Today’s Top Pick is a 1979 Piper PA-28RT-201 Arrow IV.

Over the decades general aviation has produced a number of design flourishes aimed at setting certain aircraft apart from their competitors. Critics often dismiss these features as gimmicks, but at least they look cool when new.

Even the Beechcraft Bonanza’s iconic V-tail empennage arguably has more to do with form than function. Still, it looks great today and is attracting a new audience including pilots too young to remember the model’s heyday.

I think the T-tail Pipers are enjoying a similar effect now, especially the Arrow, which has attractive proportions that harmonize well with the high-mounted horizontal stabilizer. Arrows with standard tails tend to blend a little too well with the less-powerful, fixed-gear Piper Cherokees that essentially share the same airframe.

Owners who want their Arrows to stand out on the ramp can count on the T-tail to make that happen. The turbocharged version, like the aircraft for sale here, gives pilots more options for achieving the best possible performance, including flying at higher altitudes, where normally aspirated models rarely venture, in search of more speed.    

This 1979 Arrow IV has 5,765 hours on the airframe, zero hours on its Continental TSIO-360 engine, and 855 hours since overhaul on its three-blade McCauley propeller. The aircraft is equipped with a Merlyn wastegate, carries 65 gallons of fuel and has a useful load of 1,148 pounds.

The IFR panel includes a Garmin GNS 530W GPS/comm, Garmin GNC 255A digital nav/comm, GMA 355 audio panel, Garmin glideslope/VOR/localizer indicator, G5 directional gyro, GTX 345 transponder with ADS-B in and out, Collins ADF, EDM 700 engine monitor, and a Piper Autocontrol II autopilot.

Pilots looking for a reliable, well-supported and stylish complex single with turbocharging to handle higher altitudes should consider this 1979 Piper PA-28RT-201 Arrow IV, which is available for $155,000 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.

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The post This 1979 Piper PA-28RT-201 Arrow IV is a Stylish, T-Tail ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1973 Cessna P337G Skymaster.

Pilots who wish to step up to multiengine aircraft from high-performance piston singles have options that offer a range of improvements in safety and performance.

While many private pilots looking for a boost in power will find turboprop singles more attractive than piston twins, having the redundancy of a second engine under certain conditions still means a lot to cross-country travelers.

Cessna designed the Skymaster series of twins with centerline-mounted engines that avoid the challenges of asymmetric thrust that come into play when an engine fails on a traditional light twin. As with any unusual configuration, some people love the Skymaster’s styling, while others are less enthusiastic. I imagine fans of the 1988 film Bat*21 would be absolutely stoked to fly a Skymaster.

The pressurized, turbocharged version for sale here makes the most of the aircraft’s performance potential by enabling it to take advantage of greater cruising speeds and favorable winds available at higher altitudes. Pilots who travel regularly with passengers, especially family members, are well aware of the advantages of a pressurized cabin.

This 1973 Cessna Skymaster has 2,500 hours on the airframe, 800 hours on the front engine since overhaul, and 12 hours on the rear engine since overhaul. The aircraft is equipped with Continental TSIO-360 engines. The front propeller has 800 hours, and the rear propeller has 12 hours. 

The panel features dual King KX 155 Nav/Comms, King audio panel, intercom, transponder and HSI, S-Tec 60 autopilot, Garmin GPS, and JPI 760 engine monitor.

Pilots who are interested in the advantages of twin-engine aircraft for long-distance travel, including the ability to continue flying if one engine fails, should consider this 1973 Cessna P337G Skymaster, which is available for $120,000 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.

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• The Aviation Consumer: Used Aircraft Guide: Cessna Skymaster
• AVweb: Electric/Piston Skymaster Tested in Scotland

The post This 1973 Cessna P337G Skymaster Is a Push-Pull Pressurized ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.