Light Jets · Piston twin
Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain
A piston twin for up to nine passengers, with counter-rotating turbocharged engines and a published takeoff distance of 1,780 feet.
Reviewed by Kevin Singh, Founder · Specifications checked against manufacturer and type certificate data · Last updated 14 September 2026
At a glance
Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain specifications
Piper no longer publishes a Chieftain specification and the published range and ceiling figures disagree, so they are not shown. Figures vary widely with engines and modification.
Where it fits
A piston twin for short strips and short hops
The Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain is a stretched development of the PA-31 Navajo, built from 1973 to 1984, with two turbocharged, counter-rotating Lycoming engines of 350 hp each. AOPA lists up to ten seats, so nine passengers with one pilot, at a 7,000 lb maximum gross weight.
AOPA gives a takeoff distance of 1,780 feet over a 50 foot obstacle and a cruise speed of 205 knots, though neither figure states the conditions, and the AOPA fact sheet lists a maximum cruise of 187 knots calibrated.
Piper no longer publishes a Chieftain specification, and the range and ceiling figures in circulation disagree, so we do not publish either. Figures also vary widely with engines and modification, which is why the desk plans every leg against the specific aircraft.
Long sectors, anyone who needs to stand, or passengers who expect a jet cabin. It is a piston twin with a cabin 4 feet 2 inches wide and a 205 knot cruise. For longer legs, more speed and a heated hold you can reach in flight, the King Air 350i is the better tool.
Missions
What the desk books it for
Short strips near the destination
A published takeoff distance of 1,780 feet over a 50 foot obstacle is shorter than any other aircraft in our light group publishes. The desk confirms each strip for the specific aircraft.
Nine seats on a short hop
Up to nine passengers with one pilot, or an eight-seat club layout on some aircraft, for island and regional hops where a turbine aircraft is more than the sector needs.
Heavy bags, light party
AOPA lists 700 lb of total baggage capacity. Tell the desk the bag count and weights, so the load is planned against the fuel for each leg.
Regional sectors, planned leg by leg
Because range varies with engines, modification and load, the desk plans each sector against the specific aircraft before it quotes, rather than against a brochure figure.
Where it flies
Routes the desk flies on the Navajo Chieftain
Short regional sectors from our route guides of the kind this aircraft is booked for. The Chieftain has no reliable published range, so the desk confirms each leg against the specific aircraft. Each opens to the flight time, the airports at both ends and what to know before you fly.
Cabin and baggage
A seated cabin in a piston twin
AOPA gives the cabin as 12 feet 6 inches long, without stating whether that includes the cockpit, and 4 feet 2 inches wide. It is not a stand-up cabin. Layouts vary: AOPA lists up to ten seats including the pilot, its fact sheet describes six to eight place configurations, and Flying describes an eight-seat club arrangement.
A toilet was an optional installation on some aircraft, alongside a refreshment centre, and it is not enclosed as standard. If a lavatory matters for the trip, tell the desk and it will confirm what the specific aircraft has.
AOPA lists a total baggage capacity of 700 lb. Tell the desk the bag count and weights when you enquire, so the load is planned against the fuel for each leg before the aircraft is offered.
Performance and airports
Runways, speed and planning each leg
AOPA gives a takeoff distance of 1,780 feet over a 50 foot obstacle (ground roll 1,360 feet) and a landing distance of 2,200 feet (ground roll 1,180 feet), without stating the conditions. Pilot magazine quotes about 2,600 feet to take off at maximum weight, so the desk works from the specific aircraft's figures, not the headline number.
Cruise is 205 knots in the AOPA aircraft guide, with power setting and altitude not stated, and the never-exceed speed is 236 knots calibrated. The engines are Lycoming TIO-540-J2BD and LTIO-540-J2BD, a counter-rotating pair.
Range and ceiling are not shown in this guide because the published figures disagree. The desk plans every sector against the specific aircraft's engines, modifications and load, and the day's weather, before a quote goes out.
Compare the class
Navajo Chieftain against the other light jets
How the Navajo Chieftain lines up against the other light aircraft we cover. Every other aircraft in the group is turbine powered, faster and publishes a range, and the King Air carries its bags in a heated, pressurised hold; the Chieftain's case is a shorter published takeoff distance than any of them and up to nine seats.
| Aircraft | Passengers | Range | Cruise | Cabin height | Baggage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Piper PA-31-350 Navajo ChieftainThis aircraft | Up to 9 | n/a | 205 kts | n/a | n/a |
| Hawker 400XP | 7 to 9 | 1,464 NM | 450 kts | 4 ft 9 in | 46 cu ft |
| Beechcraft King Air B200 and 350i | 8 to 9 | 1,535 NM | 312 kts | 4 ft 9 in | 71 cu ft |
| Cessna Citation XLS | 8 to 12 | 1,539 NM | 433 kts | 5 ft 8 in | 80 cu ft |
| Cessna Citation V | 7 to 11 | 1,920 NM | 427 kts | 4 ft 10 in | n/a |
| Embraer Phenom 300 | 6 to 10 | 2,010 NM | 464 kts | 4 ft 11 in | 84 cu ft |
Chartering with Icarus Jet
How we charter the Navajo Chieftain
We source Navajo Chieftains from ARGUS-audited and Wyvern-certified operators, and the operator's name and audit status are on the quote. Because figures vary so much between individual aircraft, the desk checks each leg, the runway and the baggage weight against the specific aircraft and your real party before it checks availability.
Quotes are all-in and itemised: aircraft and crew, positioning, landing and handling, fuel and taxes, with nothing added after the flight that was not on the page. The figure depends on where the nearest suitable aircraft is based, the dates and the airports, which is why we price your actual trip rather than publish a rate.
Questions
Navajo Chieftain questions the desk gets
How far can a Navajo Chieftain fly?
We do not publish a range for the Chieftain. Piper no longer publishes a specification, the figures in circulation disagree, and range varies widely with engines, modification and load. The desk plans each leg against the specific aircraft and tells you before booking whether a sector needs a stop.
How many passengers does a Navajo Chieftain seat?
Up to nine with one pilot, based on AOPA's ten-seat figure. Many aircraft have six to eight place layouts, including eight-seat club arrangements, so the desk confirms the seats on the specific aircraft.
Can you stand up in the cabin?
No. The cabin is 4 feet 2 inches wide and 12 feet 6 inches long, and passengers sit for the flight. We do not publish a cabin height because no primary source confirms it.
How much luggage fits on a Navajo Chieftain?
AOPA lists a total baggage capacity of 700 lb. No primary source confirms the volume, so tell the desk the bag count and weights when you enquire.
Is the Navajo Chieftain a jet?
No. It is a piston twin with two 350 hp turbocharged Lycoming engines that rotate in opposite directions. Cruise is 205 knots in the AOPA aircraft guide, well below the turbine aircraft we cover.
What is the difference between the Navajo and the Navajo Chieftain?
The Chieftain, the PA-31-350, is a stretched development of the PA-31 Navajo with 350 hp counter-rotating engines. Piper built the two alongside each other until 1984, and Pilot magazine puts combined PA-31 Navajo and Chieftain production from 1967 at almost 4,000 aircraft.
Does the Navajo Chieftain have a toilet?
Some do. A toilet and a refreshment centre were optional installations, and the toilet is not enclosed as standard. Tell the desk if it matters, and it will confirm what the specific aircraft has.
Related
Around the Navajo Chieftain
Get your number
Charter the Navajo Chieftain
Send the route, the dates and the passengers. The desk checks range and baggage against the trip, then comes back with the aircraft that genuinely fit and an itemised quote.
Prefer to talk? Call +1 888 277 7203. The desk is staffed 24/7.
Comparing aircraft? Browse the Aircraft Guides in the Aviation Library, 600+ guides on chartering and operations.