Piper Twin Comanche Cost of Ownership: PA-30, PA-39 C/R and Turbo Variants Compared

This page compares the whole Twin Comanche family, the PA-30 and its B and C updates, the counter-rotating PA-39 C/R, and the turbocharged versions of each, so you can see which variant costs what before you shop. For a line-by-line budget of a standard 1963–1969 PA-30, see the PA-30 Twin Comanche cost of ownership page.

The Twin Comanche family at a glance

Piper built the Twin Comanche at Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, from the 1963 model year until the factory flooded in 1972. The last PA-30 was completed on November 5, 1969; the PA-39 carried the line to the end.

Tip tanks were optional and bring total capacity to 120 gallons. Many airframes also carry later modifications, so treat the table as a guide to the original configuration and read the logbooks and Form 337s for what the airplane actually has now.

What does each Twin Comanche variant cost to run?

The table applies one set of planning assumptions to each variant at 100 hours a year: fuel at 17 gph, oil $4/hr, prop reserve $6/hr, unscheduled maintenance $35/hr, hangar $5,500 and subscriptions $1,500 a year. Overhaul costs, annual inspection and insurance figures are labeled assumptions, not quotes.

Turbo rows add an $8/hr turbo and exhaust parts allowance, a slightly higher annual and insurance assumption, and $300 a year for oxygen servicing. The normally aspirated PA-30 and PA-39 cost the same to run in this model; their differences are handling, scarcity and financing, covered below.

What the counter-rotating PA-39 changes

In a conventional twin, losing the left engine is worse than losing the right, because of asymmetric thrust from the descending propeller blades. The PA-39 turns its propellers in opposite directions, which removes that critical engine. The Twin Comanche had drawn attention for Vmc loss-of-control accidents in the 1960s and early 1970s; later reviews found it was not more prone to them than comparable twins, and better multi-engine training reduced them. The C/R answered the concern in hardware.

For the owner, the PA-39 brings three practical trade-offs:

• Scarcity. Only 155 PA-39s were built and about 80 were on the FAA registry in November 2019, so shopping takes longer and comparable sales are thin.
• Rotation-specific engine parts. Left-hand-turning IO-320 components are not interchangeable with standard ones. Ask your shop about lead times before you need a crankshaft or accessory.
• Financing. PA-39s are 1970-and-later aircraft, which fits the multi-engine age preference AOPA describes for its lenders.

Turbo Twin Comanches: what the Rajay turbos add to the budget

From the Twin Comanche B onward, Piper offered Rajay turbonormalizing on IO-320-C1A engines, extending the service ceiling to about 24,000 ft. The capability costs money in four places: a 1,800-hour TBO instead of 2,000 under Lycoming SI 1009, turbocharger overhauls and wastegate work, more exhaust-system inspection and repair, and an oxygen system you will need above 12,500 ft (crew after 30 minutes), above 14,000 ft (crew at all times) and above 15,000 ft (oxygen provided to every occupant) under 14 CFR 91.211. If you fly mostly below 10,000 ft, a normally aspirated airplane gives you the same airplane for less. For how TBO and calendar limits turn into reserves, see SMOH vs TBO explained.

Financing across the family

As of September 2026, piston aircraft loan rates quoted by major aviation lenders generally start around 7% for well-qualified borrowers and run to roughly 10%. For twins, AOPA's guidance is 15–30% down and maximum terms of 10–15 years, and its lenders prefer multi-engine aircraft built in 1970 or later, with possible exceptions. AOPA has also said an older aircraft may be financed up to 70% or 75% of its value. The model year therefore shapes the loan more than the variant's operating cost does.

Most lenders look for a credit score of 680+, with the best pricing typically starting around 720–730+. Pricing any Twin Comanche is hard because sales are infrequent; get a Vref or Aircraft Bluebook value and a pre-buy from a shop that knows Comanches before you make an offer. The document list is in aircraft loan requirements, and down-payment sources are in aircraft down payment strategies.

Which Twin Comanche fits which owner?

• Lowest cost of entry, flying under 10,000 ft: a normally aspirated PA-30 B or C, bought with a larger down payment.
• Engine-out margin and easier financing: a PA-39 C/R, if you can find one and wait for the right airplane.
• Mountain or high-altitude travel: a turbo example, with the shorter TBO, turbo upkeep and oxygen in the budget.
• Six seats: B-and-later airframes with the optional fifth and sixth seats, remembering that useful load, not seat count, limits a light twin.
• Need real cabin room or more than about four adults: look at the Aztec or Seneca instead.

How this page differs from related pages

This page owns the comparison across the Twin Comanche family. The detailed annual budget for a standard 1963–1969 PA-30, its IO-320 engine economics and parts availability are on the PA-30 Twin Comanche cost of ownership page. The single-engine Comanche is covered on the Piper Comanche cost of ownership page and the Comanche buyer's guide. Newer light twins are budgeted on the PA-44 Seminole and Baron 55 pages; everything else is on the cost of ownership hub.

Frequently asked questions