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 38 flights across 8 airframes and 8 operators, with 86H LLC the largest observed operator.