Piper Comanche Cost of Ownership by Model: 180 vs 250 vs 260 vs 400

The Comanche family at a glance

Piper built 4,857 PA-24 Comanches from 1957 to 1972. Production ended after Hurricane Agnes flooded the Lock Haven factory in 1972, and Piper chose not to rebuild the tooling. Every Comanche has retractable gear, a laminar-flow wing and an all-flying stabilator. The variants differ mainly in engine, weight and cabin.

Years, engines, weights and production counts are from the PA-24 production history. The 260 row combines the 1965 PA-24-260 (2,900 lb), the 1966–1968 260B (3,100 lb, third side window, optional fifth and sixth seats) and the 1969–1972 260C (3,200 lb, new cowling with cowl flaps); 26 turbocharged 260TCs were also built. Fuel burns are our planning blend of climb and cruise. The 400 is commonly cited at 16–23 gal/hr.

Annual budget: 180 vs 250 vs 260 vs 400

The table keeps hangar ($4,800/yr), subscriptions ($700/yr) and a gear-system reserve ($600/yr) the same for every model, so the differences come from the engine, insurance and the size of the annual. All figures are labeled planning assumptions, not quotes.

TBOs are Lycoming's recommended figures (2,000 hours for the O-360, O-540 and IO-540; 1,800 for the IO-720). Overhaul costs are planning numbers; exchange, field overhaul and factory rebuild prices differ widely, so get quotes. Prices are illustrative round numbers, not market values; check Vref or Aircraft Bluebook and current listings. Loans under $75,000 are shown on a 15-year term because 20-year terms typically require a loan of at least that size. The rate is an illustrative 7.75% within the roughly 7%–10% range quoted as of September 2026.

What the numbers say: the step from 180 to 250 costs more in fuel and engine reserve than anything else. The step from 250 to 260 is small per hour but usually means a higher purchase price. The 400 is a different proposition: it costs more per hour than many six-seat singles, and engine support for its IO-720 is the risk to price in.

Which Comanche fits your budget?

• Lowest operating cost, four seats: the 180. It is the cheapest to feed and overhaul, it needs only a complex endorsement, and on the International Comanche Society's figures it cruises in the 116–139 knot range. The trade-off is payload, about 715 lb with the standard 60 gallons aboard.
• Most common, best-known: the 250. Piper built 2,537 of them, more than any other Comanche variant, so shops, parts and pilot knowledge are easiest to find. It costs about $3,572 a year more than the 180 at 100 hours on our assumptions.
• Heaviest loads of the six-cylinder Comanches: the 260B and 260C. Fuel injection, higher gross weights and optional fifth and sixth seats in the B and C. Per hour they cost little more than a 250, but you pay for the later airframe up front.
• Enthusiast budget only: the 400. Fast, rare and expensive to run. Treat engine support as the key risk and hold a larger contingency.
• Rarities: only 26 turbocharged 260TCs were built. Expect specialized maintenance and a thin resale market.

For deeper single-model budgets, see the Comanche 180 cost page (entry-level retractable) and the Comanche 260B page (six-seat option economics).

Gear-system items every Comanche owner budgets for

The Comanche gear is electro-mechanical. An electric motor drives a reduction gearbox, which moves the gear through push-pull rods and cables, and bungee cords help the main gear reach the up and down-and-locked positions. A manual emergency extension system backs it up. It is robust when maintained, and costly when neglected.

• AD 77-13-21. Recurring landing-gear inspections plus periodic replacement of the gear bungee cords. The bungee interval is commonly cited as 500 hours or three years. Confirm it against the AD text and your airplane's compliance record.
• Gearbox and motor. Brush wear, bearing play and cracked mounting structure from overloaded motors. Popped breakers or slow cycling are symptoms to fix, not live with.
• Linkage wear. Rod ends, bell cranks and bushings wear from lack of lubrication, and rods bend after hard landings. Rigging must bring all three legs over center together.
• Wiring and switches. Limit-switch adjustment and flex-fatigued harnesses in the wheel wells.
• Nose gear. Corrosion under wraps and wear at the steering and door hinges.

We carry a $600-a-year gear reserve in the budget for bungees and routine parts. A worn gearbox or bent rods can cost far more, so a gear-focused pre-buy by a Comanche-experienced shop is the best money you'll spend. The International Comanche Society's gear tips describe the system in detail.

Parts and support: how to budget for an out-of-production airplane

• Engines and props are the easy part. The O-360, O-540 and IO-540 are common Lycomings with broad overhaul support. The IO-720 is the exception: fewer shops and fewer parts.
• Airframe and gear parts vary. Some are still available; others come from salvage, aftermarket or owner-approved sources. Lead times are the real cost, because the airplane sits while you wait.
• Type-club knowledge helps. The International Comanche Society and Comanche-specialist shops know the ADs, service bulletins and parts sources. Budget for some travel to a specialist for annuals.
• Fuel system. Many Comanches have auxiliary tanks (90 gallons total became an option in 1961), and the 400 carried 100 gallons standard. More tanks means more bladders, sealant and senders to inspect.
• Hedge in the budget. Add a contingency of 10%–20% of the annual maintenance line for an airplane this age. Our older-aircraft pre-buy guide covers what to check first: pre-buy inspections for 40-plus-year-old airframes.

Financing a Comanche

Comanches are 1958–1972 airframes, so two published AOPA Aviation Finance guidelines matter most. The 1958 and 1959 models fall under the pre-1960 rule, which can mean 20% down or a shorter term. And many Comanches sell for amounts that put the loan under $75,000, the minimum for a 20-year single-engine term. Lenders may also cap older aircraft at 70%–75% loan-to-value. See financing an older airplane and the aircraft loan requirements checklist.

How this page differs from related pages

This page compares the Comanche models on annual cost. For whether a Comanche is the right airplane and what to inspect, see the Piper Comanche buyer's guide. For specs and payment examples, see the PA-24-250 Comanche model page. The twin-engine sibling has its own budget: PA-30 Twin Comanche cost of ownership. For a still-supported four-seat retractable, compare the Piper Arrow.

Frequently asked questions