Piper Comanche 180 Cost of Ownership: Annual Budget for an Entry-Level Retractable

What you are budgeting for: the PA-24-180

The Comanche 180 was the entry model of Piper's PA-24 line, built from 1958 to 1964 (1,143 aircraft). It pairs the Comanche's laminar-flow wing and electro-mechanical retractable gear with a carbureted 180-hp Lycoming O-360-A1A and a constant-speed prop. Maximum gross weight is 2,550 lb, standard fuel is 60 gallons, and 30 more gallons in auxiliary tanks became an option in 1961. Early airplanes have manual flaps.

Performance and payload figures are from the International Comanche Society's PA-24-180 history; production count and weights from the PA-24 production history. Individual airplanes vary. Use the actual weight and balance.

Comanche 180 annual budget at 50, 100 and 200 hours

Fixed costs are $11,550 a year whether you fly or not, so a Comanche flown 50 hours costs $344 per hour. Double the flying and the per-hour figure drops to $228. The engine reserve assumes a $38,000 overhaul; exchange, field overhaul and factory rebuild prices differ, so get current quotes. At 50 hours a year a 2,000-hour engine will usually hit calendar and condition limits before it reaches TBO. See SMOH vs TBO for how to reserve for that.

Is a Comanche 180 worth the premium over a fixed-gear Cherokee 180?

The Cherokee 180 uses the same family of engine, so fuel and engine reserve are the same in our budgets. The difference is the retractable gear and constant-speed prop. Using the assumptions from our Cherokee 180 page, the Comanche costs about $2,500 a year more at 100 hours: about $500 in insurance, $600 for a longer annual with a gear swing, a $600 gear reserve, $450 more in prop reserve and slightly more unscheduled maintenance.

Per mile the gap narrows but doesn't close. You are paying a little more for speed and a lot more for the experience of flying a Comanche. If you mostly fly local hops, the Cherokee is the better budget buy; see the Cherokee 180 cost page. If you fly 300 nm trips, the Comanche's time savings add up. For a still-produced four-seat retractable with better parts support, compare the Piper Arrow.

Financing a 1958–1964 Comanche 180

Two published AOPA Aviation Finance guidelines shape most Comanche 180 loans. First, aircraft built before 1960 may need a larger down payment or shorter term, so 1958 and 1959 airframes can require 20% down instead of 15%. Second, 20-year terms apply only to single-engine loans of $75,000 or more, and many Comanche 180 loans are smaller than that. Some lenders also cap older aircraft at 70%–75% of value.

The same $63,750 loan at different rates and terms (as of September 2026, lenders generally quote about 7% to 10%):

Loan amount $63,750. Principal and interest only; excludes insurance, taxes and fees. Illustrative, not a quote.

Lenders will also look at the logbooks, the gear AD compliance (AD 77-13-21) and the engine's time and calendar age. A pre-buy by a Comanche-experienced shop protects you and makes underwriting smoother. See financing an older airplane and the loan requirements checklist.

First-year cash beyond the running budget

The annual budget above assumes you already own the airplane. In the year you buy it, plan for these one-time costs as well. Sales or use tax depends on your state and can be the largest item; see aircraft sales tax by state.

Add the first year's running costs from the budget table and a Comanche 180 flown 100 hours needs about $49,517 of cash in year one, including loan payments. Many lenders also look at the cash you have left after closing, so this cushion helps the application too.

Where Comanche 180 budgets go wrong

• Gear system neglect. Bungees past their replacement interval, a worn gearbox or misrigged linkage. Budget a gear-focused inspection before purchase.
• Insurance for a new complex pilot. Low total time and no retractable time can push the premium well above our assumption. For a fixed-gear benchmark, BWI's 2026 range for a privately owned Cessna 172 is $1,200–$2,500 a year for a pilot with 250+ hours, and a retractable Comanche prices above that.
• Parts lead times. Some airframe parts come from used or aftermarket sources, and the airplane may sit while you wait.
• Low utilization. Flying 30–50 hours a year makes the fixed costs dominate and lets the engine age in place.
• Deferred corrosion. On a 60-plus-year-old airframe, corrosion found at the first annual is common. Hold a contingency.

How this page differs from related pages

This page budgets the Comanche 180 specifically. To compare all Comanche models (180, 250, 260, 400), see the Comanche family cost page. For the six-seat 260B, see Comanche 260B costs. For whether a Comanche is right for you and what to inspect, read the Piper Comanche buyer's guide. For specs and payment examples, see the PA-24 Comanche model page.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost per year to own a Piper Comanche 180?

On our planning assumptions, about $17,189 at 50 hours, $22,828 at 100 hours and $34,106 at 200 hours a year, before any loan payment. That works out to roughly $228 per hour at 100 hours. Fuel is priced at $7.24/gal; insurance, hangar and the annual are labeled assumptions.

How much fuel does a Comanche 180 burn?

The International Comanche Society lists 7.5 to 10.5 gallons per hour across the 55%–75% power range, at about 116 to 139 knots. We budget 9.5 gal/hr as a blend of climb and cruise. That is close to a fixed-gear Cherokee 180 with the same O-360 engine, but the Comanche is faster.

Is the Comanche 180 a good first retractable?

For many pilots, yes. Its 180-hp engine means you need only a complex endorsement, not a high-performance endorsement, and the carbureted O-360 is one of the cheapest Lycomings to overhaul. The catch is an airframe built between 1958 and 1964 with an electro-mechanical gear system that needs a Comanche-savvy shop.

Can I finance a Comanche 180?

Yes. AOPA Aviation Finance says its lenders have no age limit for piston singles, but 1958–1959 airframes fall under the pre-1960 guideline (up to 20% down or a shorter term). Many Comanche 180 loans are under $75,000, below the 20-year minimum, so expect roughly a 15-year term: about $600 a month on a $63,750 loan at 7.75%.

How much payload does a Comanche 180 carry?

The International Comanche Society lists about 715 lb of payload with the standard 60 gallons, or about 535 lb with 90 gallons of auxiliary fuel. That is two to three adults plus bags with full fuel, so most owners fly four seats only on short legs with partial fuel. Always use your airplane’s actual weight and balance.

What does retractable gear add to the annual budget?

Compared with a fixed-gear Cherokee 180 with the same engine, we budget about $2,500 a year more at 100 hours: roughly $500 in insurance, $600 for a longer annual with a gear swing, a $600 gear-system reserve, $450 more in prop reserve for the constant-speed prop, and slightly more unscheduled maintenance. A worn gearbox or bent rods can cost far more.