Piper Tomahawk Pa38

Single Piston· 450 globally registered

The Piper PA-38 Tomahawk is a two-seat, single-engine trainer that became one of the most recognizable flight school aircraft of the 1980s. Introduced in 1978, Piper designed the Tomahawk specifically to compete with Cessna's dominant 152 in the primary training market, featuring a distinctive T-tail, a wide cockpit with excellent visibility, and NASA-developed GA(W)-1 airfoil that provided docile stall characteristics ideal for student pilots. Powered by a 112-horsepower Lycoming O-235 engine, the Tomahawk offered straightforward systems and forgiving handling that made it popular with flight schools across North America and beyond. Production ran until 1982, with approximately 2,500 aircraft built before Piper shifted focus to other models. The type earned a reputation for durability in the training environment, though its T-tail configuration required pilots to understand its unique spin characteristics compared to conventional-tail trainers. Today the Tomahawk remains a common sight at flight schools and flying clubs, valued for its low operating costs, parts availability, and the wide-open cabin that reduces the claustrophobia some students experience in tighter cockpits. SkyMeter has tracked 636 flights across 103 airframes and 57 operators, with SMTM HOLDINGS INC the largest observed operator.