good for six hours nonstop),200 pounds of baggage and a littlesomething left over besides.

The engine also drives a 60 ampalternator, an excellent feature thesedays considering all the electricalequipment that has to be kept operatingcontinuously in the typical generalaviation airplane. The alternator givesfull charge even when the engine isidling. In addition to the toe brakeson the left-hand side, there is a handbrake with a locking button for park­ing mounted just in the center of theinstrument panel, within easy reach ofboth occupants of the front seats .•

Top speed (m.p.h.)

Optimum cruising speed (m.p.h.;

75% power, 7,000 ft.)

Stalling speed (m.p.h.; flaps down)

Take-off run (It.; 25° flap) ,

Take-off distance over 50-It.

obstacle (It.; 25° flap)

Ground roll (It.)

Ground roll over 50-It.

obstacle (It.)

Best rate-of-climb speed (m.p.h.)

Rate 01 climb (ft./min.)

Service ceiling (ft.)

Absolute ceiling

Fuel consumption (g.p.h.; 75%

power)

Cruising range (miles; 75% power,7,000 ft.)

Optimum cruising range (miles, 55%

power, 10,000 ft.)

2,900 Ibs.

166

156

60

800

1,360

680

1,300

100

825

14,500

16,500

14

935

1,130