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
• FLYING Magazine: Aero Friedrichshafen 2022: A Preview of LSA after MOSAIC?
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• Plane & Pilot: LSA Buyer’s Guide
• Kitplanes: Mojave Experimental Fly-In This Saturday
• 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 1978 Piper PA-32-300 Lance.

Over many years I developed an affection toward the T-tail Pipers of the late 1970s. They remind me of how strong the general aviation market was at the time and the lengths to which manufacturers would go to keep their lineups fresh  and grab a few more sales. Piper also wanted to keep up with the latest trends, which included T-tails on propeller-driven aircraft.

Early in the decade, Beechcraft had introduced its King Air 200 turboprop, which sported the T-tail that still characterizes current King Air models. At the time, Beechcraft said mounting the horizontal stabilizer up high kept it clear of the wing’s wake, which improved control. Piper went for the same effect with its four-seat Arrow, six-seat Lance and the new two-seat Tomahawk trainer. Skeptics suggested the new tail was more of a marketing move, but that mattered little back in the day. The airplanes looked rakish and people bought them.

In the modern era these older designs offer practicality, value and a head-turning aesthetics. The Lance’s roomy cabin and large side door for passengers and cargo give it the feel of a personal airliner scaled to carry your family with space to spare.

This 1978 Lance has 2,981 hours on the airframe, 170 hours since overhaul on its 300 hp Lycoming IO-540 engine, and 591 hours since new on its three-blade Hartzell propeller.

The IFR panel includes a Garmin GPS 175, King KI 209 CDI, KI 207 CDI, King KX 175 nav/coms, a Garmin GTX 327 transponder, GDL 82, PS Engineering PMA7000B audio panel, a JPI engine analyzer, Century autopilot, and a DME.

Pilots who need the added comfort and flexibility of a six-seat aircraft and appreciate a dash of 1970s styling should consider this T-tail Piper PA-32RT-300 Lance, which is available for $145,000 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: Air Compare: Piper Lance vs. Saratoga
• FLYING Magazine: Piper Saratoga Avionics Install: Part 1
• FLYING Magazine: The Practical Endurance of the Piper Cherokee Six
• Plane & Pilot: Piper Cherokee Six/Lance/Saratoga
• Plane & Pilot: Piper Lance/Turbo Lance
• The Aviation Consumer: Used Aircraft Guide:Piper Saratoga/Lance

The post This 1978 Piper PA-32RT-300 Is a Period-Perfect ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1990 SOCATA TB-21 Trinidad.

French design tends to stand out whether we are looking at tableware, furniture, cars, or aircraft. Even nonpilots probably would recognize the SOCATA TB-21 Trinidad’s European styling, especially when comparing its interior with contemporary models from the U.S.

The TB-21’s cabin reminds me of Citroen sedans from the 1970s and ’80s, which seemed at the time to be a decade or two ahead of anything in, say, the General Motors stable.

Beyond decor and perhaps more important when considering the Trinidad’s cabin is its roominess, especially in width. Pilots are unlikely to rub shoulders with passengers in any of SOCATA’s TB series models, which include the fixed-gear TB-9 and TB-10, and the normally aspirated TB-20.

And let’s not forget the top-hinged, gull-wing doors that make getting in and out of TB models particularly easy. Those doors also look extremely cool to onlookers at the airport, and some of that flair is bound to rub off on the pilot. 

This 1990 SOCATA TB-21 Trinidad has 3,065 hours on the airframe, 232 hours since overhaul on its Lycoming TIO-540 engine, and 232 hours on its Hartzell two-blade propeller. The one panel includes Dual Aspen 2000 Pro displays for PFD and MFD, Garmin GTN 650W GPS/nav/comm, King KLN 90 GPS, KN74 transponder, with ADS-B, TCAS, and Bendix-King KFC 150 autopilot. The aircraft is also equipped with TKS ice protection, factory oxygen system, and air conditioning.

Pilots who would like a stylish, comfortable aircraft that stands out on the ramp and is somewhat rare should consider this 1990 SOCATA TB-21 Trinidad, which  is available for $259,000 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: A Fellow New Airplane Owner Starts With an Unusual Choice
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• Plane & Pilot: SOCATA Trinidad GT
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• The Aviation Consumer: Used Aircraft Guide: SOCATA TB-20 Trinidad

The post This 1990 SOCATA TB-21 Trinidad is an ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick With European Swagger appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

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.

• FLYING Magazine: Giving Your Airplane a Face-Lift and Tummy Tuck
• FLYING Magazine: Flying Into Sun ’n Fun
• Plane & Pilot: Piper Cherokee Arrow
• Plane & Pilot: 1974 Piper Arrow II With LoPresti Speed Merchants Speed Kit
• The Aviation Consumer: Used Aircraft Guide: Piper Arrow
• The Aviation Consumer: Piper PA-28RT Turbo Arrow
• AVweb: Piper Arrow Pilot Reported ‘30-foot tall’ Triangular Object at 6,500 Feet

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 1981 Mooney M20J 201.

A good cross-country airplane is in the eye of the owner-operator. Different pilots prioritize a diversity of traits when shopping for the aircraft that suits their mission best.

While many GA travelers look for models with large, comfortable cabins, others are interested primarily in speed, with other qualities taking a back seat. A subset of these speed aficionados is also having a fondness for efficiency, and for them, there are few options better than a Mooney M20J.

From their introduction in the mid 1950s, the Mooney M20s have reliably done more with less, typically outrunning other four-place aircraft with much more horsepower. Early M20s came with the 150 hp Lycoming O-320, essentially the same powerplant found in Cessna 172s. The Mooney, however, became renowned for nearly reaching 150 ktas with the engine.

The M20 series really came into its own when matched with the 180 hp Lycoming O-360 and later the 200 hp IO-360, like the one in this 1981 M20J 201. The “201” is part of a Mooney naming convention indicating the airplane’s top speed in miles per hour, burning relatively little fuel while generating impressive speeds. Later turbocharged models took advantage of higher altitudes in gaining even more speed and becoming favorites among serious cross-country pilots.

This 1981 Mooney M20J 201 has 4,103 hours on the airframe and 301 hours on its Lycoming IO-360 engine and propeller since overhaul. The aircraft has a useful load of 914 pounds and carries 64 gallons of usable fuel.

The IFR panel includes a King KMA 24 audio panel, King KY 197 comm radio, KNS 80 nav with localizer and glideslope, KX 165 nav/comm with localizer and glideslope, KR 87 ADF, KLN 89B GPS, Garmin GTX 335 transponder with ADS-B Out, King KFC 200 autopilot with flight director and Stormscope.

Pilots who want to travel at a quick pace without burning 15 to 20 gallons of fuel per hour should consider this 1981 Mooney M20J 201, which is available for $124,900 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: Air Compare: Grumman AA-5 vs. Mooney M20 Series
• FLYING Magazine: Life Lessons of an Iced-Up Mooney
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• Plane & Pilot: This Incredible Plane: Mooney Porsche M20L PFM
• The Aviation Consumer: Used Aircraft Guide: Mooney 201/M20J
• AVweb: Mooney Under New Management

The post This 1981 Mooney M20J Is a Model of Efficiency and an ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1974 Piper PA-28R-200 Arrow.

Piper’s range of fixed-gear PA-28s, from the Cherokee 140 to the 235 hp Dakota, can handle many missions including training, personal travel, and cargo hauling. But for pilots in search of a personal aircraft with a bit more speed and efficiency than the similar looking fixed-gear models, the Arrow presents an appealing combination of speed, good looks, and economy.

For pilots who trained for their private certificates in Pipers, the Arrow is a natural step up that is less likely to break your budget than larger, more powerful models that have more complex systems and burn a lot more fuel. The Arrow for sale here is also a well-equipped training platform for pilots seeking commercial, instrument, and other advanced ratings.

This 1974 Arrow has 6,731 hours on the airframe, 849 hours since overhaul on its 200 hp Lycoming IO-360-C1C engine, and 177 hours since overhaul on the propeller. The engine is equipped with GAMI injectors.

The panel features a Garmin GMA 340 audio panel, Garmin GNS 430 WAAS GPS/nav/comm with localizer and glideslope, MAC 1700 nav/comm, Garmin GTX 345 transponder, Century II autopilot, and JPI EDM 800 engine monitor.

Pilots looking for a four-seat retractable that is suitable for long cross-country trips but easy to handle and familiar to those who trained in Piper PA-28s should consider this 1974 Piper PA-28R-200 Arrow, which is available for $84,900 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: Giving Your Airplane a Face-Lift and Tummy Tuck
• FLYING Magazine: Flying Into Sun ’n Fun
• FLYING Magazine: A Wing and a Prayer for a Classic Piper Arrow
• FLYING Magazine: Should I Take Off? It’s Not a Simple Decision
• The Aviation Consumer: Piper Arrow
• The Aviation Consumer: Used Aircraft Guide: Piper Arrow
• AVweb: Piper Arrow

The post This 1974 Piper PA-28R-200 Arrow Is a Cost-Conscious, Complex ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1981 Cessna T210N Centurion.

After recently featuring the six-seat Beechcraft A36 Bonanza, we decided to follow with that airplane’s close rival from Cessna.

In head-to-head competition the two are very close, with the buyer’s decision often determined by small details, such as a preference for high-wing aircraft over low-wing models, or club seating instead of all seats facing forward. For many pilots, though, the Cessna 210, especially the turbocharged models, offer an attractive combination of cruising speed, load-lifting capability, and short-field performance.

The 210 is an especially pleasant airplane for long cross-country trips with family and friends because of its roomy cabin and smooth, stable flight characteristics. For pilots who trained in Cessna 172 or 152s, the larger 210 will feel familiar enough to make checkout flights less intimidating. The aircraft has a strong community of owners, clubs, and maintenance shops supporting it in addition to the factory, so finding parts and service to keep these impressive birds in the air is not difficult. 

This 1981 Cessna T210N has 5,386 hours on the airframe and 286 hours on its 310 hp Continental TSIO-520-R engine and McCauley C290D4-J/T2 propeller. The aircraft carries 90 gallons of usable fuel and has had the same owner since new.

The panel features dual King KY 196 radios, King KR 87 ADF, KT 76A transponder, KMA 28 audio panel, S-Tec 50 autopilot, King KNS 80 HSI, King DME, Garmin GDL 82 ADS-B, Sadin fuel flow monitor, and vertical card compass. 

Additional equipment includes a six-place intercom and oxygen system, strobes on the wing tips and tail, cabin courtesy lights, Rosen sun visors, auxiliary avionics cooling fan, CHT and EGT probes on all six cylinders, standby alternator and vacuum pump, and Cleveland wheels and brakes.

Travelers who have outgrown typical four-place retractables and truly can make use of another pair of seats should consider this 1981 Cessna T210N Centurion, which is available for $249,000 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: FLYING’s Air Compare: Cessna 206 vs. Cessna 210
• FLYING Magazine: Panel Planner 101 Live: Cessna T210 Avionics Upgrade
• Plane & Pilot: Cessna 210 Centurion
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• The Aviation Consumer: Cessna 210
• The Aviation Consumer: Cessna Pressurized 210

The post This 1981 T210N Centurion Is One Fast Cessna and an ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1962 Beechcraft B33 Debonair.

When pilots begin shopping for their first aircraft, they typically look for something with more power, speed, and useful load than the airplanes they trained in or rented for years after receiving their private pilot certificate. Aircraft such as the Beechcraft Bonanza and Piper PA-24 Comanche often top the list of candidates for purchase, but shoppers should not forget about the Debonair, which really is just another “flavor” of Bonanza.

The Debonair, first produced in 1960, initially was a stripped-down version of the flagship V-tail Bonanza, except it was more modestly equipped and appointed, and had a conventional or straight tail. The lower price was meant to make the model more competitive with the popular Comanche. As years passed and more customers gravitated toward the elegant-looking Debonair, Beechcraft relented and began calling it a Bonanza. The last of this four-seat model, the F33A Bonanza, continued in production through the 1994 model year.

One of the main attractions for earlier models, such as the aircraft for sale here, is that their prices are still lower than for newer four-seat Bonanzas. Indeed, a Debonair such as this, with a Continental IO-470 engine, can offer classic Bonanza performance, including rapid climb and brisk cruising speeds to pilots with a range of budgets.

This 1962 Debonair has 5,545 hours on the airframe and 1,323 hours on its Continental IO-470N engine since new. The panel includes an Aspen MFD with synthetic vision, Garmin G5, Garmin GMA 340 audio panel, GNS 430W GPS, King KX 155 Nav/Comm, GTX 327 transponder, GDL 88D ADS-B, and JPI EDM 930 engine monitor.

Pilots looking for an elegant midcentury aircraft design that is fast, stylish and ready for a new home should consider this 1962 Beechcraft B33 Debonair, which is available for $129,000 on AircraftForSale.

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

• FLYING Magazine: Beech Bonanza and Debonair Approved for Garmin GFC 500 Autopilot
• FLYING Magazine: The Love and Joy of That Beechcraft
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• Plane & Pilot: Beechcraft Model 33 Bonanza/Debonair
• Plane & Pilot: Beechcraft Bonanza and Baron Get Big Updates
• AVweb: Garmin Adds GFC 500 Autopilot Applications for Pipers
• The Aviation Consumer: Beechcraft Bonanza 36
• AVweb: When the Bottom Drops Out

The post This 1962 Beechcraft B33 Debonair Is an Updated Classic ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1981 Cessna 172RG Cutlass.

When Cessna developed the retractable version of its venerable 172, its intent was to take a share of the market for entry-level complex airplanes, which previously had gone mostly to the Piper Arrow. The Arrow had been around since 1965, so it enjoyed a significant head start, but Cessna tailored the Cutlass specifically to help aspiring commercial pilots fulfill requirements for complex-aircraft time.

Today the Cutlass also offers private pilots a better-performing version of the 172 that generally maintains the forgiving flight characteristics and familiarity of the standard version. Many people who train in 172s grow fond of the type and wind up purchasing one. For those buyers who would benefit from a modest increase in power and cruising speed, the Cutlass can be an ideal fit.  

This 1981 Cessna 172RG has 9,201 hours on the airframe, 260 hours since overhaul on its 180 hp Lycoming O-360-F1A6 engine, and 1,154 hours on its McCauley two-blade propeller. The aircraft’s logbooks are complete, and its windshield recently was replaced. The Cessna’s useful load is 970 pounds. 

The panel features mostly Bendix-King avionics, including a KMA 26 audio panel, KLN 94 GPS, Dual KX 155A Nav/Coms, KT 760 transponder, 300 ADF, KT 760 Transponder, 300 ADF, ARC Navomatic 300A autopilot, and SkyBeacon with ADS-B Out.

Pilots looking for the well-known reliability and easy handling of a 172 with performance-enhancing features, such as a 180 hp engine, retractable gear, and constant-speed propeller, should take a close look at this 1981 Cessna 172RG, which is available for $119,000 on AircraftForSale.

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

• FLYING Magazine: Cessna 172: Still Relevant Today?
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• Plane & Pilot: Cessna Cutlass RG
• Plane & Pilot: The Most Affordable Singles
• AVweb: Hartzell Receives STC for Cessna 172RG Cutlass

The post This 1981 Cessna 172RG Cutlass Is a Not-Too-Complex ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1979 Cessna TR182 Skylane.

The Cessna 182 Skylane is a perennial favorite airplane for a wide range of missions including travel, cargo hauling, and short-field operations. The aircraft’s easy handling and forgiving flight characteristics make it an ideal high-performance, step-up model, especially for pilots who trained in Cessna 150s and 172s. Adding retractable landing gear to the Skylane results in a significant dose of something many pilots seek: extra speed.

When Cessna introduced the retractable 182 in 1978, the aircraft racked up favorable reviews and began to develop an enthusiastic following largely driven by the higher cruising speed that makes it a better traveling machine. Unfortunately the general aviation industry suffered during the economic downturn of the early 1980s, resulting in production cuts and eventually the end of the TR182. The rare machines remain particularly desirable on the used market. 

This 1979 Cessna TR182 has 2,190 hours on its airframe and Lycoming O-540-L3C5D engine. The panel includes Garmin GTN 650xi and Bendix/King nav/coms, dual Garmin 275s, GNS 500 autopilot, GTX 335 transponder, and JPI 830 engine monitor.

Pilots who like the standard 182’s all-around performance and reliability but seek the extra speed that comes with retractable gear should consider this 1979 Cessna TR182, which is available for $180,000 on AircraftForSale.

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

• FLYING Magazine: Turbo Skylane Returns to Cessna’s Lineup
• Plane & Pilot: Bargain Buys on AircraftForSale: 1979 Cessna Skylane 182RG
• Plane & Pilot: Why The Cessna 182 Skylane Is A Top Used Plane
• Plane & Pilot: Used Cessna 182 Skylanes

The post This 1979 Cessna TR182 Skylane Is Surprisingly Fast ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.