Today’s Top Pick is a 1973 Cessna T310Q.

Decades ago I spotted a Cessna 310 POH at a used-book sale and had to have it. I picked up a hardcover copy of Chuck Yeager’s autobiography at the same sale and learned a lot about flying from both books.

While I will never approach Yeager’s rarified level of pilotage, I may yet manage to own a 310 someday. Right now, I want this one.

The 310 has been a favorite of mine since childhood when I became aware of airplanes flying over our suburban New Jersey home. Wingtip-mounted main tanks made this light twin easy to spot and added to an already gorgeous design. My father called it an example of “Buck Rogers styling.” He said the same about the mid-1960s Chevrolet Corvette Stingrays that I coveted.

It is natural for pilots to be attracted by the promise of speed. This particular 310, which has undergone a Riley Turbostream conversion, is more prepared than most light piston twins to keep the promise.

Aviation innovator Jack Riley was famous for conversions that coaxed truly impressive performance from Cessnas and other makes. The 310 Turbostream swapped the aircraft’s original Continental engines for larger, turbocharged, intercooled, counter-rotating Lycoming 540s generating 350 hp each.

With that much power, legend has it, the Turbostream can reach 260 ktas, or about 300 mph. How I would love to give that a try.

Not long ago I read about the aircraft for sale here in an article on the Cessna Owner Organization website. I thought about how airplanes like this seem to never show up on the used market but now here it is for sale. It is hard to resist.

This 1973 Cessna T310Q has 4,400 hours on the airframe, 415 hours since overhaul on each of its 350 hp Lycoming TIO-540-N2BD engines, and 428 hours since overhaul on its Hartzell heated three-blade propellers.

The IFR panel includes a garmin GTN 750 GPS/nav/comm, Bendix King KX 165 nav/comm, dual Garmin G5s, dual Garmin GI 275 engine instruments, Garmin GTX 345 transponder with ADS-B In and Out, and Garmin GMA 345 audio panel, Bendix 82 color radar, and Cessna 400A autopilot with yaw damper.

Pilots looking for a sleek, roomy light twin with hot-rod performance and cross-country practicality should consider this 1973 Cessna T310Q, which is available for $295,000 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: Things to Think About When Moving Up to a Light Twin
• FLYING Magazine: Cessna 310 ‘Songbird III’ Still Attracts the Fans
• FLYING Magazine: Garmin Achieves STC for GFC 600 for Cessna 310R, Pilatus PC-12/47
• FLYING Magazine: Flight Simulator’s Cessna 310 Offers Up Realistic Weather Lesson
• Plane & Pilot: Cessna 310
• Plane & Pilot: Cessna 310
• AVweb: Jimmy Stewart Cessna 310 Monument Dedicated
• The Aviation Consumer: Used Aircraft Guide: Cessna 310

The post This 1973 Cessna T310Q Is a Souped-Up ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1957 Beechcraft E18S.

The 1963 comedy adventure film It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World is packed with character actors such as Mickey Rooney, Ethel Merman, Jim Backus, and Phil Silvers. And let’s not forget the Beechcraft Model 18 that steals the show by flying cleanly through a billboard.

Like the actors, the “Twin Beech” aircraft has been showing up on screens large and small since at least the middle of the last century. Part of the reason, I suspect, is because it also plays a range of roles very well.

In real life the aircraft was produced from 1937-69, but even today it looks wonderful if not quite modern (those big round engines date the old bird).

Thousands were built and many are still flying. Sure, they turn up at vintage fly-ins and in the collections of well-heeled aircraft enthusiasts. But pilots also continue to use them as personal mounts because they remain effective for certain passenger, cargo, and utility missions.

In their heyday these airplanes, often in their polished aluminum glory, were popular and prestigious executive transports. If you want to carry from six to 11 passengers today while enjoying a mechanical, highly interactive version of pilotage, this Model 18 could be your next hangar occupant. 

This 1957 Twin Beech has 9,615 hours on the airframe, 327 hours since overhaul on the 450 hp Pratt & Whitney R-985 radial engine on the left side and 492 hours since overhaul on the right. The aircraft has eight seats and was painted in 2023.

The IFR panel includes a Garmin GNS 530 GPS/nav/comm, a King KX 155 nav/comm, a transponder with ADS-B and an intercom along with a full complement of traditional analog engine and flight instruments.

Pilots who have an affection for vintage iron and often carry loads that are slightly beyond the capacity of typical light twins should take a look at this 1957 Beechcraft E18S, which is available for $199,000 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: Warbirds You Can Fly: Beech 18
• FLYING Magazine: Restoring a Beech Super 18 to Former Glory
• FLYING Magazine: Beechcraft: A History
• Plane & Pilot: Beech H18 Super-Liner
• Plane & Pilot: Matt Younkin‘s Beech DA-18 Twin Beech by Randy Gusdorf
• The Aviation Consumer: Used Aircraft Guide: Beech Model 18
• The Aviation Consumer: Your First Piston Twin: Buy With Caution

The post This 1957 Beechcraft E18S Is a Nearly Timeless ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

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.

• FLYING Magazine: Aerostar 702P
• FLYING Magazine: Aerostar Jet Is Flying
• FLYING Magazine: Piper Aerostars in Flight
• Plane & Pilot: The Hot Rod: Ted Smith’s Aerostar
• Plane & Pilot: Piper Aerostar 600/601/700P
• 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 1978 Cessna T310R.

Many people involved in GA, from aircraft manufacturers to private pilots shopping for their next airplane, are aware of a notable trend in the so-called step-up market. In short, the type of pilot who used to step up to a light twin decades ago is more likely to choose a turboprop single these days.

The change makes sense when we consider that many pilots step up mainly to increase their cruising speed, and new turbine singles generally outrun older piston twins. But there are exceptions.

Cessna’s 310 series of light twins, manufactured from the mid-1950s until 1980, is known for lots of reserve power and high speeds. When you add turbocharging that boosts performance at altitude, as with this 1978 T130R, your cruising speeds might have ATC mistaking you for an airliner.

On the practical side, piston twins can offer good value on a dollar-per-knot basis when compared with turboprops, which arguably are in a different league in terms of budget. They also provide the security of a spare engine should one fail as you travel over water, in mountainous terrain, or at night.

When it comes to style, aesthetics, and perhaps a smidgen of vanity, the 310 is perceived by many as one of the best-looking GA aircraft ever built. Taxiing to the FBO in this turbocharged six-seater will give any pilot the Sky King experience. They also tend to receive affection from line personnel and fellow pilots who appreciate vintage iron.  

This 1978 Cessna Turbo 310R has 5,100 hours on the airframe and 1,200 hours since overhaul on each of its Continental TSIO-520 engines. The six-seat aircraft is equipped with a built-in 76-cubic-foot supplemental oxygen system. The IFR panel features a Garmin G 500 flight display panel with Garmin GTN 750 and GTN 650 GPS/nav/comms, S-Tec 55X autopilot, and JPI EDM 960.

Pilots looking for a piston twin that offers good value should take a detailed look at this 1978 Cessna T310R, which is available for $235,000 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: Cessna 310 ‘Songbird III’ Still Attracts the Fans
• FLYING Magazine: Flight Simulator’s Cessna 310 Offers Up Realistic Weather Lesson
• FLYING Magazine: Things to Think About When Moving Up to a Light Twin
• FLYING Magazine: Garmin Achieves STC for GFC 600 for Cessna 310R, Pilatus PC-12/47
• Plane & Pilot: Cessna 310
• The Aviation Consumer: Used Aircraft Guide: Cessna 310
• The Aviation Consumer: Cessna 320 Skyknight
• AVweb: Jimmy Stewart Cessna 310 Monument Dedicated

The post This 1978 Cessna T310R’s Power and Versatility Make It an ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1999 Beechcraft Baron 58.

A longtime pilot friend who convinced me to get a private pilot certificate once described the thrill and satisfaction of traveling in a powerful light twin. He called it “a unique experience” to sit in the cockpit flanked by a pair of humming engines churning out a serious excess of power. It’s true. Feeling the power of two engines in an airframe that could get by with one adds a certain tingly feeling to being pilot in command.

This Baron 58 essentially is a Bonanza with an extra engine and a longer wing. With each engine rated at 300 hp, this twin moves with a purpose, lifting off from short strips and climbing quickly to cruising altitude. Pilots who feel their complex piston singles are “fast enough” might develop doubts after a ride in a Baron 58. Light twins, however, are more about redundancy and safety than pure speed. If an engine fails during a long flight, especially over water or rugged terrain, or at night, having a second power plant gives the pilot vital options.

For pilots who regularly log cross-country trips, the Baron 58 is a particularly pleasant way to travel. Its airy, comfortable cabin will turn your passengers into true GA believers if they aren’t already. And you, the pilot, might find yourself using a slightly affected voice over the intercom. “This is your captain speaking…”  

This 1999 Baron 58 has 2,955 hours on the airframe,1,264 hours on each of its 300 hp Continental IO-550 engines since new and 768 hours on the propellers since overhaul. The engines are equipped with GAMI injectors. Other features include factory air conditioning and vortex generators. The aircraft carries 166 gallons of usable fuel and has a useful load of 1,511 pounds.

The updated panel features a Garmin GTN 750Xi GPS/nav/com, GTN 650Xi GPS/nav/com, dual G5s, GFC 600 autopilot, GDL 88, and an Insight engine monitor.

Pilots seeking six-seat transport for long-distance family or business travel with the added security of a second engine should consider this 1999 Beechcraft Baron 58, which is available for $619,900 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: We Fly: Beechcraft Baron G58
• FLYING Magazine:Finding a Home for a Beechcraft Baron
• FLYING Magazine: Half a Century of Beechcraft Barons
• FLYING Magazine: New Interiors for Beechcraft Barons, Bonanzas
• Plane & Pilot: The Mystique Of The Baron
• Plane & Pilot: Beechcraft Bonanza and Baron Get Big Updates
• The Aviation Consumer: Used Aircraft Guide: Beech Baron 58

The post This 1999 Beechcraft Baron 58 Is Your Personal Airliner and an ‘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.

• FLYING Magazine: Ampaire’s Hybrid Skymaster Completes First Public Flight
• FLYING Magazine: Smaller, Lighter Cessna 327 ‘Mini Skymaster’
• FLYING Magazine: Adam A500: First Flight
• Plane & Pilot: Cessna 337
• Plane & Pilot: Twin Cessnas
• 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.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1968 Beechcraft E95 Travel Air.

It is safe to say that many, if not most, piston-single pilots at some point consider the prospect of flying a light twin. Many decide against it because of the added expense, complexity, training requirements, or because their typical missions would not benefit much from a second engine.

In some cases, though, such as when pilots regularly make long flights over water, mountainous terrain or at night, a light twin offers a significant measure of safety and flexibility. In a word, a twin gives the pilot options.

The Beechcraft Travel Air occupies a sweet spot between more powerful twins like the Cessna 310 and models like the Piper Apache, which can struggle to stay aloft on a single engine.

While burning just a bit more fuel than a high-performance piston single and offering easier single-engine handling than some other twins, the Travel Air makes a good case for people who use their aircraft for serious travel. It is fast enough and carries enough of a load to get a family of four or five to their destination sooner and safer than a single. 

This 1968 Travel Air has 4,099 hours on the airframe, 110 hours on each of its Lycoming IO-360 engines with 101 hours on the right propeller since overhaul and seven hours on the left. The aircraft is equipped with RayJay turbo-normalizing systems and hot props for de-icing. Its fuel capacity is 104 gallons and useful load totals 1,178 pounds. Other features include vortex generators and Brackett air filters. 

The panel includes an Aspen Evolution EFD 1000 PFD, Garmin G5 HSI, Apollo SL 15 audio panel and SL 30 digital Comm radio, Garmin GMX 200 MFD, Garmin GNS 430 WAAS GPS/Nav/Comm, Garmin Gi 208 glide slope/VOR/localizer indicator, King KR 87 ADF, Garmin GTX 330 transponder with traffic, Stormscope, angle of attack indicator, S-Tec 60-2 autopilot, EDM 700 engine monitor, and Collins microline digital DME.

Pilots looking for a light twin with performance, economy and practicality that make it an ideal personal transport, should consider this 1968 Beechcraft E95 Travel Air, which is available for $159,000 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: Things to Think About When Moving Up to a Light Twin
• FLYING Magazine: Wrong Worry in Twins Versus Singles
• Plane & Pilot: Beech Travel Air
• The Aviation Consumer: Beech 95 Travel Air

The post This 1968 Beechcraft E95 Travel Air Is a Comfortably Redundant ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1961 Aero Commander 500A.

Aero Commander twins have long been known as well-built, durable, and versatile load carriers. During the early 1950s these Ted Smith designs helped define the then-new category of light twin civil aircraft.

In 1955 the U.S. Air Force chose an Aero Commander as a personal transport aircraft for President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Today pilots find the airplane ideal for transporting family members, friends, and business associates comfortably on long trips traversing multiple states.

Aero Commanders also excel at carrying cargo and are renowned for their versatility and user-friendly handling and systems. Speaking of systems, the aircraft for sale here has an updated panel and other equipment that make it hard to believe this machine is more than 60 years old.

This Aero Commander 500A has 4,193 hours on the airframe, 1,429 hours on its right-side Continental IO-520 engine, and 1,438 hours on the left side. There are 334 hours on the right propeller and 333 hours on the left. Fuel capacity is 156 gallons. The aircraft has heavy-duty landing gear, new starter motors, new alternators, new exhaust headers, mechanical fuel pump and throttle and mixture controls on the left engine, new windshield, and new 28-volt battery.

The panel includes a Garmin 35C remote audio panel, GTN 750 GPS/Nav/Comm, Aspen Evolution 1000 PFD, GTX 345 transponder with ADS-B In and Out, JPI EDM 790 twin totalizer with EGT and CHT, S-Tec 50 autopilot, Bendix/King weather radar, Davtron digital timer, and dual 12-volt USB power outlets.

Pilots looking for a roomy piston twin for family vacations or business travel should consider this 1961 Aero Commander 500A, which is available for $220,000 on AircraftForSale.

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

• FLYING Magazine: Grand Renaissance Commander Levels Up the Twin Turboprop
• FLYING Magazine: Investor Breathes Life Into Aero Commander Rebirth Bid
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• Plane & Pilot: Rockwell Commander “Shrike” 
• Plane & Pilot: Aero Commander 680/Courser
• AVweb: Twin Commander Aircraft Names New President
• The Aviation Consumer: Used Aircraft Guide: Twin Commander 500

The post This 1961 Aero Commander 500A Is a Historically Significant ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 2017 Diamond DA62.

A lot of pilots who fly high-performance piston singles would like to step up to light twins but have doubts about handling their complexities, especially when one engine quits. Diamond Aircraft’s DA62 twin aims to remove much of the difficulty and potential anxiety from flying with one engine out. Diamond uses electronic engine controls and automation to simplify operation and ease the pilot’s workload.

Diamond’s approach results in a personal light twin that is ideal for cross-country travel with family or business associates. The security of a second engine relieves potential concerns regarding sudden power loss in one engine. The relative ease of securing the failed engine in the DA62, including automatic propeller feathering, helps minimize the disruption of asymmetric thrust that can be difficult for some less-experienced pilots to handle. In addition, the aircraft’s Austro engines are based on automotive powerplants that are likely to feel straightforward and familiar. 

This Diamond DA62 has 593 hours on the airframe and each of its 180 hp turbocharged Austro AE330 diesel engines. The panel features Garmin G1000 NXi-Phase 2 avionics.

Pilots who are interested in moving up to a light twin but wish to avoid some of the complexities of managing two engines—or one in the case of an engine failure—should consider this 2017 Diamond DA62, which is available for $1.5 million on AircraftForSale.

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

• FLYING Magazine: We Fly: Diamond DA62
• FLYING Magazine:Transition Training: The Diamond DA62
• FLYING Magazine: Diamond DA62 to Debut at NBAA Convention
• Plane & Pilot: Ultimate Piston Twin: Diamond DA62
• Plane & Pilot: Plane & Pilot 2017 Buyer’s Guide: Piston Twins
• AVweb: Aeromot to Assemble Diamond DA62s in Brazil

The post This 2017 Diamond DA62 Is a Thoroughly Modern ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1980 Piper PA-23-250 Aztec F.

At least a few pilot friends who have owned several airplanes over the years regularly wax nostalgic when recalling Piper Aztecs that passed through their lives decades ago. They all say the same thing: “I never should have sold that one.”

While the PA-23-250 might not be the fastest or most glamorous light twin, most pilots who have spent a lot of hours in the aircraft say it is fast enough and quite endearing, especially when you have significant loads to carry, need to operate from short fields, or are seeking a stable IFR traveler. The airplane’s docile flight characteristics made it a popular multiengine trainer, while its performance impressed small cargo, charter, and air taxi operators. People say it is difficult to load the Aztec beyond its maximum gross takeoff weight. They also say it flies like a Cub, thanks to a chunky airfoil that produces lots of lift and allows slow approach speeds.     

This 1980 Aztec F has 6,163 hours on the airframe, 322 hours since overhaul on each of its Lycoming IO-540-C4B engines, and 322 hours since overhaul on the propellers. The aircraft is equipped with factory deice boots, hit props, hot windshield, and long-range fuel system.

The custom panel features a Garmin GTN 750 touchscreen GPS/Nav/Com, King KX-155 digital Nav/Com, Garmin GMA 340 audio panel with intercom, GTX 335 ADS-B transponder, Collins weather radar, King HSI, King KFC 200 autopilot, and JPI EDM 930 engine monitor. 

Pilots who want to step up to a light twin that is known for reliability, forgiving handling and load-carrying capacity should consider this 1980 Piper Aztec F, which is available for $289,000 on AircraftForSale.

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

• FLYING Magazine: MT-Propeller Receives STCs for Composite Props on Piper, Cessna Twins
• FLYING Magazine: Hartzell Has Top Prop Available for Aztec Operators
• Plane & Pilot: Used Light Twins Roundup
• Plane & Pilot: Piper Apache
• The Aviation Consumer: Used Aircraft Guide: Piper Aztec
• AVweb: Landing Gear Checks: Hit the Books

The post This 1980 Piper PA-23-250 Aztec F Is a Short-Field, Load-Carrying ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.