In other words, it was close to cabin-class comfort for about $63,000 equipped.īoth the Seneca and the Twin Comanche were built in 1972, but when Tropical Storm Agnes pushed the Susquehanna River into Piper’s Lock Haven works, the Twin Comanche drowned with it and the Seneca was moved to Piper’s new Florida operation. The Seneca started out with counter-rotating Lycoming IO-360C1E6 engines producing 200 HP each (think of a Piper Arrow, times two) and at its introduction, it cost about the same as the Twin Comanche C/R model, but had larger engines, a higher gross weight and a roomier cabin with a rear door that the so-called Twinkie lacked. At the time, the Aztec-a good seller for Piper-and the Comanche were growing long in the tooth and Piper needed something new. The Seneca first appeared in 1971, when GA was still a growing industry and there was actually headroom for new twins. Saw off the wings of a Seneca and a Cherokee Six and you couldn’t tell the two apart. The Cherokee line began with the Cherokee Six, the Saratoga and the Seneca. But few have been as good at it as Piper has. Model HistoryĪll modern manufacturers are known for so-called “parts bin” engineering-stretching the parts and pieces of one model into another, something that makes perfect sense. The Seneca V is one of only five twins still in production-the others being the Baron, Piper’s own Seminole, the Diamond Twin Star, plus the Tecnam P2006T. That, more than anything, may explain why it endures in Piper’s line, although the latest Seneca V is far more complex than the original Seneca I. In our view, the Seneca is an entirely reasonable airplane. There are plenty of used examples on the market and the Seneca remains popular as a multi-engine trainer, but it’s not the sort of airplane anyone who learned in will want to immediately ditch in favor of something sexier.

Arguably, it does nothing extraordinarily well-it’s not exceptionally fast or a joy to fly, nor will it turn heads on the ramp-but it does a lot well enough.īut one can be affordable to buy and maintain (earlier ones, anyway), carries a good load and flies without any nasty habits. It’s easy to see why the Seneca has endured.

Both have endured for various reasons, although neither is made in much volume these days. Piper builds two of them, the Seminole and the Seneca. On the other hand, for various reasons, the market for new piston twins remains relatively flat, and there are few models for the taking. The Beech Baron, Travel Air, Piper Aztec and even the Beech Duke are all examples. As we have reported in previous used aircraft articles, used piston twins are generally good deals in the current sales market.

Piper seneca fuel crossfeed drain