Low time, with a well equipped IFR panel and updated interior this 1978 Warrior converted to 180hp O-360 is basically a Piper Archer! Only 3000hr TT airframe. Engine 1180hr SMOH (by Lycoming, 04). Prop 35hr SPOH. Annual current to May27. Panel upgrade in 2026 included: Dual AV30's with AV-MAG and AV-Link, GARMIN GTN750 GPS with GI275 CDI GTR200 com2 &GMA340 audio panel GTX345 ADS-B in​/​out. Century II AP - overhauled and working perfectly. New interior 2015. Wing spar eddy current AD completed. Airframe logs prior to 2014 lost but flight records back to 80's exist. Scanned copies available on request. This is a very nice flying Warrior​/​Archer and will make someone an exceptional r touring or IFR training airplane

Manufacturer year

1978

Serial Number

28-7816514

Registration Number

N9680C

Make/Model

PA-28-161

Aircraft Model Overview (Reference only)

The Piper PA-28-161 Warrior II is a four-seat, single-engine fixed-gear low-wing aircraft produced by Piper Aircraft Corporation continuously from 1977 through the present day — making it one of the longest-running production aircraft designs in American aviation and the most widely produced variant in the PA-28 family. Designed explicitly as Piper's primary flight training platform and capable personal aircraft, the Warrior II succeeded the original PA-28-151 Warrior and Cherokee 140 in the Piper lineup, retaining the proven PA-28 airframe while introducing the 160 HP engine and refining the systems and interior specification that had evolved through the Cherokee family since 1960. More student pilots have learned to fly in the PA-28-161 Warrior than in any other low-wing aircraft in American aviation history. Power is provided by a Lycoming O-320-D3G carbureted four-cylinder horizontally-opposed engine producing 160 horsepower at 2,700 RPM, driving a two-blade Sensenich fixed-pitch propeller. The O-320-D3G is one of the most comprehensively supported aircraft engines in the world — universally understood by certificated A&Ps across North America and internationally, with a 2,000-hour TBO and a parts and overhaul network that presents no availability challenges anywhere the aircraft might operate. Fuel burn is typically 8.0 to 8.5 USG per hour at cruise power, delivering operating economics that are among the most competitive of any certificated four-seat fixed-gear trainer. The fixed-pitch propeller's simplicity eliminates governor and blade maintenance entirely, contributing further to the Warrior's reputation for predictably low ownership costs. The PA-28-161 airframe builds on the tapered semi-span wing introduced on the PA-28-151 in 1974 — the modification that transformed the Cherokee from its original constant-chord "Hershey bar" planform into the more aerodynamically refined design that defines all subsequent PA-28 variants. The tapered wing delivers improved roll response, reduced induced drag in cruise, and more harmonised control feel than the earlier constant-chord Cherokee variants, while retaining the docile stall characteristics and forgiving low-speed handling that make the PA-28 family the natural choice for primary training. The all-metal semi-monocoque fuselage with spring-steel tricycle gear is simple, durable, and entirely without the retractable system complexity that adds maintenance cost on step-up aircraft. The four-seat cabin is the PA-28's most enduring competitive attribute relative to high-wing Cessna trainers of the same era — notably wider than the Cessna 172, with genuine shoulder room for four adults and a flat floor that simplifies cabin loading and egress. The dual-door boarding arrangement from both sides of the aircraft eliminates the one-door compromise of many low-wing competitors, and the low-wing configuration provides unobstructed upward visibility and a sense of openness that Cessna's strutted high-wing cannot match. The Warrior's instrument panel layout has evolved progressively across production years, and many flight school examples have received modern avionics upgrades including Garmin GNS 430W, ADS-B Out transponders, and in some cases glass primary flight displays that significantly enhance the training environment for students building instrument currency. The Warrior's handling character is the foundation of its training reputation — well-harmonised in all three axes, predictable throughout the flight envelope, and forgiving of the technique lapses that are normal during primary instruction. Stall characteristics are gentle and well-announced, approach speed management is straightforward, and the aircraft's stability in cruise makes it an excellent platform for instrument training. The fixed-pitch propeller and fixed gear eliminate the system management complexity of retractable and constant-speed aircraft, allowing students to focus attention on fundamental airmanship skills rather than managing additional variables. This simplicity, combined with the Lycoming O-320's virtually universal maintainability, makes the Warrior the most deployed primary trainer in the fleet school segment worldwide. In the current used market, the PA-28-161 Warrior II occupies a large and consistently liquid segment anchored by flight school demand, first-aircraft buyers, and owner-pilots seeking an affordable, low-complexity IFR-capable platform. Production continuity from 1977 to the present means a wide range of airframe ages and avionics configurations are available at varying price points, with late-production Warrior III examples (post-1995) typically commanding a premium for their updated interior specification and more modern avionics baselines. The Piper Owner Society provides strong type support, and A&P familiarity with the PA-28-161 is effectively universal at every certificated maintenance facility in North America.