Piper’s Arrow has been in almost continuous production since the late 1960s. The current model has a base price of $271,600.

The Piper Arrow occupies a unique point on the spectrum of light aircraft. Come what may, year in and year out, it’s always the first model owners and operators think of when they seek a retractable trainer.

They may not always buy it for that purpose, but the airplane is always on the short list of considerations. Why? Probably due to a combination of timing, marketing and capability.

When it appeared in 1967, the Arrow wasn’t the first retract to hit the market; the Bonanza beat it by two decades and even Piper’s own single-engine Comanche came out in 1958, enjoying moderate sales success. …