North American-Ryan North American Navion

Single Piston· 872 globally registered

The Piper PA-31 Navajo is a twin-engine piston aircraft that became one of general aviation's most successful light twins after its introduction in 1967. Designed as a cabin-class business aircraft and light cargo hauler, the Navajo family grew to include several variants: the original PA-31, the longer PA-31-325 Navajo C/R, and the stretched PA-31-350 Chieftain with seating for up to ten. Piper built more than 2,600 Navajos across all models through the early 1980s, establishing the type as a workhorse for air taxi operators, freight carriers, and corporate flight departments throughout North America and beyond. The Navajo's twin 310-horsepower Lycoming engines, retractable landing gear, and counter-rotating propellers gave it a useful load approaching 2,000 pounds and a cruise speed around 200 knots, making it competitive with early turboprops for short-haul operations. Its rugged construction and relatively simple systems earned it a reputation for reliability in demanding environments: bush operations in Alaska and Canada, island-hopping in the Caribbean, and night freight runs across the continental United States. While many Navajos have been retired as turboprop twins became more affordable, the type remains active in cargo, charter, and private owner-flown roles where its combination of payload, twin-engine safety, and operating economics still make sense. SkyMeter has tracked 215 flights across 72 airframes and 72 operators, with SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO. the largest observed operator.