The story
The retractable-gear Lance and Saratoga were Piper's six-seat high-performance singles: a long cabin with a big rear door, and a 300-horse Lycoming up front. It's the airplane families and small businesses bought instead of a light twin.
Lance IIs built in 1978-79 wore a T-tail. Owners complained about weak pitch control at low speed, and the 1980 Saratoga went back to a conventional tail.
Quick answers
How do you identify a Lance/Saratoga?
Low-wing single that looks stretched — long cabin, extra side windows, a big rear door and retractable gear. A T-tail means a 1978-79 Lance II; Saratogas have a conventional tail.
What does a Lance/Saratoga sound like?
A big IO-540 working hard — deeper and busier than the small Pipers.
How fast is the Lance/Saratoga?
Top speed is 157 kts.
How many passengers does the Lance/Saratoga carry?
Up to 5. A typical layout is 1 pilot + 5 passengers.
How far can the Lance/Saratoga fly?
Range is about 875 nmi.
How big is the Lance/Saratoga?
It is 27 ft 9 in long and 32 ft 10 in across the wings.
When did the Lance/Saratoga first fly?
Its first flight was in 1974.
How many Lance/Saratogas have been built?
3,500+ built.
How rare is a Lance/Saratoga in Bogey?
COMMON. Everyday traffic. You will catch plenty of these, and every first catch still counts. Your first Lance/Saratoga catch is worth 25 points.
