Cheyenne 400LS

EatSleepFly

Well-Known Member
...aka PA42-1000.

Anyone have any experience with one of these? The only one I've ever actually seen was the one that Piper uses for their corporate transportation.

It seems like a pretty nice (and rare) plane. I know Piper didn't make that many of them, anyone know why? The LS stands for Lear-Siegler who owned Piper for awhile...did they just stop production after L-S no longer owned them, or was there something that made them unattractive to buyers?

Can't be the speed I wouldn't think....330+ knots has to make it one of the fastest turboprops out there. I suppose it probably guzzles gas though.

Anyways, pretty cool looking plane...massive props!!!

Exterior%20Right%20Front.jpg
 
There is a Cheyenne based out of my airport, looks like a fairly nice aircraft, and the pilot really enjoyes flying it.

Adam
 
They came around right when Piper started doing bad so they weren't made for very long. My mom flew one of these and loved it. It's called a 400 because it can do 400 mph, which is what Piper was trying to do with it. There isn't much room on the inside. Always reminded me of the MU-2.
 
I dont know how many were produced, but they are not uncommon. There are two that frequent my airport (both the 400 LS). I have always thought they were a pretty cool looking aircraft, but dont know much else beyond that. You can buy that one if you like it!

Buy a Cheyenee 400 LS


Citationkid I have to ask. What is similar about the Cheyenne 400LS and a MU-2? Similar cockpit perhaps? Not two aircraft I that make me think of each other.

MU-2 Picture
 
The inside of both of them remind me of a coffin. Long, narrow, and no head room at all. Are you sure that the Cheyennes that go into your airport aren't III's. They're easy to get confused.................
 
Well one is 100% for certain a 400LS (I asked the pilot about it). I suppose the other could be a III, though it looks identical and it would have to have had its props upgraded to the 4 blade fatty's like the 400LS. Im not sure though I will have to pay closer attention. Given the numbers of the 400LS the other is most likely a III that has been upgraded.
 
We have a cheyenne 4 based out of the FBO I work at. We always hate putting that one in the hangar; it's massive. One of my coworkers used to work around C-130's and says the Herc's prop blades weren't much bigger than the ones they use on that cheyenne. The pilot who flies it commonly remarks about passing citations in the air.

We also have a cheyenne 3 in the same hangar. It looks very similair, but the blades are metal instead of composite, the blades are a lot smaller, and there's only 3 blades instead of 4. Also, the wingtip tanks are considerably smaller on the cheyenne 3.
 
I have seen the 400 once at KPDK. I remember it being very loud like a MU2. Big airplane. Looks like it would be a gas guzzler though.
 
Up through the III (I believe) are all PT-6 powered, while the 400 there has Garret engines. Notice there are no "eyebrow" exhaust tubes in front. I've flown the IIXL. Very nice airplane- fast for its size. It was my first charter experience back in the day!
 
I met the Piper corporate pilot once. They fly around in a 400LS, apparently he said that they buy up alot of the old birds to keep thiers running. He said it is fun to fly, but the Garret TPE-331 was a bad choice for an engine.
 
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