PA31 Serial #'s

[PA39]

Has anyone any rough clues on PA31 Navajo serial numbers in relation to year of manufacture?

Thanks for all and any help.

[Fris B. Fairing]

PA39

If you're not prepared to post a specific serial number or registration it might help if you post a range of serial numbers which includes the aircraft of interest.

Rgds

[PA39]

Fris

The aircraft is in the US and is being advertised as a 1971 but with serial # 31-599. I'm not an authority by any means but I used to fly 69 and 72 models 31 -69??? and 31-72????? I always thought the first two numbers following the 31 were the year model???

It is a reposession and i am a little gun shy of the facts and figures supplied.

Thanks mate

[MakeItHappenCaptain]

How about 31-18?

Any advances for the reverse auction?

[PA39]

Yeah. Thanks guys. Checked with FAA records, it is a 69 model but not all 31 serial #,s are followed by yr of manufacture. Gotta learn something every day...right?

Thanks heaps for your time.

[chimbu warrior]

As I recall, serial numbers started off as 31-123 etc, detailing the model number and then sequential constructor's number (c/n).

This system was fine when Piper produced only the PA-31-310 and 300 (yes, there were a few normally aspirated Navajos built), however when the aircraft was stretched into the Chieftain, a system was introduced to differentiate between various sub-types.

In the early 70's (about 74 I think, but not sure), Piper adopted a system (for the PA-31's at least) where they used a longer constructor's number, the 2-digit prefix of which reflected the model number (31 being PA-31), then the dash (-), then the next following 2 digits reflected the year in which the aircraft was built; and then the next 2 digits identified what model Navajo (either 52 for the Chieftain , or 12 for the C/R or plain vanilla Navajo). For example 31-8152030 was obviously built in 1981, is a Chieftain, and the 30th example produced in that year.

Hope this makes some sense.

[hurlingham]

So serial number PA31-13 is a really old Navajo ?

[chimbu warrior]

So serial number PA31-13 is a really old Navajo ?

Yep, check the log for Orville Wright's signature. Or Max Conrad's at least.

[certifs]

Late to the game. Just a snippet more. I was chasing up Pawnees a couple of years ago. From various registers I got these serial numbers:

1958-1962 0
mid 1962 711
mid + 1962 2000
start 1963 2234
start 1964 2601
start 1965 3131
start 1966 3766
start 1967 4176
start 1968 4498
start 1969 4866
start 1970 5197
start 1971 5306
start 1972 5427
start 1973 7305536
start 1974 7405576
end 1974 7405806
start 1975 7556004
end 1975 7556225
end 1976 7656104
end 1977 7756062
end 1978 7856061
end 1979 7956034
end 1980 8056051
end 1981 8156009


So it would seem Chimbu is close, Piper introduced the year prefix in late 1972 (early 1973 it was definitely in), at least for Pawnees.

[MakeItHappenCaptain]

So serial number PA31-13 is a really old Navajo ?

Well serial 31-18 musta been made before three-bladed props cause it only got two.