What’s Inside a Piper Pawnee Cockpit?

Take a detailed tour inside the cockpit of a Piper Pawnee (PA-25) — one of the simplest, toughest, and most iconic tow planes in aviation. Originally designed as a crop duster, the Pawnee is built like a tank, with a steel-tube roll cage and rugged components that make it ideal for glider towing.

In this video, we walk through every major cockpit feature, control, gauge, and safety system so you can see exactly what makes the Piper Pawnee such a reliable workhorse.

🔧 Cockpit Features Covered in This Tour

Throttle quadrant: throttle, mixture control, and carb heat

Two-notch flap system (floor-mounted)

Pitch trim and fuel quantity/pressure gauges

Static system covers

Tow release mechanism

Dual emergency door-release handles

Engine instruments: CHT, EGT, tachometer, magnetos

Flight instruments: airspeed, altimeter, VSI, compass

Electrical system: master switch, ammeter, circuit breakers

Lighting panel and fuel pump

Radio and push-to-talk trigger

The Pawnee’s hilarious rear-view mirrors (for towing gliders)

External wire-cutting bar for safety

Landing gear shock cords (bungee system)

🌾 Why the Pawnee Is Built This Way

The Piper Pawnee started life as an agricultural aircraft, which means it was engineered to fly low, handle rough landings, and protect the pilot in an accident. That DNA carries over into its glider-towing version, which explains the roll cage, strong landing gear, and simplicity of the cockpit layout.

🪂 What Makes It a Great Tow Plane?

Incredibly durable construction

Simple, reliable systems

Rear-view mirrors to monitor the glider and tow rope

Excellent visibility

Easy maintenance

A forgiving aircraft that’s perfect for tow pilots


Thumbnail image credit Alan Wilson, Creative Commons Share Alike 2.0 - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...