Today’s Top Pick is a 1975 Ted Smith Aerostar 601P.

For a rare airplane, the Ted Smith Aerostar is pretty well known among pilots and even in popular culture thanks to a notable supporting role in 2017’s hit film American Made, which stars Tom Cruise as a sketchy pilot hauling questionable cargo.

Long before the film, though, my planespotting schoolmates and I could identify Aerostars that flew over the school playground during recess. Their swept tail surfaces and small wings, seemingly set so far aft on the fuselage, gave them away.

The rubber-band-powered model airplanes we flew after school gained speed when we slid their wings back, and the same held true for the Aerostar, which set speed records in its heyday. This Aerostar has upgrades from Machen, a company that specialized in performance-enhancing modifications for the type. Auxiliary fuel gives a significant range boost. 

This 1975 Aerostar has 3,955 hours on the airframe, 1,397 hours since overhaul on the left Lycoming IO-540 engine and 1,468 on the right. The aircraft is equipped with GAMI injectors, auxiliary fuel, spoilers, heavy-duty Cleveland wheels and brakes, and Machen vortex generators and exhaust.

The panel includes a garmin GNS 430 GPS/nav/comm, Garmin SL 30 nav/comm, GTX 330 transponder, Garmin MX 20 MFD with charts, GDL 69 with SiriusXM weather, PS Engineering PMA 8000SR audio panel, Bendix-King radar altimeter, Bendix HSD 860 HSI Compass system, WX500 Stormscope, S-TEC 55X autopilot, and JPI 760 engine monitor.

Additional equipment includes air conditioning, oxygen system, deicing boots with windshield hot plate, and 44-gallon auxiliary fuel tank. This Aerostar has a useful load of 1,745 pounds.

Pilots looking for a light twin with extraordinary speed and impressive range for serious cross-country travel should consider this 1975 Ted Smith Aerostar, which is available for $210,000 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.

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• The Aviation Consumer: Piper/Ted Smith Aerostar
• The Aviation Consumer: Used Aircraft Guide: Aerostar
• AVweb: Refurb of the Month: Jefferson City Flying Service’s Aerostar 700P

The post This 1975 Ted Smith Aerostar Is a Long-Legged ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1976 Ted Smith Aerostar.

Many pilots consider the Aerostar the ultimate light piston twin. Its projectile-shaped fuselage, swept tail surfaces and wings set farther aft than on the average piston aircraft give this twin a speedy look.

Taking off and accelerating in the climb, you realize that the slick shape is not just for show.

Aerostars have set numerous speed records over the years, and pressurized, turbocharged versions like this 601P tend to be the quickest.

This aircraft received a Machen Superstar 700 conversion package from Machen Inc. in 1999. This is a well-known upgrade that includes intercoolers and other equipment to boost power.

This Aerostar’s speed and large, pressurized cabin give it the feel of a small airliner, which pleases most passengers. For pilots who travel a lot, often accompanied by family, friends, or business colleagues, the Aerostar represents a chance to cut travel time significantly compared with ground and can even beat the airlines easily on certain routes.

This 1976 Aerostar has 7,221 hours on the airframe, 1,173 hours since overhaul on the left engine, and 1,291 hours since overhaul on the right. The engines are 350 hp turbocharged and intercooled Lycoming IO-540s. The left and right propellers each have 1,459 hours since overhaul.

The aircraft’s engines are part of the Machen Superstar conversion to increase performance. This Aerostar also is equipped with vortex generators and air conditioning.

The aircraft’s panel features dual Garmin GNS 430 GPS/Nav/Comms, dual Garmin G5 electronic instruments, Garmin GMA 340 audio panel, GTX 345 transponder with ADS-B, and Century IV autopilot. 

Pilots searching for a high-flying pressurized light twin with six seats and famously high cruising speeds should consider this 1976 Ted Smith Aerostar 601P, which is available for $199,500 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: Aerostar 702P
• FLYING Magazine: Things to Think About When Moving Up to a Light Twin
• Plane & Pilot: The Hot Rod: Ted Smith’s Aerostar
• Plane & Pilot: Choosing an Old Light Twin
• The Aviation Consumer: Piper/Ted Smith Aerostar
• AVweb: Refurb of the Month: Jefferson City Flying Service’s Aerostar 700P

The post This 1976 Ted Smith Aerostar Is an Airline-Like ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.