Piper Cherokee / Archer Weight & Balance Calculator
PA-28 family W&B with the low-wing's station geometry — front 80.5, rear 118.1, fuel 95, baggage 142.8 — and the sloped forward limit handled.
Geometry per the Archer III POH; earlier Cherokee 140/160/180 models differ in gross weight, arms and envelope — pull your model's Section 6. The 200 lb baggage bay at 142.8 in is the Cherokee's CG long lever: load it last, check it twice.
Formula
⚠️ For planning and education only. Weight & balance must be computed from YOUR aircraft's actual empty weight, arm and current equipment list, and verified against the POH/AFM envelope before flight.
Disclaimer: This tool is for general informational and estimation purposes only and is not professional financial, tax, accounting or legal advice. All figures are estimates — verify with a qualified professional before making decisions. Read the full disclaimer.
PA-28 family W&B with the low-wing's station geometry — front 80.5, rear 118.1, fuel 95, baggage 142.8 — and the sloped forward limit handled.
About Piper Cherokee / Archer Weight & Balance Calculator
The Cherokee line teaches W&B with different levers than its high-wing rival: seats closer together, fuel right at the wing root, and a baggage compartment a full 55 inches behind the rear bench that moves CG like a trim weight. This calculator carries the PA-28-181's actual station arms and its sloped forward limit, asking only for your airframe's empty weight and arm — the numbers that four decades of radio swaps have personalized on every Cherokee flying.
How to use Piper Cherokee / Archer Weight & Balance Calculator
- 1Enter — sensible defaults are pre-filled so you see a worked result immediately.
- 2Read the live results: .
- 3Check the "With your numbers" line to see the formula arms: front 80.5 / rear 118.1 / fuel 95.0 / baggage 142.8 in; fwd limit 82→88.6 in (2,050→2,550 lb) substituted step by step.
- 4Adjust inputs (or flip the unit toggle) until the scenario matches yours, then copy or share the result.
Why use Piper Cherokee / Archer Weight & Balance Calculator?
- ✓Instant, free and private — every calculation runs in your browser, nothing is uploaded
- ✓Built on the published formula arms: front 80.5 / rear 118.1 / fuel 95.0 / baggage 142.8 in; fwd limit 82→88.6 in (2,050→2,550 lb) with sources cited on the page
- ✓Geometry per the Archer III POH; earlier Cherokee 140/160/180 models differ in gross weight, arms and envelope — pull your model's Section 6. The 200 lb baggage bay at 142.8 in is the Cherokee's CG long lever: load it last, check it twice.
- ✓Switch units, tweak any input and watch every result update live
Frequently asked questions
How do Cherokee W&B habits differ from a 172's?+
Watch the baggage bay: at 142.8 inches, 100 lb of bags moves a Cherokee's CG aft far more than the same load at a 172's 95-inch shelf. Conversely the Cherokee's rear seats (118.1 in) are further aft too — full rear bench plus full baggage is the classic aft-limit squeeze. Front-heavy loadings are rarer than in the Cessna because the front arm sits closer to the empty CG.
Which Cherokee models does this fit?+
The arms and envelope here are the PA-28-181 Archer II/III's. The Warrior (PA-28-161) shares geometry with a 2,440 lb gross and its own envelope; the vintage 140/150/160 differ more (2,150–2,400 lb gross, different datum and arms). The method is identical — substitute your model's Section 6 numbers and limits.
Why is the fuel arm 95 inches such a convenient number?+
It sits inside the normal loaded-CG range, so fuel burn barely walks the CG — Piper put the tanks at the wing root right around the envelope's heart. The practical consequence: a Cherokee legal at takeoff is almost always legal at landing, and fuel is your weight lever, not your balance lever.
What's the Cherokee's classic out-of-envelope scenario?+
Two big adults front (380+ lb), two rear-seat passengers, golf bags in the back, and 'just enough' fuel: the light fuel load removes mid-ship weight while the people and bags pile aft — total under gross, CG past 93. The fix is counterintuitive: ADD fuel (mid-ship ballast) or move baggage forward, not just remove weight.
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