The wide world of aircraft is now open to you, but what can you actually fly? Part of being a good pilot is recognizing that sometimes our eyes are bigger than our skill set. While hopping into a high-performance World War II warbird is a great goal, it is probably not the thing to do while waiting for the ink to dry on that new certificate.

That said, there will be a learning curve with any new-to-you model—and the possibilities are nearly limitless. Here are a few options to get you started that you can either step into right away or require just a few hours of further training.

Ultra-Modern: Cirrus SR22

If what turns your head is a sophisticated aircraft with advanced avionics, comfortable cockpit, and safety features such as a whole-airframe parachute, consider the Cirrus SR22 series. It may not be an entirely new model for everyone, given that it does see use in the training environment. However, between the depth of available features and its capabilities, there’s plenty of room for even more advanced pilots to expand their skill sets to take better advantage of all the model has to offer.

The latest version of the nonturbocharged SR22, the recently unveiled G7, boasts a top cruise speed of 181 knots, 1,169 nm range, and useful load of 1,326 pounds. Capable of seating up to five, it comes equipped with the G3000-esque Perspective Touch+ by Garmin avionics suite and offers an array of advanced features, including crew alerting system (CAS) linked checklists and taxiway routing. The SR22 is also a capable IFR machine, so becoming familiar with the model could be a particularly good option if you’re looking toward your next rating.

• READ MORE: This 2017 Cirrus SR22T Is a High-Performance, Parachute-Protected ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick

Keep in mind that there can be a lot of variation within a model type. If you’ve flown an early generation SR22 in training, you could find yourself in for a few surprises when you get into the cockpit of a newer version like the G7—or vice versa. This holds true for any model that has seen updates over multiple production cycles, so check that you are familiar with the specific configuration of the version you’re getting ready to fly well before takeoff.

In general, the SR22 is faster than many trainers and a bit less forgiving than something like a Cessna 172, particularly when it comes to approach and landing speeds. If you’re stepping up from a slower airplane, beware of falling behind the aircraft.

To act as PIC, you will need a high-performance endorsement: typically five to 10 hours of additional training with the instructor signing you off once they feel you are competent. Insurance requirements will likely dictate the final amount.

As a side note, if you’re going all-in and buying a used Cirrus rather than renting, the company offers up to three days of instruction with one of its authorized training partners free of charge via the Cirrus Embark program. Free transition training with the experts is hard to come by and extraordinarily valuable, so don’t miss out.

Vintage: Piper J-3 Cub

Is there anything more iconic in general aviation than a little yellow Piper J-3 Cub? If you’re looking to get places quickly, overcoming all inclement weather, and staying aloft for as long as biology allows, move along. This isn’t the one for you.

But if what you want is a nostalgic meander through beautiful VFR days, honing your stick-and-rudder skills while feeling the wind in your hair, the Cub can be a great model to turn to. Introduced in 1937, the two-seat J-3 is among the most recognizable models around with nearly 20,000 produced and a stock paint job so identifiable that the color came to be called “Cub Yellow.”

• READ MORE: This 1947 Piper J-3 Cub Is a Historic, Beloved ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick

Turning to the practicalities, if you don’t already have one, you will need a tailwheel endorsement to fly a J-3. It takes a rough average of 10 hours to complete but will put an array of interesting aircraft within your scope. Be warned: It will not be like flying a tricycle-gear trainer. Tailwheel aircraft have their own traps waiting for the unwary pilot—a much stronger predilection for ground loops, for example—so find a good instructor and pay close attention to the differences in handling characteristics. That said, with solid instruction flying a Cub is well within reach for a newer private pilot.

Pay attention to loading once you’re cleared to go up on your own. The Cub is little and light—two good-sized people can overload it, and it’s just not built for carrying much cargo. The stock 1947 version is powered by a 65 hp Continental engine (the earliest model had just 40 hp), offering a cruise speed of around 65 knots, 191 nm range, and useful load of 455 pounds.

To be fair, the J-3 is also not going to win any awards for cabin comfort. What it has, though, is style and history. The Cub is also a reasonable place to start if you’re looking to fly more complicated vintage aircraft in the future.

Solid Performance: Cessna 172 Skyhawk

Sometimes it just isn’t worth messing with a good thing. The Cessna 172 Skyhawk is a reliable, stable performer with a long history of taking pilots where they need to go. It is easy to fly, easy to land, and capable of a little bit of everything. That’s why it remains such a popular all-around trainer.

Alongside its general cabin comfort, those same characteristics make it a great option for new private pilots. In addition to being familiar to many, it requires no further endorsements or ratings and keeps to speeds common to other ab initio training aircraft—meaning timing in the cockpit will likely be similar even if you learned in something else. Furthermore, if you’re going to be renting, they’re easy to find pretty much anywhere.

• READ MORE: This 1968 Cessna 172 Skyhawk Is an All-Around Capable ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick

Like many of the other aircraft discussed, there is a lot of variation in 172 models even when only considering stock versions. Get to know the specific model you’ll be flying. Among other examples—and it probably goes without saying at this point—if you trained on one type of avionics (i.e. glass vs. analog gauges or Garmin flight deck vs. Avidyne), plopping yourself down in front of another without someone to teach you best practices and pitfalls is, quite frankly, a terrible idea. If what’s available to you is different in any significant way than what you trained on, grab a qualified instructor and log some learning time before heading out on your own.

The latest Skyhawk model has a top cruise speed of 124 knots, range of 640 nm, and useful load of 878 pounds. It comes equipped with Garmin G1000 NXi avionics and can seat the pilot plus three passengers. While it may seem too plain for some—it isn’t the fastest, leggiest, or tech-iest for sure—there’s no reason not to love a jack-of-all trades aircraft like the 172.

On the Water: ICON A5

If you are looking to head toward the water with your new certificate, it is worth taking a look at the ICON A5 amphibious light sport aircraft (LSA). Designed with recreational aviation in mind, it aims to provide a simple, fun flying experience even for pilots new to seaplanes. It comes with many safety features, including a whole-airframe parachute.

As of December when the FAA granted it type certification in the primary category, the two-seat ICON A5 is available in certified and special light sport aircraft (S-LSA) versions. Both have a top speed of 95 knots, a 427 nm range, and a useful load of 430 pounds. Certified and S-LSA A5s are powered by the fuel-injected Rotax 912iS engine and come equipped with the Garmin aera 796.

• READ MORE: This 2017 ICON A5 Is a Fun-Loving Amphibian ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick

When acting as PIC, the primary difference between the two versions is what you are required to have to fly one. To operate the certified edition in the U.S., you will need a private pilot certificate and seaplane rating. However, the S-LSA model, which ICON began delivering to customers in 2017, will continue to require a sport pilot certificate with a seaplane endorsement. Make sure you know what you need to legally fly the model in front of you.

If a seaplane rating or endorsement is all that stands in your way, the time frame for getting one tends to be about the same as the tailwheel endorsement: typically five to 10 hours of dedicated instruction, with the bar being when the instructor feels you are demonstrating proficiency.

Like most seaplane models, it can be quite difficult to find an A5 to rent. However, if you’re in the market for your own aircraft or one is available to you, it makes for a good launch into the world of amphibious aircraft.

Jet-A Traveler: Diamond DA40 NG

The four-seat Diamond DA40 NG has made a name for itself as a sleek, efficient, and easy-to-fly option for everyone from students to experienced IFR pilots. Its Austro AE 300 engine burns jet-A, making it a great entry-level choice for pilots looking to fly cross-country and/or in areas where avgas isn’t readily available. It is worth noting that the NG’s counterpart, the avgas-burning DA40 XLT, is a significantly different airplane, though worthy of consideration in its own right.

Along with offering great visibility through the bubble canopy, the DA40 NG is a comfortable cross-country machine with good range and reasonable speed for its type. As with the 172, no additional ratings or endorsements are needed to fly one. Once introductory flights are complete and you are comfortable with the aircraft, you’re good to go.

• READ MORE: The Diamond Aircraft Story Continues to Evolve

The newest version of the DA40 NG sports a top cruise speed of 154 knots, 934 nm range, and useful load of 897 pounds. Notably, its fuel consumption comes in at just 5.1 gallons per hour. On the avionics side, it is equipped with the Garmin G1000 NXi flight deck.

In addition to its range, the fuel burn in particular makes the DA40 NG an attractive choice for a new private pilot looking to go places. It can travel a long way on much less than many of its competitors. Another point in the model’s favor is the cockpit noise…or lack thereof. The diesel engine runs on the quieter side.

The DA40 NG is a well-behaved flyer, so transitioning to one shouldn’t be too complicated for most—assuming you didn’t learn to fly in one in the first place.

Fair Winds, Clear Skies

There are a nearly endless number of aircraft models out there, with pathways available straight to the left seats of a great many. While it may take step-ups, additional ratings, or endorsements, make a plan, get the training, and go for your dream airplane.

Who knows? You may even fall in love with a few others along the way.

This feature first appeared in the March 2024/Issue 946 of FLYING’s print edition.

The post Dream Aircraft: What Can You Fly? appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

But, your first jet is always your favorite. OK, not really, at least not my feelings about the Tweet. But I had been flying a 150-horsepower Piper Super Cub for four years prior to entering the USAF, so to me, the T-37—with its twin 1,000-pound thrust Continental jet engines—was a big responsibility. I took each flight, solo or with an instructor, as a very serious affair, and I felt extremely blessed to be training in jets in the USAF.

The T-37 was relatively small, possessed a midwing, and sat quite low to the ground. It had side-by-side seating and a big plexiglass canopy, hinged at the back, that allowed easy access to the cockpit. The two smallish jet engines that powered it were nestled in the fuselage, slightly below each wing, with the exhaust exiting behind and below the trailing edge of the wings right next to the fuselage. The instrument panel, compared to modern jet aircraft, looked as if someone took all the displays, dials, lights, knobs, and handles needed to operate the aircraft, threw them against the panel and installed them where they hit it. Random is a word that comes to mind on the placement of some of the lights, displays, knobs, etc. There was nothing ergonomic about that instrument panel, but, hey, it was a jet, and I was strapping in to go on my second solo.

In as much as “Willy,” the nickname of Williams AFB, was a place where USAF pilots learned to fly, it was also, as we were told in our in-brief prior to the beginning of flight training, a place where the USAF trained its air traffic controllers. We were warned that sometimes the controllers would make mistakes, and to be skeptical and cautious if some ATC directives/clearances seemed unusual or unsafe. You kinda had the blind leading the blind at times when you had a solo student pilot being controlled by a controller in training; it was when another more authoritative voice came over the radio to countermand a training controller’s more tentative instruction that you knew the Supervisor Controller had taken command.

After strapping in and starting those extremely high pitched, constant noise, variable thrust engines on the Tweet, I was ready to taxi for takeoff. It was a fairly long taxi from where my Tweet was parked to the active runway. During this period in its operational life, Willy was very busy. T-38s, T-37s, and F-5s were mixing in with each other daily as they either taxied for takeoff or taxied back to their parking spots after landing, so you had to listen to the controller’s verbal taxi instructions while being wary, wondering if their instructions were tainted with some mistake.

I called ground with ATIS and told them I wanted to taxi for takeoff. They cleared me to taxi to Runway 30L, which was the normal T-37 runway; I had about a mile and a half, at least, to taxi to get to the assigned runway. Since the air conditioner on the Tweet was not very effective, we taxied with our canopy fully open; it was early summer in the desert, so it could get quite warm.

I was nervous as I prepared for this flight, yet cocky too, as I taxied out. I’d done well on my first solo, getting ‘excellents’ in all three areas in which I was graded. Having broken the ice with that fledgling foray into the wild blue of the western skies, I was looking forward to breaking the bonds of gravity without some instructor jumping on my ass about something I was screwing up. 

About two-thirds of the way to Runway 30L, after turning left onto another taxiway, ground control called.

“T-37 Solo [not my actual call sign], your aircraft is smoking,” said Ground in a casual tone and inflection.

“Roger ground, jet engines do smoke,” came my immediate response, thinking this was a controller intraining, and he’d not spent much time around jet aircraft.

“Ahhhhh, T-37 Solo, be advised that your aircraft is smoking much more than normal,” came a more authoritative voice from ground control.

I’d begun to suspect something actually might be wrong, though I was not sure what, when another voice came over the radio, and it was not ATC’s.

“Hey Ace!” came the familiar voice, “Look over your left shoulder.” It was one of the instructors in my flight (good grief). He was with his student taxiing behind me.

Since it was an instructor, and since he used the term “ace,” I felt compelled to do as he commanded; I looked over my left shoulder.

“Holy Shit!!” was my first thought as I saw a thick plume of whitish smoke being exhausted from the left engine. It filled the sky behind my jet; bloody hell, no wonder ground said my jet was smoking. All cockiness immediately left me, a modicum of fear replacing it, and I told ground that I was going to stop and do an emergency ground egress, shutting down both engines before leaving the jet. I never waited for a reply or another word from the instructor, who was now taking another route to the active runway.

As the smoke rapidly dissipated and my nerves settled, I stood off the taxiway to the side of my little Tweet; I could hear the sound of  “tinks” as hot metal cooled and the last wisps of smoke vaporized in the warm desert air. Other T-37s, T-38s, and F-5s taxied by and the pilots looked over at this pathetic student, still wearing his helmet, standing by his disabled Tweet.

A few minutes after shutting down and wondering what in the hell happened to my jet, while also wondering if I’d “FUBARed,” a maintenance truck drove up, along with an airport firetruck and a crew van. I told maintenance what happened: “smoke,” and filled out the maintenance log with the same thing I told maintenance: “Smoke.”

This article was originally published in the May 2023 Issue 937 of  FLYING.

The post When a Tweet Turns Into a Smokin’ Hot Jet appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Upgrades for aircraft can be expensive and can also mean downtime for your airplane. An important question to answer is, what do you want to have done? 

If you had unlimited funds, you could call the factory, book a slot and start prepping for the shiny new gadgets they install. Cessna will schedule your aftermarket upgrades with Textron Aviation Service Centers and make all your dreams come true.  

Here’s how common folk manage both scope and budget.

Project Management Tools

You don’t have to be a project manager to successfully upgrade your aircraft, although there are some excellent resources you can borrow from the profession to assist the process. Gantt charts are cool and colorful, but are they essential? The short answer is yes; we use them in engine maintenance to manage multi-million dollar projects. And while this may be a bit much for maintaining a Cessna 172, there are project management principles that can assist in planning, executing, and closing out your aircraft upgrade.

When planning maintenance, there are a few parameters to address before laying wrenches on bolt heads. One tool to help is the project management Iron Triangle. 

Each point of the triangle focuses on an aspect of the project:

Time

• Lead time for parts
• Downtime for maintenance
• Schedule of MRO doing the job

Scope

• Facilities
• Tooling, new and old
• Technical publications
• Instructions for continued airworthiness

Cost

• Part cost and availability
• Labor internal and external
• Hangar rent

Each one of these points affects the other.

• READ MORE: Cessna 172 Annual Maintenance and What It Will Cost You

Taking a project management perspective allows an owner or operator a chance to map out aircraft upgrades and build a realistic action plan to deliver positive results. For larger entities, this may include approval levels, multiple team members, and hours of meetings. 

As the sole stakeholder in his aircraft, the approval process for upgrades to his Cessna 172 is simple for Corey Sampson. 

O-300 Oil Filter Adapter

Earlier last month, we highlighted that Sampson’s O-300-D Continental engine was not equipped with a spin-on filter—it had a screen. After some discussion, we thought, why not retrofit the aircraft to accept a spin-on oil filter? 

Referring to the project management Iron Triangle, what must we accomplish first? For starters, we need the adapter, the installation gaskets, and a spin-on oil filter. We cracked into the Tempest cross-reference site and looked up the adapter for Corey’s 1966 Cessna 172H. The correct part is SKU: CO-300, allowing the engine to accept oil filter part number AA48108-2. The CO-300 kit comes complete with a filter and the gaskets included. 

• READ MORE: Cessna 172 Offers Opportunity for Intro to Aircraft Maintenance

We completed the research, ordered and received the part, and reviewed the certifications to ensure compliance. The adapter has a supplemental type certificate (STC), and the oil filter is FAA-PMA approved. Next, it was time to carve out some time and schedule the maintenance.

Instrument Panel Upgrade

There is something about a factory original instrument panel. Don’t get me wrong, old-school steam gauges are great for warbirds, rare out-of-production aircraft, and museum pieces, but there is just something about a sleek new flat panel. 

Long-time readers of my column know I am a big fan of stay-in-your-lane, especially regarding avionics. I know where the cannon plug goes, and I can tell which end is up, but that limits my expertise. Always have someone you can call.

In this case, Corey called Oasis Aviation Maintenance and discussed the Garmin GNX 375. The GNX 375 has a WAAS-capable GPS for RNAV (including LPV) approaches and an ADS-B In/out transponder built in (traffic and weather show on display). Add a GNC 255A comm/nav, and you’ll have GPS, Comm/Nav, and Transponder for very close to the price of a GTN 650.

In keeping with the PM Iron Triangle, Corey asked Oasis to quote the system parts as stand-alone parts or an installed system. At press time, he was still undecided.

Interior Upholstery and Trim

When considering interior upgrades, special consideration must be made for “floor plan changes can be done by purchasing an existing STC or possibly filing FAA Form 337 field approval,” according to Meghan Welch, director of paint and interior sales at Elliott Aviation, who wrote about what to expect during an aircraft interior refurbishment. 

Corey may work through an MRO (maintenance, repair, and overhaul), buy a turnkey package, or do the work himself. With an A&P (airframe and/or powerplant) rating, he can plan and perform his aircraft maintenance.

Aircraft maintenance planning can be a fruitful and rewarding experience, but only if done correctly. No plan is bulletproof, and Murphy still hangs out in the hangar, but you can save yourself a headache by putting a plan in place.

Important note: Before beginning any maintenance, consider certifications and airworthiness standards for CFR aircraft operations.

The post Cessna 172 Maintenance Planning appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

There are many schools of thought concerning aircraft maintenance. Because perception is reality, all of them are true for the most part. Here is how I break it down.  

• Preventive maintenance = fixed costs
• Scheduled maintenance = fixed/variable costs
• Unscheduled maintenance = variable costs

Preventive Maintenance

An owner/operator changes the oil of their aircraft engine. Because his application has an oil screen instead of a spin-on filter, Cessna 172 owner Corey Sampson changes his oil every 25 hours. His logbook reflects the intervals by which this maintenance needs to occur. A case of Phillips 66 X/C 20W50 runs about $93, there is no filter to buy, and he saved labor dollars by doing the work himself. There will be a few quarts left over for next time. Right now, Corey is on track to fly 400 hours this year. That is a lot of oil changes.

• READ MORE: Cessna 172 Offers Opportunity for Intro to Aircraft Maintenance

For perspective, an AA48108-2 spin-on oil filter for this model costs about $35, and mechanic labor would cost another $100.

Scheduled maintenance comes with a fixed cost but can also have variable cost factors. During my stint in corporate aviation, I supported Southern Company Services and their fleet of King Air 200s. Their maintenance team religiously performed scheduled brush changes on their starter generators. They also pulled them for exchange at the time between overhaul (TBO) recommendations.

Because of this action plan, they never had a starter generator failure in service. Finance knew that at X number of flight hours, they would spend Y number of dollars. If the mechanics find damage during the generator’s removal and replacement (R&R), such repair is unscheduled maintenance with a variable cost based on condition.

The annual inspection is one of the most significant cost drivers for Cessna 172 owners. Because one needs an A&P/IA, the labor cost is a tick higher than standard maintenance. Based on my experience, you can expect to spend around $1,700.00 for the inspection. The amount is just the inspection fee and is a fixed cost. Findings are extra and are a variable cost. 

Unscheduled maintenance is just that, something stopped working correctly, and you need to figure it out. Once, a twin Cessna taxied up to my client Savannah Aviation. The pilot required a bulb to be replaced on the instrument panel. A review of the log showed the engines were due for oil changes. That’s odd; this oil filter is full of metal. Have you ever read “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie?”    

Engine Overhaul Cost

There comes a time in every airplane owner’s life—a reckoning, if you will—when the TBO sands of life dwindle to the last few grains in the hourglass. I am talking about that pivotal moment in aircraft maintenance; a major engine overhaul.

I called Pinnacle Aircraft Engines and asked how much it costs to overhaul a Cessna 172 engine. The reply (and you should have seen this coming): “It depends.” 

Let’s break it down. Corey has a 1966 model 172 equipped with an O-300-D, a six-cylinder Continental powerplant. Pinnacle’s base price estimate is $38,000. I pulled an estimate from 2014 at my engine shop, and this same engine was $28,500. The later 172 models cost $32,000 for the O-320-E2D and $33,500 for the IO-360-L2A.

Included in the overhaul estimate:

• New Champion ignition kit
• New Superior cylinders
• New lightweight starter
• Overhauled carburetor/fuel system
• Other accessories, like a vacuum pump, incur an extra charge

Other factors to consider are the factory cylinder option, engine baffling, new oil/fuel hoses, motor mounts, propeller, air ducting, and a reworked firewall.

Cessna 172 Supply Chain

The economics of aircraft maintenance boils down to three factors: location, labor, and parts. 

When it comes to location, please stick to the maintenance plan to avoid getting stuck in a remote airport in the outer rim. This is where they get you. Labor is what it is. Work with someone you can trust, even if they are a bit pricer than Slippery Pete’s Air Service.  

Replacement spare parts can affect your total annual aircraft maintenance spend.

Cessna will direct you to their parts portal. Go there if you must, but know you are paying top dollar. No one gets a deal at the factory.

Finding the right part for your type-certificated aircraft is mission-critical. For Corey’s O-300, the IPC is X30014. You can access this manual by visiting Continental Motors. 

• READ MORE: The Evolution of the Illustrated Parts Catalog

Aircraft cylinders are a maintenance constant and can be pricey to repair. New PMA options are available, and the price is negotiable if you have a good relationship.

Here are some examples:

• Aircraft Specialties Services Millennium Cylinder — SA10200-A20P MSRP: $1,318.91 FBO PRICE: $1,160.63 — You save $158.28
• Air Power, Inc. Superior Air Parts Aircraft Products Part Number: SA10200-A20P $1,155. Continental Aircraft Engine Parts Part Number: 658319A2 $2,069

Overhauled cylinders run around $1,200, so you are better off buying new ones.

There are other options for airframe parts, consumables, and accessories also.

Aircraft Spruce & Specialty has a section for Cessna 172 parts. 

New Surplus parts can save money, but be careful on places like eBay. Things are only sometimes as they seem. Make sure you have a mechanic check them out.

Here are some better options:

• Preferred Airparts, LLC has a great selection at surplus prices.
• KRN Aviation Services carries quite a few 172 parts, and they have a knowledgeable sales team.   
• Atlanta Air Exchange started as a salvage company and became a parts dealer. They still do recovery work and have decades of knowledge to help you.

I hope you have a clearer picture not only of the cost but the value of aircraft maintenance. 

The post Cessna 172 Annual Maintenance and What It Will Cost You appeared first on FLYING Magazine.