Piper PA-17 Vagabond Trainer Model Guide
Piper PA-17 Vagabond Trainer · Model Guide
Overview
The Piper PA-17 Vagabond Trainer is a two-seat, side-by-side, fabric-covered, steel-tube-fuselage taildragger with a 65-hp Continental A-65. The registry lists it for 1948 to 1950. It was a less austere version of the PA-15 Vagabond, adding dual controls, gear shock cords, instruments and a spinner. About 200 were built.
- Two seats side by side, dual controls, 65-hp Continental A-65. About 200 PA-17s were built, against just over 500 PA-15s.
- It sold for about $200 more than the $1,990 PA-15 and added shock cords, flight and engine instruments, and a spinner.
- The Short Wing Piper Club has about 900 members and a bimonthly magazine, which is useful support for an older type.
- The sources give no PA-17 weights, speeds or V-speeds. Get those from the airplane's own documents.
Summary written by AI from the source document. Check the original before relying on it. See which parts of Sprinkle are written by AI.
Reference only, not for flight. Use the current approved manual for your aircraft. See terms, section 5.
Document
Source
Copy found at sprinkle.com. Sprinkle hosts a reference copy with an added summary, specifications and searchable full text.
Document details
- Type ·
- Model Guide
- Year ·
- 2026
- File size ·
- 46 KB
- Copy found at ·
- sprinkle.com
Specifications & performance
Extracted from this document.
Specifications
- Seats ·
- 2
- Last year ·
- 1,950
- First year ·
- 1,948
- Engine power (hp) ·
- 65
What engine does the Piper PA-17 Vagabond Trainer have?
The source describes the Piper PA-17 Vagabond Trainer as having a 65-hp Continental A-65 engine. The PA-15 used a 65-horsepower Lycoming O-145.
How does the PA-17 differ from the PA-15?
The Piper PA-17 Vagabond Trainer was a somewhat less austere version of the PA-15. It had dual controls, main gear shock cords, flight and engine instruments, a propeller spinner and a Continental A-65. It sold for about $200 more.
How many PA-17s were built?
The 1990 article says Piper built about 200 PA-17s, against just over 500 PA-15s. The Piper PA-17 Vagabond Trainer is therefore the rarer of the two Vagabonds.
What is the Piper PA-17 Vagabond Trainer Model Guide?
The Piper PA-17 Vagabond Trainer Model Guide is a model guide for the Piper PA-17 Vagabond Trainer, dated 2026.
What year was the Piper PA-17 Vagabond Trainer Model Guide published?
The Piper PA-17 Vagabond Trainer Model Guide — the Piper PA-17 Vagabond Trainer model guide on file — is dated 2026.
Common. More common than 79% of the aircraft models we track.
Most owners only have the POH. Here's the essential set for the Piper PA-17 Vagabond Trainer.
- Pilot's Operating Handbook / AFM
- Checklist
- Maintenance Manual
- Parts Catalog (IPC)
- Systems & Wiring
- Service Bulletins on file
- Type Certificate (TCDS)
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More Piper PA-17 Vagabond Trainermanuals & documents
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In this document
What you are buying
The PA-17 is a shorter-span, shorter-bodied alternative to the Cub with side-by-side seats. Its wing is the Cub's, about 3 feet per side shorter. It has a steel-tube fuselage and fabric covering. Piper built it as a cheaper postwar airplane, and the PA-16 Clipper replaced the Vagabond in 1949.
Family-level registry figures
The registry entry for the PA-17 family gives maxima of up to 220 nm range, up to 76 kt cruise, up to 500 kg maximum takeoff weight, up to 2 occupants and up to 12,500 ft service ceiling. These are family-level ceilings. Do not treat them as verified figures for any one airplane.
Market and support
A 1990 article called $5,000 to $7,000 not unusual for a flyable but tattered short-wing Piper, and said good ones can fetch premium sums. Those prices are dated. No Vagabonds attended that year's club convention. Listed mods for short-wing Pipers include floats, skis, tundra tires, STOL kits and metal skins to replace fabric.
Summary written by AI from the source document. Check the original before relying on it. See which parts of Sprinkle are written by AI.
Safety notes
- Confirm the airplane is a PA-17 and not a PA-15. The PA-15 had no main-gear shock system, no right-seat controls, no engine primer and no cabin heat.
- The sources contain no PA-17 limitations, weights or V-speeds. Do not borrow figures from other short-wing Pipers.
Summary written by AI from the source document. Check the original before relying on it. See which parts of Sprinkle are written by AI.
Full document text
Piper PA-17 Vagabond Trainer Model Guide The Piper PA-17 Vagabond Trainer is a two-seat, side-by-side, fabric-covered, steel-tube-fuselage taildragger with a 65-hp Continental A-65. The registry lists it for 1948 to 1950. It was a less austere version of the PA-15 Vagabond, adding dual controls, gear shock cords, instruments and a spinner. About 200 were built. • Two seats side by side, dual controls, 65-hp Continental A-65. About 200 PA-17s were built, against just over 500 PA-15s. • It sold for about $200 more than the $1,990 PA-15 and added shock cords, flight and engine instruments, and a spinner. • The Short Wing Piper Club has about 900 members and a bimonthly magazine, which is useful support for an older type. • The sources give no PA-17 weights, speeds or V-speeds. Get those from the airplane's own documents. What you are buying The PA-17 is a shorter-span, shorter-bodied alternative to the Cub with side-by-side seats. Its wing is the Cub's, about 3 feet per side shorter. It has a steel-tube fuselage and fabric covering. Piper built it as a cheaper postwar airplane, and the PA-16 Clipper replaced the Vagabond in 1949. Family-level registry figures The registry entry for the PA-17 family gives maxima of up to 220 nm range, up to 76 kt cruise, up to 500 kg maximum takeoff weight, up to 2 occupants and up to 12,500 ft service ceiling. These are family-level ceilings. Do not treat them as verified figures for any one airplane. Market and support A 1990 article called $5,000 to $7,000 not unusual for a flyable but tattered short-wing Piper, and said good ones can fetch premium sums. Those prices are dated. No Vagabonds attended that year's club convention. Listed mods for short-wing Pipers include floats, skis, tundra tires, STOL kits and metal skins to replace fabric. Safety notes: • Confirm the airplane is a PA-17 and not a PA-15. The PA-15 had no main-gear shock system, no right-seat controls, no engine primer and no cabin heat. • The sources contain no PA-17 limitations, weights or V-speeds. Do not borrow figures from other short-wing Pipers.