Today’s Top Pick is a 1955 Cessna 180 Skywagon.

The Cessna 180’s conventional landing gear and squared-off “straight” vertical fin and rudder give it a distinctive vintage silhouette that many pilots find attractive. This appeal, coupled with the aircraft’s capabilities on short strips and  off-airport travel have helped to drive up prices for the muscular taildragger.

Shopping for early models from the 1950s can be an effective way to find more affordable examples that still look great. Because the 180 was a modern, efficient design when new, it remains practical for family transport and recreation.      

The 180 helped popularize STOL flying decades ago and inspired some of the best short-field performers now available. But while we often see images of 180s on skis, hauling big game out of hunting camps in Alaska, the aircraft’s lifting capability and cruising speed make it just as well-suited for your next cross-country family vacation.  

This 1955 Cessna 180 has 4,133 hours on the airframe, 10 hours on its 230 hp Continental O-470 engine, and 190 hours since overhaul on the McCauley two-blade seaplane propeller. The aircraft has a useful load of 776 pounds and carries 55 gallons of fuel.

The panel includes a custom audio panel, King KMD 150 color moving map GPS, Icom IC-A200 760 channel LCD digital om radio, King KX 175B analog nav/comm, Garmin GTX 335 transponder with ADS-B Out, remote ELT arming panel, Alcor analog EGT, digital tachometer, CHT gauge, carb temperature gauge, and 12-volt power outlet.

Additional equipment includes Alaskan Bushwheel six-bolt wheels and brakes, BAS inertia reel shoulder harnesses, BAS tailcone lift handles, door stewards, Rosen visors, Selkirk extended baggage compartment, Atlee Dodge folding rear seats, P-Ponk landing gear reinforcements, Brackett air filter, alternator conversion, and input for ground service power.

Pilots who are interested in a classic Cessna taildragger that combines the visual charm of an antique aircraft with the practicality of a powerful engine and spacious cabin should consider this1955 Cessna 180 Skywagon, which is available for $169,000 on AircraftForSale.

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

• FLYING Magazine: One Iconic Cessna 180 Has Quite a Story to Tell
• FLYING Magazine: Hartzell Voyager Propeller Approved for Cessna 180s
• FLYING Magazine: Hartzell Scimitar Prop Approved for Cessna 180 and 182
• Plane & Pilot: Cessna 180 Skywagon

The post This 1955 Cessna 180 Is a Practical, Collectible ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1951 Cessna 170A.

When I began shopping for an aircraft that my family and I could use for vacation getaways and weekend day trips, I spent many hours watching videos of Cessna 170s landing on turf strips. For a long time I felt any airplane I owned should be at home on a grass runway. While the requirements changed to include aircraft no more than 40 years old, I still consider the 170 a hot prospect for vintage fans who want to use their airplanes regularly.

A well-loved example of this midcentury machine can provide the stability, easy handling, and reliability of its successor, the 172, while hanging onto those beautifully rounded tail surfaces and charismatic taildragger gear. As tailwheel aircraft go, the 170 is considered friendlier than most.

This Cessna 170A has 5,375 hours on the airframe and 1,650 hours on its 145 hp Continental O-300 engine and McCauley propeller. The aircraft was repainted in 1998. The panel includes a Garmin 300 XL GPS, KMA audio panel, Garmin GDL 82 ADS-B, and dual VORs.

Pilots looking for a personal aircraft with an attractive combination of nostalgia and practicality should consider this 1951 Cessna 170A, which is available for $84,900 on AircraftForSale.

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

• FLYING Magazine: The Cessna 170 Is a Ticket to Adventure
• FLYING Magazine: Cessna 172 Annual Maintenance and What It Will Cost You
• FLYING Magazine: Cessna to Auction Historic Airplane for Charity
• Plane & Pilot: Cessna 170A: Rebuild Of A Lifetime, Literally
• Plane & Pilot: Cessna 170

The post This 1951 Cessna 170A Is a Practical Antique and an AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1947 Luscombe 8E.

The first Luscombe 8-series aircraft came to market during the late 1930s, and while not as popular as the Piper Cub, they did sell in the thousands before production switched to wartime military production. The design stood out among rivals because it had a metal fuselage and side-by-side seating for two instead of the usual tandem arrangement. Most prewar Luscombes were ultra simple with no electrical systems and the bare minimum instrumentation and amenities. Many early models qualify as light sport aircraft (LSA) today.

The Luscombe 8E for sale here would have come with postwar upgrades like electrics for operating starters and a more effective instrument package. Later models also had metal-covered wings, replacing the earlier models’ fabric. The postwar airplanes might be easier for modern pilots to live with, but they generally weigh a bit too much to qualify as LSAs. You win some, you lose some, but all Luscombe 8s are known for nimble handling that makes them especially fun to fly.

This 1947 Luscombe has 7,315 hours on the airframe and 420 hours on its Continental O-200A engine since it was overhauled in 1999. The aircraft has a current annual inspection.

The panel includes a Bendix/King radio and transponder, uAvionix ADS-B tail beacon, EI digital oil temperature and pressure, PM1000 intercom, master power and avionics switches, landing lights, strobes, cabin heat, vertical card compass, and digital chronometer.

Pilots looking for a not-so-common classic taildragger with the rare combination of metal construction, side-by-side seating, and control sticks instead of yokes should take a close look at this 1947 Luscombe 8E, which is available for $55,000 on AircraftForSale.

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

• FLYING Magazine: The T8F Is Luscombe’s ‘Crazy Uncle’
• FLYING Magazine: The Luscombe 8 Offers a Unique Trip Back in Time
• FLYING Magazine: Turbine Luscombe For Sale on eBay
• Plane & Pilot: Luscombe Silvaire 8F: A Classic LSA
• Plane & Pilot: Luscombe 8A Silvaire

The post This 1947 Luscombe 8E’s Nimble Handling Makes It an ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1946 Cessna 140.

There were a lot of GA aircraft on the market in the years right after World War II, including a range of small, light two-seat personal airplanes such as Piper Cubs, Aeronca Champs, Luscombes, and Taylorcrafts. Some of the designs dated to before the war, while others, like the Cessna 140, had come along afterward and had a relatively new look and feel.

Having flown a number of these old classics, I can say the Cessna tops my list because of its easy handling and side-by-side seating, which I prefer because it enhances interaction with the passenger and gives the airplane a more pleasant shape to my eye.

This 1946 Cessna 140 has 7,270 hours on the airframe and 399 hours on its 90 hp Continental C90-14F engine. The panel includes a King KX-170B nav/com with OBS, King KT-76A transponder, PS Engineering PMA 4000 audio panel with two-place intercom, and uAvionix ADS-B.

Pilots looking for a handsome, economical vintage taildragger that will transport them almost all the way back to aviation’s golden age should consider this 1946 Cessna 140, which is available for $43,000 on AircraftForSale.

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

• FLYING Magazine: Approachable Aircraft: The Cessna 120/140
• FLYING Magazine: Man Sells Old Cessna 140 at Garage Sale
• FLYING Magazine: Five Taildraggers That Are Easy To Buy, Fly, and Insure
• Plane & Pilot: This Incredible Plane: Cessna 140
• Plane & Pilot: Cessna 120/140
• The Aviation Consumer: Used Aircraft Guide: Cessna 120/140

The post This 1946 Cessna 140 Is a Sweet Vintage Taildragger and an ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Earlier this week, I went up for my first flight of the year on a cold and overcast New Year’s Day. And while I always make an effort to objectively evaluate my decision making in my still-new-to-me Cessna 170, I didn’t expect to learn three new lessons and enact three new personal rules after one short flight. But that’s precisely what happened as I kicked off a new year of flying.

The first lesson took place before I’d even completed the preflight. My first clue that something was amiss occurred when I retrieved my tire pressure gauge from the small flight bag I keep in the front passenger seat. I noticed bits of shredded paper towel littering the bag. Making a mental note to continue placing my custom-cut aluminum bands around each tire to keep mice out of the airplane, I continued my preflight. 

A short time later, while carefully inspecting my tailwheel on my hands and knees, I made eye contact with the culprit. There, staring at me in the face from a small access hole at the base of the rudder, was a small brown field mouse.

A few choice selections of profanity scared it back into the fuselage. Fortunately, however, some light drumming on the side of the empennage scared it back out of the hole, and it leaped from the airplane and scurried away. A closer inspection of my flight bag connected the dots—I’d left a couple of energy bars in the bag after my last flight, and the mouse had set up camp, helping itself to the feast.

New rule No. 1: No more leaving energy bars in the airplane.

• READ MORE: Buyer Be Aware: Having Your Own Airplane Is So Worth It

Thoroughly preflighted and apparently mouse-free, I hopped in and started the engine. Because I was the only one at the airfield, I opted to take a shorter route from my hangar to the runway. This route utilizes a dirt driveway that borders a large ditch. And it wasn’t until I advanced the throttle and tested the brakes that I realized there was a gradual slope all the way from my hangar to that ditch.

Brakes locked, the airplane slid toward the ditch at a crawling pace as I willed it to come to a stop. I used every trick my lifetime of winter driving in the Great Lakes region had taught me, including releasing the brakes to obtain some directional traction, but the ditch loomed ever closer. Just as I was creating a plan to pull the mixture and at least save the prop and engine, the right main mercifully encountered a small patch of gravel and the airplane ground to a stop. 

As I only recently moved into my new hangar, I’d never taken this taxi route in the winter. Accordingly, I’d never noticed the gradual slope and treacherous ditch. It was a chilling eye-opener, and I was ultimately able to cling to the hallowed strip of gravel and proceed to the runway safely. 

New rule No. 2: No taking the short taxi route with snow or ice on the ground.

Run-up complete, I trundled my way out onto the 3,100-by-90-foot grass strip and backtaxied to the end. On the way out, I made a mental note of an icy, muddy patch in the center of the runway about 600 feet from the threshold. I’m no stranger to operating on snow at this strip, but the odd combination of 1 to 2 inches of icy snow and muddy, unfrozen soil beneath robbed me of traction and made it challenging to turn around. An old skiplane trick of full forward yoke and some short blasts of power finally brought the tail around, and I was good to go at last.

The brisk temperature rewarded me with a density altitude of around 1,500 feet below sea level. I made a mental note to brag about this to a certain California-based friend who takes every opportunity to boast about his state’s warm winter climate. My beloved McCauley seaplane prop clawed through the thick winter air, making the most of my airplane’s modest 145 hp and clearing the muddy patch with ease. 

The takeoff was uneventful, but the variable wind had developed into a healthy crosswind from the left. I kept this in mind, and on downwind, I took a step back and evaluated the situation. I was barely able to keep the airplane out of the weeds during my taxi out to the runway. Once there, I had difficulty turning around. And now I was setting up to land on a particularly slick surface with a crosswind.

Much as I wanted to spend an hour or two in the air, hammering out landing after landing, I decided not to press my luck. I was handling the hazards successfully thus far and could likely continue my pattern work safely, but doing so would expose me to an element of risk that, while not unmanageable, was not at all necessary. Leaving some power in during the flare, I made sure to bleed off as much energy as possible before touching down and did so safely and with no issues. 

Turning around was a different story. Once again, I struggled to turn around on the runway and skated my way back to the hangar, making sure to take the long route back. I was happy to call it a day and abandon the out-of-kilter risk-reward scenario in favor of some University of Michigan football in the Rose Bowl from the comfort of my couch.

New rule No. 3: No pattern work on snowy runways with a crosswind in excess of 5 knots.

Although I only logged 0.1 hours of flight time, it was a particularly educational flight. Best of all, with the exception of a couple of energy bars and a shredded paper towel, there was no property damage to contend with. That’s a win no matter how you chalk it up, and with that, the day of new rules was more successful than any my sister and I had experienced in our household years ago.

The post Making Personal Rules appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1946 Taylorcraft BC-12D Twosome.

Taylorcraft was known during World War II for building gliders and the L-2 Grasshopper, an observation and liaison aircraft adapted from the company’s pre-war Tandem Trainer for the Army Air Force. Initially called the O-57, the aircraft got a name change to L-2 when the military altered the general designation for such small aircraft from “observation” to “liaison.” The Grasshopper was used for pilot training in the U.S. but was not used in combat or sent overseas during the war.

At the war’s end, the company returned to the general aviation market and produced the BC-12D, which competed with the Piper Cub, Luscombe, and other small rag-and-tube models powered mostly by 65 hp engines. The company entered bankruptcy following a severe postwar downturn in the light aircraft market. Today the aircraft still has a following among vintage aircraft enthusiasts and those seeking older models that qualify as LSAs.

Pilots looking for a light, ultra-simple, two-seat taildragger with bare-bones instrumentation that harks back to the years just after World War II should consider this 1946 Taylorcraft BC-12D Twosome, which is available for $21,000 on AircraftForSale.

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

• FLYING Magazine: 1946 Taylorcraft Making Sweet Music, Again
• Plane & Pilot: Taylorcraft
• AVweb: Buying The Old Ones: Homework Mandatory

The post This 1946 Taylorcraft BC-12D Is a Charming, Bare-Bones ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1949 Luscombe 8A.

There were a lot of two-seat taildraggers to choose from after World War II, including Piper J-3 Cubs, Taylorcrafts, Aeronca Champs, and Cessna 120s and 140s. There was also the Luscombe 8 series, with metal construction that seemed modern compared with many of its fabric-covered competitors.

Two design features that help the Luscombe stand out and might make it more appealing to certain pilots are its side-by-side seating and dual control sticks instead of yokes. Other aircraft in the category typically had one or the other, but not both features together. For people who like flying with a stick and sitting next to their passenger instead of in a front-back tandem arrangement, the Luscombe must have seemed just right.

This Luscombe 8A has 2,402 hours on the airframe and 1,138 hours on its Continental C-90-12F engine since overhaul. The engine is rated at 95 hp and is swinging a McCauly two-blade Model 1B90CM propeller. The panel includes a Narco AT 150, Narco Com 610, Sigtronics SPA-400 intercom, and uAvionix SkyBeacon ADS-B Out.

Pilots looking for the charm of a compact 1940s-era taildragger, but would prefer something a little different from the usual Cubs and Champs, should consider this 1949 Luscombe 8A, which is available on AircraftForSale.

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

• FLYING Magazine: The Luscombe 8 Offers a Unique Trip Back in Time 
• FLYING Magazine: Turbine Luscombe For Sale on eBay
• Plane & Pilot: 1946 Luscombe 8E and Mt. Rainier
• Plane & Pilot: LUSCOMBE 8A-8F “Silvaire”

The post This 1949 Luscombe 8A Is an ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick Among Vintage Non-Cub Taildraggers appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1946 Globe GC-1B Swift.

The Globe Swift has an interesting history that begins during aviation’s golden age between the wars but truly gets going in the wake of World War II. The sleek, low-wing, two-seater has fighter-like styling, retractable landing gear and  sliding canopy. Given these features, it is easy to understand the airplane’s appeal.

While not speed demons, Swifts move along well, generally between 104 to 112 ktas, on fairly low horsepower. A long list of STCs include engine upgrades that can push speeds higher. Early models came with 85 hp Continental engines that soon gave way to 125 hp versions, which improved performance significantly. Swift pilots tend to care more about the airplane’s responsive handling and light, tactile controls. Still, engines ranging above 200 hp and numerous other approved speed modifications can give the aircraft a racier feel.  

This Swift has 1,455 hours on the airframe and 77 hours on its Continental C-125-2 engine since overhaul. The panel includes an AV-30 multi-function flight instrument, an EDM 700 engine monitor with fuel flow, and Stratus ADS-B. 

Pilots interested in vintage aircraft that are fairly rare but reasonably economical to operate and maintain should consider this 1946 Globe GC-1B Swift, which is available for $49,900 on AircraftForSale.

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

• FLYING Magazine: 1946 Globe Swift ‘Speedster’ 
• FLYING Magazine:The Swift and First Solos
• Plane & Pilot: Globe/TEMCO Swift: An Efficient And Comely Two-Seater That Stood The Test Of Time
• Plane & Pilot; Globe Swift GC-1B
• The Aviation Consumer: Off The Beaten Path: Vintage Aircraft

The post A Globe Swift from 1946 Is a Sleek, Rare, and Rewarding ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1973 Bellanca Citabria 7KCAB.

Citabrias are popular among the range of two-seat taildraggers that includes Piper Cubs, Luscombes, Cessna 120s, and Taylorcrafts. Taildraggers have gained a bigger audience of late because of growing interest in backcountry and bush flying among adventurous pilots, and the Citabria is known as a forgiving trainer.

This 7KCAB model is one of the higher-powered, “hot rod” versions of the Citabria with a 150 hp 4-cylinder Lycoming engine set up for basic aerobatics. There is a special place in my heart for the 7KCAB because I began my flight instruction in one after a friend urged me to learn in a taildragger. With the same horsepower as a Cessna 172 of the same era, the Citabria is hundreds of pounds lighter and feels especially peppy. The basic Citabria is called the 7ECA and has a more modest 100 or 115 hp engine.

This Citabria has 1,662 hours on the airframe and engine, and 79 hours on the fixed-pinch Sensenich propeller. The aircraft received new wings with metal spars in 2013 and carries 36 gallons of usable fuel. Useful load is 483 pounds. The panel includes a King KLN 89 GPS, Garmin SL 40 digital com radio, Garmin GTX 327 transponder, uAvionix ADS-B out wingtip beacon, and a G-meter.

If you are looking for a traditional tailwheel airplane with extra speed and the bonus of aerobatic capabilities, you should take a look at this 1973 Bellanca Citabria 7KCAB, which is available for $89,500 on AircraftForSale.

You can arrange financing of the aircraft through FLYING Financial Group. For more information, email info@flyingfinancial.com.

• FLYING Magazine: Getting Reacquainted With Taildraggers Is Time Well Spent
• FLYING Magazine: A Taste of Taildraggers
• Plane & Pilot: Bellanca ‘Citabria‘
• The Aviation Consumer: American Champion Citabria/Decathlon
• The Aviation Consumer: Decathlon and Citabria

The post Today’s Top Aircraft For Sale Pick: 1973 Bellanca Citabria 7KCAB appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

I’ve since learned that a quick screen capture of Midwestern real estate listings can effectively shut him up for the season. But this year some of the beautiful summertime scenes I’ve enjoyed from aloft may prove even more effective. This is what I was thinking about on a recent picture-perfect Saturday filled with antique aircraft, good friends, and sweeping rural vistas in the waning, golden sunlight.

Having been without an airworthy airplane for several months this year, I’m just now getting back into the swing of things. I’m beginning to rediscover how a perfect weekend can be made even more so as an airplane owner. With muddy winters, lengthy annual inspections, and massive panel upgrades behind me, the airplane is running great, and I’m finally free to actually use it to seize the day.

The most recent Saturday adventure began with a generous invitation from my friend Luke. Luke is a very active volunteer with the EAA Vintage Aircraft Association, and it was with his invite that I was able to attend their annual fly-in at Brodhead, Wisconsin. Conveniently, Brodhead is only about 20 miles south of me, and while I frequently pop down there for pattern work on the three beautifully maintained grass runways, this was the first time I’d flown into one of its organized events.

I wasn’t sure what to expect. In terms of fly-ins, I’ve only ever flown into EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh. This frame of reference is a bit nonstandard, not unlike someone who has only ever attended the Super Bowl and is wondering how local high school games must compare. It would be a new experience, and I was looking forward to it.

As it turns out, smaller countryside fly-ins—even the more sizable ones—have a wonderful vibe and are a true pleasure to attend, especially in your own airplane. Like sampling a fine wine, one can slowly mosey around the airport, have relaxed conversations, take in the vintage airplanes, and lazily discuss plans for the on-site barbecue and evening campfire. This is a stark contrast to trying to take in AirVenture, which I’ve found to be less like sampling fine wine and perhaps more like shotgunning several dozen consecutive cans of Miller Lite in one frenzied sitting.

The staccato bark of 1920s- and 1930s-era radial engines above punctuated the relaxed countryside ambiance as various achingly beautiful antique aircraft took people for rides and regularly passed overhead. An attendee showed off his 1950s-era BMW motorcycle alongside an old biplane, the stately rumble of the opposed twin blending in nicely with the vintage aircraft engines surrounding us. There was an idyllic balance of laziness and activity that allowed conversations to flow and prevented boredom from ever materializing. 

Hang out at your own airplane, and the conversations are similarly relaxed and enjoyable. Nobody is in a hurry, trying to scurry off to a forum, press briefing, or airshow display like at Oshkosh. Topics of conversation meander like lazy creeks, with aviation newcomers presenting fun, elementary questions about your machine and fellow owners swapping tips and lore learned from ownership. 

As the sun sank lower and the shadows grew long, I preflighted my plane and took off behind a beautiful Stinson Gullwing. Happy to have a full complement of LED lighting to help me stand out, I carefully negotiated the radio-free antique biplanes in the pattern and set off for the 20-minute flight home. Along the way, golden sunlight illuminated the cabin and brought the hayfields below to life in a way the midday sun never can. The atmosphere was as warm as the filtered light, and my leisurely 90 mph cruise speed became more of a luxury than a hindrance.

Evenings like this bring out the paramotor training at my home airfield, and I’m fortunate the instructors and students monitor the frequency with vigilance. Upon hearing me report my position inbound, they requested a few minutes to clear the runway for my arrival. I was happy to orbit the picturesque fields for a bit and comply. 

Still a relative newcomer to the world of tailwheels, I’d just assume not have a live audience lining the runway edges while I land. While I was confident I could land safely and without placing the crowd in danger, I also knew chances were good that I’d resemble an injured wildebeest staggering across the runway while doing so. Fortunately, the tailwheel gods smiled upon me. With the help of my squishy Alaskan Bushwheels and the 8 psi of pressure within, I believe I fooled my audience into thinking I possess something resembling proficiency and skill.

It was a perfect end to a perfect day of airplane ownership, and I’ve come to learn how important it is to deposit these kinds of memories into the vault for safekeeping. Snow, ice, and future setbacks are certain to arrive, after all…and like a big stack of nicely seasoned firewood, reflections upon days like this help to ensure you stay warm and happy in the inevitably challenging times ahead.

The post Golden-Hued Memories of a Late Summer Fly-In appeared first on FLYING Magazine.