This book describes the heritage and development of the entire Piper Cherokee family; its safety and ownership characteristics; internal and external details; and a range of special variants from STOL modifications and new engines to seaplanes and tailwheel conversions. The hugely successful Piper PA-28 was produced and sold as a direct competitor to the Cessna 172. Initially produced with a rectangular wing planform and fixed undercarriage, it was available with installed powers ranging from 140 to 235 hp. A retractable undercarriage resulted in the Arrow series. The closely related PA-32 Cherokee Six, Saratoga and Six X are larger high performance aircraft. Versions of the PA-32 fitted with retractable undercarriages are the Lance and the sophisticated Saratoga II series.

Essex is not known for being the cradle of British aviation, but perhaps it should be. From the establishment of Britain's earliest aerodrome to its dogged defence of London during two world wars, Essex can rightly stake its claim to a place in British aviation history. Yet it has largely flown under the radar. Essex's aviation heritage is commemorated by the UK's largest known surviving group of Royal Flying Corps buildings; meanwhile, its future is led by the UK's fourth busiest airport - a place once built by foreign hands. In between, its soil has been crossed by now-invisible runways and dotted with little-known memorials. For more than a century, England's eleventh largest county has played host to some of the country's most ground-breaking aerial moments. Essex: A Hidden Aviation History uncovers the concealed landmarks that tell the remarkable story of one county's special contribution to British aviation.