In the late 1950s, it seemed every other general aviation manufacturer had embraced all-aluminum construction methods while Piper still built tube and fabric aircraft that harkened back to the 1930s. In 1962, Piper changed all that with the completely new PA-28 Cherokee. The PA-28 family includes aircraft from the basic Cherokee 140, with its fixed gear and fixed-pitch propeller, to the Turbo Arrow, with its turbocharged engine and retractable gear. They all share the certification of the PA-28 from 1962. Over 29,000 of the fixed-gear Cherokee, Archer, Arrow, Dakota, and Warrior aircraft have been delivered, making the PA-28 one of the most produced aircraft ever made.
The Cherokee 140 actually came after the original Cherokee 160. The Cherokee 140 was introduced in 1964 with a 140 hp Lycoming. A year later, the 140 hp engine (actually a restriction based on the RPM of the propeller) was dropped in favor of a 150 hp Lycoming and a new propeller. The airplane still retained its “140” moniker.
The Cherokee popularized the “Hershey Bar” shaped wing. That wing has a constant chord and constant thickness and thus resembles a Hershey candy bar. The cabin was comfortable enough for two, and could accommodate four. While intended as a trainer, it was far more popular as a basic four-place weekend transport. Handling is easy, predictable and just what is required for a low-time pilot.