The Aerostar 601 was designed by Ted Smith who also created the Aero Commander twins. It is a streamlined mid-wing cabin twin built by Ted Smith aircraftas the Aerostar 600 with 290 hp IO-540 engines or the 601 with turbocharged TIO-540s. In 1978 Piper took over the company and then built the Piper Aerostar 600A and 601B and the pressurised 601P.