The Tomahawk is a single-engined low-wing cantilever monoplane with a
T-tail and an enclosed cabin for two. It has a fixed tricycle landing gear and is powered by a
Lycoming O-235 four-cylinder piston engine with a twin-bladed tractor propeller. The Tomahawk has two front-hinged doors for access to the cabin. The Tomahawk was
Piper's attempt at creating an affordable two-place trainer. Before designing the aircraft, Piper widely surveyed flight instructors for their input into the design. Instructors requested a more
spinnable aircraft for training purposes, since other two-place trainers such as the
Cessna 150 and
152 were designed to spontaneously fly out of a spin. The Tomahawk's
NASA GA(W)-1
Whitcomb airfoil addresses this requirement by making specific pilot input necessary in recovering from spins, thus allowing pilots to develop proficiency in dealing with spin recovery. The Tomahawk was introduced in 1977 as a 1978 model. The aircraft was in continuous production until 1982 when production ended, with 2,484 aircraft built. The 1981 and 1982 models were designated as the
Tomahawk II. They incorporated improved cabin heating and windshield defroster performance, an improved elevator trim system, improved engine thrust vector, 100% airframe zinc-chromate anti-corrosion treatment, better cockpit soundproofing, larger 6" wheels and tires for greater propeller ground clearance and improved performance on grass and dirt runways, among other enhancements. == Operational history ==