One will be forgiven for never ever having heard that at some stage Piper manufactured an aircraft, called the Papoose, its Model PA-29, a single-engine training monoplane. The only example ever manufactured had its first flight in 1962. However, the type never went into production.
Relatively advanced for its time the Papoose was of fiberglass reinforced plastic construction powered by a 08 hp (81 kW) Lycoming O-235-CIB piston engine that enabled the prototype to reach a speed of 130 mph (210 km/h, 110 kn).
Originally intended to be powered by a 100 hp (75 kW) Continental O-200 piston engine, the prototype instead used a 108 hp (81 kW) Lycoming O-235-CIB piston engine. The prototype, registered N2900M first flew in 1962 but the type did not enter production. The Papoose prototype was on "permanent loan" to the EAA Museum at Oshkosh from 7/17/1973 until 6/25/1987 when it was returned to Lock Haven. It currently resides in the Piper Aviation Museum in Lock Haven.
