Piper Pa-16 Clipper

Single Piston· 271 globally registered

The Piper PA-16 Clipper was a short-lived but charming attempt by Piper Aircraft to stretch the beloved J-3 Cub into a proper four-seat family airplane. Introduced in 1949, the Clipper featured a widened fuselage to accommodate two bench seats, a 108-115 horsepower Lycoming engine, and the classic high-wing, taildragger configuration that defined Piper's postwar lightplane lineup. Only about 736 Clippers were built before production ended in 1950, as the design was quickly overshadowed by the more refined PA-20 Pacer and the tricycle-gear PA-22 Tri-Pacer that followed. The PA-16 occupies an interesting niche in aviation history as one of the last true four-seat taildraggers aimed at the family market before nosewheel designs took over general aviation. Its performance envelope was modest (cruise around 100 knots, never-exceed speed of 135 knots, and a stall speed in the high 30s), but it offered genuine backcountry capability and the forgiving handling characteristics inherited from the Cub lineage. Today the Clipper is a relatively rare sight, prized by vintage aircraft enthusiasts for its classic lines and connection to Piper's golden age. SkyMeter has tracked 40 flights across 11 airframes and 11 operators, with 86H LLC the largest observed operator.