Today’s Top Pick is a 1947 Aeronca 7BCM.

I have always preferred the Aeronca Champ over its more-famous rival, the Piper J-3 Cub, because as a solo pilot you sit in the front seat instead of the rear, and as a result can actually see where you are going.

This is particularly important on the ground, where taildraggers tend to be the most challenging. I can see over the Champ’s nicely tapered nose but no such luck with the Piper.

Of course, I would never wave off either of the classic machines, especially in their military liaison versions—like this Aeronca, also known as an L-16A—which have extended greenhouses intended for observers in the back seat. Nowadays those airy glass enclosures give passengers a near-panoramic view and make the vintage-aircraft experience far more palatable for first-timers.

Early taildraggers like this Aeronca are a joy to fly on short hops for breakfast, lunch, or fly-ins at local airports. Packing one up for an overnight trip is also a fun way to spend a weekend, whether you plan to camp under the stars or retire to a cozy bed-and-breakfast.

This Aeronca 7BCM has 5,894 hours on the airframe and 329 hours since overhaul on its Continental C85 engine.

While the Aeronca is a basic, fairly bare-bones aircraft, it does have certain features that enhance its effectiveness in the backcountry, including a 7-gallon fuel tank in its wing in addition to the 15-gallon main tank, a Brackett air filter, tinted visor, front and rear side windows that open,  quick-release door hinge, hand brake, no-bounce landing gear, Aero-Classic 850×6 main tires, new exhaust, and air vents.

The VFR panel includes a digital comm radio, turn coordinator, tachometer, airspeed indicator, altimeter, oil temperature and pressure gauges, fuel gauge, and compass—everything you need.

Pilots looking for a back-to-basics tailwheel airplane with vintage appeal and extra visibility that will impress passengers should consider this 1947 Aeronca 7BCM, which is available for $39,000 on AircraftForSale.

If you’re interested in financing, you can do so with FLYING Finance. Use their airplane loan calculator to calculate your estimated monthly payments. Or, to speak with an aviation finance specialist, visit flyingfinance.com.

• FLYING Magazine: Restoration Nation: Aeronca Champ
• FLYING Magazine: Five Taildraggers That Are Easy to Buy, Fly, and Insure
• FLYING Magazine: Getting Reacquainted With Taildraggers Is Time Well Spent
• FLYING Magazine: A Taste of Taildraggers
• AVweb: What’s the Buzz?
• The Aviation Consumer: Used Aircraft Guide: Aeronca Champ
• Plane & Pilot: Aeronca Champ
• Plane & Pilot: Aeronca 7AC Champion

The post This 1947 Aeronca 7BCM Is an Easygoing Warbird and an ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1946 Aeronca 7AC Champion.

Pilots interested in historic aviation and those who simply want to own an aircraft without breaking the bank are increasingly seeking vintage rag-and-tube taildraggers. Demand for such aircraft, like this Aeronca 7AC Champ and its competitors, including the Piper J-3 Cub, Luscombe 8 series, and Cessna 120, may have driven prices higher in recent years but these models remain relatively inexpensive. They also offer an engaging, tactile, stick-and-rudder flying experience that can be hard to find in this era of autopilots and magenta lines.

Low and slow is the traditional method for flying an airplane like the Aeronca, and that makes sense because the pilot can make out navigational landmarks easier at low altitudes and, well, “fast” simply is not an option in the Champ. Pilots in a hurry to reach Point B should look elsewhere but those who regard every flight as a sightseeing tour will enjoy getting there in an old taildragger. For couples or a pair of friends who like to travel together, an aircraft like this can be the key to memorable weekend getaways.

Do not worry too much if your pilotage skills are rusty. A friend who flies vintage machinery all the time swears by his smartphone, tablet, and handheld com radio. If, by chance, those layers of powered devices fail, there is always the sectional chart. You are carrying one, right?  

This 1946 Aeronca 7AC Champion has 794 hours on the airframe and 200 hours on its engine since overhaul. The panel includes traditional basic VFR instrumentation.

Pilots looking for a truly economical path into general aviation with the benefits of classic tailwheel charm and versatility should consider this 1946 Champ, which is available for $35,000 on AircraftForSale.

If you’re interested in financing, you can do so with FLYING Finance. Use its airplane loan calculator to calculate your estimated monthly payments. Or, to speak with an aviation finance specialist, visit flyingfinance.com.

• FLYING Magazine: Restoration Nation: Aeronca Champ
• FLYING Magazine: Five Taildraggers That Are Easy To Buy, Fly, and Insure
• FLYING Magazine: The T8F Is Luscombe’s ‘Crazy Uncle’
• Plane & Pilot: Aeronca Champ
• Plane & Pilot: Taking Off In An Old Aeronca Chief On A Short Grass Strip With Tall Trees All Around
• The Aviation Consumer: Legacy Light Sport: Cub vs. Champ
• The Aviation Consumer: Used Aircraft Guide: Aeronca Champ

The post This 1946 Aeronca 7AC Champion Is a Low, Slow, Superb ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1947 Luscombe 8E.

Pilots are increasingly embracing the many potential advantages of owning and flying vintage aircraft dating to the 1940s and ’50s. While machines like the Luscombe 8 series and the Piper Cubs, Aeronca Champs, and Cessna 140s it competes with are not built for speed, they have other endearing qualities including short-field performance, good looks, and the ability to start conversations wherever they land.

Compared with many of its contemporaries, the Luscombe is less fragile-looking and, when equipped with wheel pants like the aircraft for sale here, displays a smooth, streamlined shape that reminds us of racy designs from aviation’s golden age. The aircraft makes a pleasant traveling platform for two people who know how to pack lightly and are not in too much of a hurry to reach their destination. Still, it will get you there much sooner than driving.

This 1947 Luscombe has 2,330 hours on the airframe and 750 hours since overhaul on its 90 hp Continental C-90 engine. Its panel includes a Garmin GTR 200B com with intercom and a GTX 330 transponder. Additional features include Groves brakes, new alternator and voltage regulator, and new BAS shoulder harnesses. The aircraft’s carburetor was rebuilt last year, and its exhaust was replaced in 2020. 

Pilots looking for a classic two-seat taildragger, especially those who prefer the unusual combination of control sticks with side-by-side seating, should consider this 1947 Luscombe 8E, which is available for $45,000 on AircraftForSale.

You can arrange financing of the aircraft through FLYING Finance. For more information, email info@flyingfinance.com.

• FLYING Magazine: The Luscombe 8 Offers a Unique Trip Back in Time
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The post This 1947 Luscombe 8E Is a Rugged, Mid-Century ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1946 Cessna 140.

There were a lot of GA aircraft on the market in the years right after World War II, including a range of small, light two-seat personal airplanes such as Piper Cubs, Aeronca Champs, Luscombes, and Taylorcrafts. Some of the designs dated to before the war, while others, like the Cessna 140, had come along afterward and had a relatively new look and feel.

Having flown a number of these old classics, I can say the Cessna tops my list because of its easy handling and side-by-side seating, which I prefer because it enhances interaction with the passenger and gives the airplane a more pleasant shape to my eye.

This 1946 Cessna 140 has 7,270 hours on the airframe and 399 hours on its 90 hp Continental C90-14F engine. The panel includes a King KX-170B nav/com with OBS, King KT-76A transponder, PS Engineering PMA 4000 audio panel with two-place intercom, and uAvionix ADS-B.

Pilots looking for a handsome, economical vintage taildragger that will transport them almost all the way back to aviation’s golden age should consider this 1946 Cessna 140, which is available for $43,000 on AircraftForSale.

You can arrange financing of the aircraft through FLYING Finance. For more information, email info@flyingfinance.com.

• FLYING Magazine: Approachable Aircraft: The Cessna 120/140
• FLYING Magazine: Man Sells Old Cessna 140 at Garage Sale
• FLYING Magazine: Five Taildraggers That Are Easy To Buy, Fly, and Insure
• Plane & Pilot: This Incredible Plane: Cessna 140
• Plane & Pilot: Cessna 120/140
• The Aviation Consumer: Used Aircraft Guide: Cessna 120/140

The post This 1946 Cessna 140 Is a Sweet Vintage Taildragger and an ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1947 Aeronca 11BC Chief

Flying an antique aircraft can be an enlightening, rewarding experience. A nicely restored example like this 1947 Aeronca Chief will attract attention and start conversations wherever you land. It can be a great way to connect with other pilots. An airplane that is many decades old and equipped with its original analog instruments like this one also can transport today’s pilots to an exciting era when general aviation meant operating without GPS, ADS-B, or anything digital. Let the sectional chart and your eyes be your guides.

This is a VFR machine ideally suited for pleasure flights to pancake breakfasts at airports within an hour or so of your home field. You can go farther as long as you are not in a big rush to get there. Rather than climbing high in search of a tailwind, staying low and accepting whatever the wind offers tends to be the best way to fly a vintage Aeronca. That way you see the terrain in detail, including landmarks on the chart. You can also more easily confirm that you are still moving at least a bit faster than the cars on the road below, especially when the road curves and you can maintain a straight course.

While a lot of aviation enthusiasts are familiar with the Aeronca Champ, fewer know about the Chief, which swaps the Champ’s control sticks and tandem seating for yokes and side-by-side seats. It was considered more of a grown-up airplane—and can be a more pleasant way for two people to travel.

This Chief has 1,281 hours on the airframe and 553 hours on its Continental C85-8 engine. The aircraft was restored, including new paint and interior in 1993, and still looks sharp.

Pilots seeking an intimate, hands-on flying experience with an emphasis on wheel landings and precisely coordinated turns can gain a lot from this Aeronca Chief, which is available for $29,900 on AircraftForSale.

You can arrange financing of the airplane through FLYING Financial Group. For more information, email info@flyingfinancial.com.

• FLYING Magazine: Restoration Nation: Aeronca Champ
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• Plane & Pilot: 25 Bargain Birds For 2005
• Plane & Pilot: Aeronca 11AC/11CC
• The Aviation Consumer: Legacy Light Sport: Cub vs. Champ
• The Aviation Consumer: Aeronca Champion

The post Today’s Top Aircraft For Sale Pick: 1947 Aeronca 11BC Chief appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

“My dad took me and my brother David—who was 13 at the time—to the airport for a flight lesson. My brother went first, then I went. I sat in the front, no headset. I had never been in an airplane and it was overwhelming the senses, [with] the hand-propping noise and vibration and the fabric. It was totally otherworldly and exhilarating and frightening.”

Both the Preston boys were interested in aviation, but, as Philip points out, they did not come from one of those families where their parents paid for their hobbies. As a result, both Philip and his brother worked their way through flight training. David went on to become an airline pilot, eventually retiring from American Airlines, and Philip—although he loved to fly—had bigger dreams. “So I hitchhiked down the road to the University of Illinois,” he says. “My dream was to start a business and live in a house on an airport—and that all started with the Champ.”

A Dream Comes True

With an engineering degree in hand, Philip Preston started a plastics company that makes, among other things, parts for commercial aircraft—and those clear plastic doors you see on slushie and soft-serve ice cream machines.

“You have probably seen what the company makes,” he says. “I started Littlestar Plastics in 1991, making aerospace parts like for the [Boeing] 787 and 777X, and lots of ice cream machine parts. I built the company up from nothing, and when I sold just before the pandemic hit, it had 55 employees.”

The business allowed Preston to pursue flight training. He earned his private pilot certificate in 1977 but didn’t buy his first airplane, a Grumman Tiger, until 1997. A series of aircraft followed, including a Cirrus SR20 and a Waco UPF-7, which he purchased as a project.

“I took the UPF-7 and shipped the aircraft to Waco Aircraft Corp. for restoration. They take airplanes to Oshkosh every year, and every year they get [awarded] Grand Champion. I like things done right and will spend the money to get it right.” More aircraft followed, including a 1967 Cessna 310L, a 1980 Cessna R182RG, and a 2012 Tecnam P92 taildragger. The plastics company also gave him the resources to have the home he wanted on an airpark.

He resides at BelAir Estates, located at Poplar Grove Airport (C77), a privately-owned, public-use airfield three miles south of Poplar Grove, Illinois. The airport is also home to the Poplar Grove Vintage Wings and Wheels Museum. The museum focuses on personal transportation from 1903 to 1957, and according to Preston, there is a diversity of aircraft in the airpark community with a heavy emphasis on vintage designs.

One day in 2019, he saw an Aeronca Champ project one of his neighbors was working on and realized it was the very same Aeronca Champ he’d taken his first flight in—the 1946 Aeronca 7AC, NC81986, serial no. 611.

“It was 54 years later and a mere 100 yards from my hangar,” he says. He had wondered what the airplane had been through in those 50-plus years. “The owner told me he planned to restore it. I told him to give me a call when he had [the project completed], and then one day, I heard from someone at the airport that he had sold his house and his hangar and was going to put the airplane in storage.”

Right Place, Right Time

Fortunately for Preston, the owner of the Champ changed his mind, and in July 2019, Preston purchased the project. “It was in pieces and stripped of fabric,” he says.

Preston opted to have Jerry Stadtmiller of Bipe Inc., out of North Carolina, finish the restoration job for him. “I wanted it done right,” he recalls. “The recovering and paint on the Champ ran about $20,000 to $30,000. A lot of the Champs out there are [only] worth $20,000 to $30,000.”

According to the company website, Bipe, Inc. focuses  on “museum quality” restorations for antique aircraft. Jerry Stadtmiller turns out to be the owner. He holds multiple pilot certificates in addition to an A&P/IA, and says the company specializes in vintage aircraft.

“Basically anything that is fabric covered,” Stadtmiller said in an interview. The shop is at Andrews Murphy Airport (KRHP) in Andrews, North Carolina. 

During the restoration project, Stadtmiller kept in contact with Preston, keeping him apprised of the progress. The aircraft was restored to “as original as practical,” which usually means the fabric covering uses modern materials, and the cockpit instruments are overhauled vintage pieces. Parts are sometimes hard to find, he says, but as he has been in the business so long, he has his ways.

When it came time to paint the aircraft, Preston wanted to do something other than the yellow and orange that most Champs wear. He wasn’t sure which way to go, then a friend gave him a book that inspired him. “The book had a picture of a 1951 sedan that was painted blue and straw, and I liked that, so I copied that for the paint scheme.”

You won’t find any space-age glass like the kind Preston’s company manufactured in this model. Instead, he was adamant that the instruments be period-correct. That limits the aircraft to daytime VFR conditions, which is fine, he says, as this is an airplane you take out on good days for fun. The range of the Champ is about 120 miles. 

Both of these things made the flight home from North Carolina a bit of a challenge.

“I brought it home in August of 2022. I had to make nine fuel stops, and since the airplane is daytime VFR only, I was racing the sun. There is no electrical system in the airplane,” he says.

“I got to Danville, Illinois, at 7:10 p.m. I was 5 minutes from home, but the sun was setting. The next morning when the sun came up, I headed home. Prior to that flight, I had not flown a Champ since 1968.” The airplane is easy to fly, he says. “That airplane flies hands and feet off because it is so stable. The flight home from North Carolina at 80 mph was like a 10-hour reacquaintance flight. I had the window open, and it was like driving a sports car. I was really happy with it.”

The Champ missed EAA AirVenture 2022, but Preston is considering taking his new pride and joy to AirVenture in 2023 to see how it stacks up against the other vintage designs. He’s come home from the big show with honors before, he notes. “In 2016, I had a 1967 Cessna 310L that won best Twin Cessna at AirVenture, and it was on the cover of Twin Cessna Flyer.

“I was drawn to the Cessna 310 because it was one of the airplanes I saw on the cover of FLYING magazine in my youth.”

A First Solo in the Aeronca Champion…

In the April 1973 issue of FLYING, former editor-in- chief Richard L . Collins waxed nostalgic about his first solo flight in the Aeronca Champion.

“My teacher was a man named Rudy Peace: patient, a natural pilot, and a confidence-inspiring individual. All were necessary attributes as he taught me to fly, too, for patience is necessary when teaching a 17-year- old to do anything. Natural flying ability protected him from my many goofs, and his ability to inspire confidence prevented a mutiny when he told me to fly the Aeronca Champion around the airport by myself.

“The old Champion had its own virtues, and combined with my instructor’s skill, they make October 25, 1951, a pleasant day to remember. Some like to refer to a good airplane as being forgiving , and that’s an okay way to say it. The Champion forgave my total lack of attention to the good and holy principles of the three-point landing; in fact, it forgave three times that day. Afterward, one nervous teenager had his shirttail removed, and one relieved flight instructor gratefully accepted the fifth of bourbon that was, by custom, presented to instructors as they survived first solo flights.”

This article was originally published in the March 2023 Issue 935 of  FLYING.

The post Restoration Nation: Aeronca Champ appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

“I’m now 69, and my aviation journey started long ago. My father was a veteran, and he flew as a radio radar operator on B-29s during the Second World War. He flew 29 missions over Japan, and that’s where it all started, to be honest. When I was young, I don’t remember anything at the dinner table except for flying. Every conversation was about this plane or that plane, that airshow, or where we were going to fly that weekend,” Landis noted.

“As a kid, I flew remote-controlled airplanes and still do, even to this day. I built them, flew them, and I loved it. So that kind of got me into learning about aviation and all of that stuff. When I turned 15 or 16, I started taking flying lessons. I soloed after like nine hours—very quickly, because of having flown RC planes for so long. I then got my pilot’s license as a freshman in college. After graduating, I got married and bought a house. Before we even did anything else, we didn’t even have furniture yet besides a bed, we bought an airplane, a Cessna 152.” 

Fast forward many years, and his pre-retirement wish was to find a place with enough space to accommodate his lifelong hobby. This goal was the basis for what has become colloquially known as Flying Horseman Ranch, or as it’s noted on sectionals—Landis Airport (VG16). “I was looking for a place to retire that was big enough that I could fly remote-controlled airplanes in my backyard. We lived in New York at the time, about 30 miles north of the city in Rockland County. I just wanted to retire to a place where I could have 10 or 15 acres, have a small RC field, and fly. We started looking around at houses and must have looked around for several years and looked in every state. I mean, we were in South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Texas, Arizona, and others,” Landis explained.

“We drove into this property, and even before we got to the house, I could see that there was a windsock. Already as a pilot, I knew what that meant. Maybe there was a runway! But I really didn’t expect too much because we are in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. I really thought it would be too mountainous for there to be a runway. It wasn’t in great shape, but there was one—and there was a house here too, which also wasn’t in great shape.” 

After purchasing the acreage, the couple continued living in New York for several years while the home was renovated. Once they moved to Virginia full-time, Landis regraded the runway and eventually built a new hangar. He explained that while the runway is in good condition, there is considerable slope and other challenges that would make operating there challenging for grass strip newbies. As a note, he explained that all landings must be taken going uphill and takeoffs downhill, regardless of wind conditions. 

Until purchasing this acreage in 2015, Landis had owned a Cessna 182 for 35 years. It was replaced by an Aeronca Champ, which was joined by a Cessna 185. Then, the stable grew by another aircraft, with the addition of a Great Lakes Biplane. Now with more time to dedicate to his passions, Landis reports that he flies a substantial amount more than he had when he was in the workforce.

“For the last four to five years, I have been averaging anywhere from 400 to 500 hours a year. Which is a lot, when I used to only do 10-20 hours a year when I lived up north. It’s crazy, but it’s great. The hardest problem I have in retirement is deciding which airplane I’ll be flying that day,” he happily advised.

“To be honest with you, I’m living the dream. I never thought in a million years, if I had gone back 20 years, that this would have been possible. When I tell people, they don’t understand, but I tell them that I am truly living the dream and I’m at a small piece of heaven here on earth.” 

While the tranquility of the roughly 100-acre property is more than fun enough to enjoy in its own regard, Landis prefers to be accompanied by friends and family. 

“My son, Dan Landis, is as into aviation as I am and started flying when he was only five years old. He comes down here every few weeks, and we do a lot of flying during that time. We’re kind of in the middle of nowhere and have a lot of friends nearby who have smaller grass strips. You just barnstorm all over the place and it’s a lot of fun. It’s been a really great time to be able to do that. My neighbors here have also been great. They’re not into flying, but they love the planes. And I’ll take anyone flying who wants to go. I’ve had most of my neighbors flying in the airplanes.” 

Every year for the last several years, the third weekend of May, Landis has hosted what he calls a “fun fly.” Last year, 103 planes showed up (half of which were taildraggers), in addition to several helicopters and a fly-by conducted by an L-39. 2023’s event is on the calendar for May 19-21. Landis noted that everyone interested is invited to attend.

The fun had at the property isn’t limited to aviation-related activities, either. As the airfield’s nickname implies, the Landises also have several horses on their property. This is a hobby which Landis’ wife and daughter are able to enjoy together. 

And while he gratefully expresses that owning this property “is a real blessing to say the least,” Landis laments that there is something —rather someone—missing at the Flying Horseman Ranch.

“The only thing that could have made this better was if my father had been alive to see it before he passed away. This place is truly special, don’t misunderstand that, but him being here would have been the only thing that would have made it even more special.”

The post Living the Dream on the Flying Horseman Ranch appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Before one gets too far ahead of oneself, however, one must take a step back to evaluate the available options from a higher level. In my case, I had reached a point where I had become deeply entrenched in the intricacies of various types. How much heavier a metalized Cessna 120/140 wing is compared to the original fabric-covered wing, for example (around 50 to 75 pounds), and how much it might cost to replace all the fabric on a Stinson 108 (as much as $45,000 to $50,000 when it’s all said and done).

As I was navigating all the various pitfalls and little-known lore of several types, it occurred to me that perhaps I should first back up and determine whether I preferred tandem seating, in which one occupant sits in front of the other, or side-by-side seating. Similarly, it occurred to me that I hadn’t put much thought into whether I preferred yokes or sticks. I had become buried in specification lists and budget sheets, shopping with my brain and ignoring some of the less tangible preferences that aren’t as easily quantifiable in rows and columns.

• READ MORE: Finding Your Ideal Aircraft: Bringing the New Baby Home

Looking at my list of contenders, they ran the gamut. Some had two seats, one had three, and others had four. Some had sticks, others had yokes. And sure enough, tandem and side-by-side seating were both represented in my list of potential candidates—like the SOCATA Rallye that features side-by-side seating and sticks.

So, pausing my investigation into the minutia of various types, I took a broader look at these more fundamental decisions to be made. I began by considering my experiences flying aircraft with tandem seating configurations. Looking at the list of all the types I’ve ever flown—a list well worth maintaining, perhaps inside the back cover of your logbook—I picked out those with tandem seating and reflected upon my experiences.

From the simple Piper J-3 Cub to the Aeronca Champ to the supremely capable Aviat Husky, I recalled the combination of strengths and weaknesses inherent in that configuration. Each was a relative pain to get into and out of. A lack of flexibility and multiple winter layers could make this a real chore. 

Each provided outstanding visibility, so long as you were seated in the front. I definitely did not enjoy flying from the back seat of the J-3, for example. With another person seated up front, I might as well have been flying the Spirit of St. Louis, with zero forward visibility and an extremely claustrophobic cabin. If I was to pursue a type with this seating, I’d insist upon one that allows solo flight from the front seat.

Among the less-quantifiable benefits to tandem seating was the placement of seats along the fuselage centerline. As a friend of mine once observed, the throttle is in your left hand, the stick in your right, and some point between your eyes is the roll center. You may only have 65 horsepower on tap, but when banking into your turn to final, you might as well be flying your own Mustang or Spitfire.

But thinking back, I never really found the stick to feel as natural as a yoke. This might be the result of the law of primacy, as I’d done all of my primary training in Cessna 152s, but it might also have been a preference for using my left hand to control the aircraft and my right hand to control the throttle. One way to get to the bottom of this was to seek out a type where you manipulate the stick with your left hand and the throttle with your right.

I was fortunate to locate a Piper PA-16 Clipper for rent about an hour away in rural Wisconsin. The Clipper is rare in that it pairs control sticks with side-by-side seating and a single throttle control mounted in the center. The person in the left seat manipulates the stick with their left hand and the throttle with their right.

The Clipper had many admirable qualities. The relatively large ailerons provided a snappy roll rate, and it was fun to fly. But once again, the stick just didn’t feel as natural to me as yokes. This might have been a function of my relatively broad shoulders; my arms and hands naturally fell farther outboard of centerline, farther away from a centrally-mounted stick. 

I left the little FBO nearly $200 poorer, but with some useful insight into the yoke versus stick debate. And by determining that my preference was for yokes, this also meant that, by default, my preference was also for side-by-side seating. While sticks can be found in both tandem and side-by-side cockpits, there are, to my knowledge, no light general aviation types that combine tandem seating with two yokes. The Champion 402 Lancer comes close, with a yoke up front and a stick in back, but as a twin with fixed-pitch props and an inability to maintain altitude on one engine, this type was best forgotten.

The post The Daunting Endeavor of Buying Your First Aircraft appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Tailwheel aircraft arguably are the fullest expression of that freedom because they often don’t need airports at all. A field, dirt path, or gravel bar in the middle of a river will do. While off-airport exploration is possible in tricycle-gear airplanes, the endeavor usually works out better with a tailwheel.  

For many years, taildraggers looked as if they were headed for extinction, or at least obscurity, in part because most students were learning to fly in Cessna 150s, 172s, and other tricycle-gear models. There were few new aircraft with tailwheels, and in the used market, nose wheel airplanes were easier to find, fly, and insure.

• READ MORE: Luscombe 8 Offers Unique Trip back In Time

The arrival of the light sport aircraft segment helped change the market by adding new taildraggers, which many pilots had not seen for decades. However, it seems like a new appreciation for older aircraft has made the biggest difference in the outlook for tailwheel flying.

Younger pilots are gravitating toward the vintage machines, many of them built as far back as the 1940s, because of their classic vintage designs, back-to-basics appeal, and of course, low prices. In an era when trekking through Aviators Hot Line might turn up a 20-year-old Beechcraft A36 Bonanza for $500,000, it is easy to understand why newly certificated airplane shoppers would head straight for the oldies section. That is where the old taildraggers live, and love at first sight is common there.

Pilots should never run blindly into an airplane purchase, and septuagenarian airframes are not for everyone. But if, after proper due diligence, you decide a vintage taildragger is the right airplane, you will find there are many from which to choose. Below are a few models we believe are among the easiest to live with in terms of purchase price, insurance cost, and ease of operation.

Piper J-3 Cub

It makes sense that the airplane that taught generations to fly, beginning in the 1930s, would still have a lot to offer pilots today. Just make sure you are not in a hurry to get anywhere. Many that were delivered with 65 hp engines have been upgraded to 85 or 100 hp, but pilots should not expect to cruise at much more than 60 to 80 knots.

Aeronca Champion

A rival to the Cub, the tandem-seat Aeronca “Champ” is preferred among pilots who like to solo from the front seat instead of the back, like in a J-3. Some say it is more forgiving and has better visibility and a more modern feel than the Cub—it came out in the mid-1940s, after all. Still, deciding between these two mellow old timers mainly comes down to aesthetics. 

Bellanca Citabria

If you like the Champ but want something a couple of decades newer, with more power, and designed for mild aerobatics, the Citabria checks the boxes. The earliest models, introduced in 1964, had 100 hp. Later versions came with bigger engines, some with fuel injection and special oil systems for prolonged inverted flight. It eventually spawned the Decathlon—now produced by American Champion Aircraft—which looks like a Citabria but has a different wing and is capable of more advanced aerobatics. 

Luscombe 8

If you prefer side-by-side seating instead of tandem, and would like something a little rarer than Pipers and Cessnas, you might consider a Luscombe 8. Like many of its two-seat rivals, it does not cost a king’s ransom to insure because despite arguably being collectible, its hull value is relatively low. The variety of models in the 8 series vary in hp and performance.

Cessna 170

Taking a family trip? Then you might want a taildragger with four seats. While there are alternatives to the Cessna—the Stinson 108 comes to mind—few vintage four-seaters are as inexpensive and easy to fly as the 170. It is safe to assume the airplane that gave birth to the Cessna 172 is gentle and forgiving on the ground and in the air. But like the others on this list, it is still a tailwheel aircraft that needs to be “flown” carefully all the way to its parking spot.

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However, there is also that oft-quoted idea that getting there is half the fun. And since flying one’s own airplane certainly is fun, shouldn’t we be willing to relax and enjoy the trip? After all, a few knots here and there—or even 10 or 20 knots—might not make a huge difference in the duration of your trip. At least that’s how some pilots feel. And what about the cost? Incremental speed increases are usually expensive, from both fuel and aircraft perspectives.

To sort out the performance differences among aircraft in the general aviation fleet and how those variations affect travel time, we cast a wide net. At the slow end, the 1945 Aeronca 7AC Champ may appeal to someone longing to get closer to aviation’s roots. But crossing a few states might take all day. At the other extreme, a relatively new Daher TBM 930 will zip from New York to Chicago in two hours. For price comparisons, consider shopping for a used car versus a mansion.

The middle of our hypothetical fleet covers the types of aircraft for which most pilots are likely to shop. Deciding between models can come down to small differences in speed or factors related to it. So we looked at two typical trip distances to help pilots find the points at which speed becomes a significant advantage. We also considered fuel consumption for each model and touched on some of the design differences and quirks that might affect the decision to buy. Below, for your consideration, is our lineup:

1945 Aeronca 7AC Champ: I got my first airplane ride in a Champ—on floats—so I have a place in my heart for them. They are also a relatively inexpensive way to get into the vintage aircraft scene. But oh, are they slow. You cannot be in a rush traveling in one of these, and you’ll have to take special care of its fabric covering. Still, they generally will cut your travel time in half compared with driving—unless there’s a headwind.

1982 Cessna 172P: Many student pilots have found the 172 they trained in is also a decent, economical traveling machine, especially if the trips aren’t too far. It holds up well when compared with some faster airplanes on a 200 nm flight, though you might be late for lunch. But the 500-mile journey could be a test for some folks. Perhaps its biggest advantage is short-field performance that opens up out-of-the-way strips where others might fear to tread.

1976 Rockwell Commander 114: I got my complex and high-performance endorsements in a Commander and would be happy to travel in one of these roomy four-seaters. One bonus is that its handsome design fetches compliments on the ramp. But I laugh at the handbook performance numbers because it would take quite a dive to get my club’s 114 up to 157 knots. Maybe it is something with our particular airplane, but I don’t see any obvious drag inducers hanging off the airframe.

1980 Beechcraft A36 Bonanza: Certain details account for why so many pilots and their families want this six-place Bonanza. The second and third rows of seats face each other, club style, and make the cabin look huge. Concerning speed, these airplanes occupy a sweet spot. While they are not the fastest, I have yet to hear a complaint about a slow Bonanza. There are enough engine variations, including turbocharged models, to help satisfy the speed-obsessed.

1990 Mooney M20M TLS: For decades Mooneys gave pilots more for less, as in more speed with less horsepower than four-seat retractable competitors. The TLS let some of that go, using a big-bore turbocharged engine to boost speed. Critics say the airplane’s range suffers because the engine guzzles gas, and Mooney interiors have always been designed for trim folks who aren’t tall. But all that muscle helps this airplane leave Bonanzas and Cessna 210s behind.

2018 Daher TBM 930: We have all laughed at jokes about the relationship between speed and money, right? Well, here’s where it gets serious. For piston pilots, turboprops are a new world of huge horsepower, trick propellers and other complexities. But if you want to make a 500-mile trip in the time it takes many airplanes to fly 200 miles, this could be the answer. Of course, the scalding 37-minute run from New Jersey to Provincetown might take longer because it isn’t practical to climb to the optimal altitude for top speed.

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