Today’s Top Pick is a 2024 JMB Aircraft VL-3 915iS.

The proliferation of composite materials and advanced manufacturing techniques have made the homebuilt experimental aircraft category increasingly interesting—and tempting—in recent years.

Pilots who previously considered owning only traditional certified aircraft can find experimental models especially attractive when they see how impressively some of them perform while burning very little fuel.

The two-seat VL-3 from JMB Aircraft makes a strong case as an ideal personal airplane for people who like to travel with no more than one passenger and reach their destination sooner than they would in many piston singles from legacy manufacturers.

Produced in the Czech Republic, which is a hotbed of light sport and experimental aircraft innovation, the VL-3 can cruise at 185 ktas using about half the fuel required in a high-performance, four-seat retractable piston single. The flying experience is more akin to driving an exotic sports car on backroads than guiding the family sedan down the Interstate. 

This 2024 VL-3 has 23 hours on the airframe, its141 hp Rotax 915is engine, and DUC four-blade propeller. The aircraft is equipped with Beringer brakes, LED exterior lights, and ballistic parachute recovery system. It carries 38.6 gallons of fuel and has a maximum takeoff weight of 1,360 pounds.

The panel features Garmin G3X avionics with a 10-inch GDU 460 touchscreen and autopilot, TRIG TR91 radio, TRIG TT22 Mode S transponder, Garmin GTR 20R radio, Garmin 245 audio panel GTN 750 GPS/nav/comm, Garmin GTX 45R transponder with ADS-B In and Out, Smart Glide angle of attack instrument, and vertical compass.

Pilots looking for a modern, high-performance experimental homebuilt aircraft with cross-country speeds that outpace many larger, traditional certified models should consider this nearly new JMB Aircraft VL-3, which is available for $440,000 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: We Fly: The JMB Aircraft VL-3
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• AVweb: Czecking Out the Czechs

The post This 2024 JMB Aircraft VL-3 Is a Bonanza-Beating ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 2014 Progressive Aerodyne SeaRey LSX.

The Progressive Aerodyne SeaRey has been a popular kitbuilt and light sport amphibian aircraft since its introduction more than 30 years ago.

Known for its responsive and engaging flight characteristics, the SeaRey often attracts experienced pilots who appreciate its sprightly performance and the go-anywhere quality of an airplane that can land on water as well as runways.

This version of the long-running design, with a powerful turbocharged engine, offers pilots additional climb and cruise performance over standard models. Experienced SeaRey operators emphasize the need for specialized training in this aircraft and others with high thrust lines.

With its pusher engine mounted above the wing, the SeaRey tends to change pitch with variations in power setting. Pilots have to be smooth and deliberate when quickly increasing or decreasing power and ready to compensate immediately with pitch adjustments. The training is worthwhile, as many pilots say the SeaRey is pure fun to fly.

This 2014 SeaRey has 579 hours on the airframe and 578 hours on its Rotax 914 turbo engine. The VFR panel includes a Garmin GPS and Advanced Flight Systems 5500 touchscreen.

Pilots looking for a factory-built light sport aircraft with the versatility of an amphibian design and the added performance of a turbocharged engine should consider this 2014 Progressive Aerodyne SeaRey, which is available for $115,000 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: FAA Certifies SeaRey Production LSA
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• The Aviation Consumer: SeaRey Elite: Upscale Amphib LSA

The post This 2014 Progressive Aerodyne SeaRey Is a Fun-Filled ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 2002 Zenith CH 801.

Zenith aircraft and their Zenair relatives sprang from the drawing board of Chris Heintz, an aeronautical engineer who worked in air transport design and manufacturing before moving into kits for GA pilots. His line of two- and four-seat airplanes stretches to the 1970s, while the Zenith CH series of high-wing models has been on the market for more than 30 years.

These airplanes are designed around short-field performance and are known for easy flight characteristics, reliability, and low-maintenance operation. Because they have been popular for a long time, and the manufacturer remains in business, owners can rely on strong factory and club support with repairs, service, and modifications.  

This 2002 Zenith has 86 hours on the airframe and its Lycoming O-360-B2A engine, which has a 2,000-hour TBO. The panel features an MGL Avionics Stratomaster Velocity flight instrument, Icom IC A200 radio, Electronics International CHT gauge, Garmin GTX 320 transponder, and ACK Technologies ELT. Additional equipment includes strobe lights, pitot heat, electric flaps, and electric trim.

Pilots looking for an economical, reliable kitbuilt aircraft with a reputation for good design and performance should consider this 2002 Zenith CH 801, which is available for $120,000 on AircraftForSale.

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

• FLYING Magazine: Friends Enjoy a Different Kind of ‘Bar Hopping’ in Their Zenith LSAs
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• AVweb: Buying Used: Zenith STOL CH 701

The post This 2002 Zenith CH 801 Is a Sturdy, Short-Field ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 2007 Lancair ES-P

Lancair is well known for the aerodynamically efficient, amateur-built experimental aircraft kits it produced for decades. Many of its most popular aircraft are compact, two-place machines that can be effective traveling airplanes as long as the occupants know how to pack lightly. The four-place ES models helped the company move closer to the mainstream in terms of equipment, accommodations, and passenger expectations.

In the familiar quest to cut travel times, the ES-P adds pressurization to allow more comfortable cruising at high altitudes. Turbocharging keeps the power high as the air thins. This combination of speed, comfort, and convenience makes the ES-P an attractive proposition to pilots who want to travel long distances with their families and friends while saving time and avoiding the use of tubing and cannulas to deliver supplemental oxygen in the flight levels.  

This Lancair ES-P has 430 hours on the airframe and on its Continental 400 hp TSIO-550 engine and MT four-blade propeller since overhaul. The aircraft was built from a kit with assistance from RDD Enterprises and features an extended rear pressure bulkhead that provides additional space in the pressurized cabin.

The panel includes dual Garmin G3X Touch displays with 10.6-inch screens, GTN 750 WAAS GPS, GFC 507 autopilot, SL 30 panel-mount Nav/Com, GMA 245R audio panel and a GEA-24 engine monitor module. Additional equipment includes a heated pitot and AOA probe, RDD Thermawing de-ice, prop de-ice, and RDD air conditioning.

Pilots who are interested in well-equipped, high-performance kit-built aircraft should consider this 2007 Lancair ES-P, which is available for $475,000 on AircraftForSale.

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

• FLYING Magazine: We Fly: The Lancair Turbo Mako
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• KITPLANES: Lancair ES-P

The post This 2007 Lancair ES-P is a Kit-Built Composite ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 2004 Lancair ES.

Lancair’s products have long been examples of kit-built aircraft done right, especially for customers looking for the same basic qualities and capabilities found in certified models. From the first Lancair 200 that debuted at Oshkosh in 1985 to this ES, founder Lance Neibauer had a good feel for what builders wanted in an airplane kit project, and delivered.

If the ES looks familiar, it probably is because the aircraft evolved into the certified Columbia 300 and 350 and later, following Cessna’s acquisition, the TTX. The ES, its successors, and competition reflect the state of general aviation during the 1990s, when NASA rolled out its  Advanced General Aviation Transport Experiments (AGATE) program to spur interest and advancement in GA transportation. The same program helped drive development of rival and eventual winner Cirrus. Still, the ES and its later certified relatives have a devoted following, especially among pilots who value cross-country speed.

This 2004 Lancair ES has 380 hours on the airframe, Lycoming IO-540-EXP engine, and Hartzell Scimitar propeller. The panel includes a Garmin G3X Touch display with SiriusXM receiver, GEA 24 engine indication system, GMC 307 3-axis autopilot, heated pitot and AOA probe, GMA 245 audio panel, GTN 750 GPS nav/com, and GTX 45 transponder.

Pilots looking for the practicality of four seats in a kit-built aircraft that typically will outperform similar certified designs, should consider this 2004 Lancair ES, which is available for $349,000 on AircraftForSale.

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

• FLYING Magazine: JetEXE Buys Lancair, Plans Sustainable Designs
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The post This 2004 Lancair ES Is an ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick for Kit-Built Enthusiasts appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 2006 Seawind 3000

The Seawind series of amphibian aircraft dates back to the late 1970s when aircraft designers, engineers, and experimenters were discovering the impressive properties of composite construction. Composites offered a range of options for kit makers and the homebuilt community. The materials were also well-suited for amphibian aircraft. The kit-built Seawind 3000 is powered by a 300 hp Lycoming IO-540 engine while the earlier 2000 model packed a 200 hp Lycoming IO-360. A number have been converted to turbine power. 

Engine placement can be a challenge with single-engine amphibians. A number of designs, from the Republic Seabee to the Lake Buccaneer, have mounted the engine and propeller in a pusher configuration, sitting atop the wing or on a pylon. The Seawind is a notable departure from tradition, with its engine and prop facing forward and blended into a large vertical fin. Proponents of this layout say it has advantages, including a reduction in cabin noise.   

This Seawind 3000 was built by Plane Makers, a company based in Sarasota, Florida, whose services include assisting aircraft builders with construction and repairs. It has 335 hours on the airframe, IO-540 engine, and composite propeller. The panel includes a G3X multifunction display, GNX 375 transponder, GPS, ADS-B, autopilot, and more.

Pilots looking for a unique seaplane with four seats and more speed than typical floatplanes should consider this 2006 Seawind 3000, which is available for $219,000 on AircraftForSale.

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

• Kitplanes: Super Seawind – Turbine Power!

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