Designed for extreme operating efficiency, the diminutive Mite has only one seat mounted within a snug cockpit with a bubble canopy. Everything about the Mite is small, including the tiny retractable landing gear and the 65-horsepower Lycoming engine. But as the saying goes, small hinges swing big doors, and if you’re lucky enough to fit inside, you can expect to enjoy a 125 mph cruising speed. That works out to a stunning 2 mph per horsepower. Throttle back to 2450 rpm, and it returns a similarly stunning fuel burn of around 3.5 gallons per hour.

The long, thin wing of the 520-pound (empty) Mite performs equally well at low speeds. Original Mooney marketing material lists a stall speed of only 43 miles per hour, a takeoff distance of 290 feet, and a landing distance of 275 feet. Empty weight is listed as approximately 520 pounds, with a gross weight of 850 pounds. With a 15-gallon fuel capacity, useful load is approximately 240 pounds.

Any aircraft with a wooden airframe demands care and attention, and the Mite is no exception. Fortunately, this example was thoroughly rebuilt in 1997 and is in annual. Interior and paint are reportedly very good, and while the panel is relatively simple, it’s also tidy with a logical layout.

Few aircraft types offer the combination of economy, speed, and exclusivity as the Mooney Mite. And with only 94 actively registered on the FAA registry, few aircraft types will turn as many heads at fly-ins as the Mite.

• Learn more about the Mooney Mite here.

You can arrange financing of the aircraft through FLYING Finance. For more information, email info@flyingfinance.com. Calculate your monthly payment using their airplane finance calculator.

Editor’s note: To view a great air-to-air photo of the plane submitted by a previous owner, Cliff Tatum, visit this site and scroll to June 2017.

The post Bargain Buys on AircraftForSale: 1951 Mooney M-18 Mite appeared first on Plane & Pilot Magazine.

First flown in 1946, some 3,700 Super Cruisers were manufactured between 1946 and 1948. It resembles a slightly larger Piper Cub, with a fabric-covered steel tube fuselage and tandem seating. Unlike Cubs, however, the Super Cruiser may be flown solo from the front seat, where the pilot can enjoy substantially greater outward visibility. In back, the wide seat was designed to accommodate two passengers side-by-side.

• READ MORE: Bargain Buys on AircraftForSale: 1964 Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee Cruiser

This Super Cruiser comes equipped with a 115-horsepower Lycoming O-235. With a 2,500-hour recommended time between overhaul (TBO), this engine–flown only four hours since the recent major overhaul–will likely provide its new owner with decades of reliable service.

Similarly, the airframe is said to have been given a museum-quality restoration by a professional restorer. This effectively results in an airplane that’s as good as, or perhaps even better than new, for far less than any factory-new aircraft available on the market today.

Inside, the restorer kept the panel true to its vintage design, utilizing ivory-colored gauges and grouping a modern radio and transponder in a small central stack.

• READ MORE: Bargain Buys on AircraftForSale: 1969 Cessna 172K Skyhawk

This Super Cruiser’s asking price is little more than the cost of the airframe restoration and engine overhaul. But it’s available now for $89,000 on AircraftForSale, without having to wait a year or more for such services to be rendered.

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

The post Bargain Buys on AircraftForSale: 1947 Piper PA-12 Super Cruiser appeared first on Plane & Pilot Magazine.

• READ MORE: American Champion Citabria, Super Decathlon, Scout

With docile ground handling, the Citabria is often used as a tailwheel trainer and is a fantastic way to get into tailwheel flying. In the air, the fun doesn’t stop, as the 150-horsepower Lycoming O-320 sports an inverted oil system that enables extended aerobatic flight. 

This particular Citabria has undergone extensive renovations, including new engine components, rebuilt landing gear and brakes, and an entirely refreshed interior with new carpet, upholstery, and headliner. Perhaps most significantly, all fabric was replaced in 2001 with Polyfiber—a job worth tens of thousands of dollars that will likely last for many decades.

With 1,115 hours on the airframe and engine since major overhaul, the airframe time is relatively low, and the engine is halfway to its 2,000-hour TBO, which should also provide many years of trouble-free ownership. With no damage history and complete logbooks, this Citabria looks to be an exceptionally clean and well-sorted entry into fun aerobatic and tailwheel ownership.

• READ MORE: Bargain Buys on AircraftForSale: 2004 Maule MXT-7-180A

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

The post Bargain Buys on AircraftForSale: 1973 Bellanca 7KCAB Citabria appeared first on Plane & Pilot Magazine.

Today’s bargain provides nearly unbeatable STOL and off-airport capability for hundreds of thousands of dollars less than comparable airplanes and $20,000 less than the Aircraft for Sale PlanePrice Estimate. Dating back to the mid-1980s, Maule’s M-7 series has proven itself as an aircraft with outstanding performance and load-carrying capability. Perhaps best of all, factory support is readily available when the time comes to source parts or qualified, skilled maintenance.

Built in 2004, this relatively new Maule lacks the concerns associated with older aging types, such as aging fabric and deteriorating wiring, and is likely to provide decades of trouble-free ownership. Always hangared with complete logs and zero damage history, it would be difficult to find an off-airport machine as well cared for as this example. 

• READ MORE: Maules Are All That

With 3,315 total hours on the airframe, 1,395 hours on the 180-horsepower Lycoming O-360 since major overhaul, and a fresh annual inspection, this Maule is said to fly well and need nothing. 72-gallon long-range fuel tanks enable long forays into the backcountry with fewer concerns about sourcing fuel, and ADS-B in and out ensures populated areas and busy airspace remain within reach, as well.

Inside, an expansive interior and ample cargo space welcome both people and cargo, while a panel chock full of new Garmin avionics creates a pleasant and capable workspace for the pilot. The overall condition reflects the fact that the airplane has had only three owners since new, yet it has been flown 75 hours in the past six months, ensuring no issues are lurking from sitting unused for extended periods.

Tailwheel Maules have a reputation of being challenging to handle in crosswinds, and their high insurance rates often reflect this. Fortunately, this Maule’s tricycle landing gear minimizes both concerns.

• READ MORE: Bargain Buys on AircraftForSale: 2003 Zenith CH 2000 Alarus

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

The post Bargain Buys on AircraftForSale: 2004 Maule MXT-7-180A appeared first on Plane & Pilot Magazine.

This Alarus has flown an average of 228 hours per year since new, logging 4,336 hours total. The engine is a 115-horsepower Lycoming O-235, with nearly 500 hours remaining until the recommended time before overhaul (TBO) is reached. A proven and common engine type found in the Cessna 152, Piper Tomahawk, and Grumman AA-1, it has the reputation of being easy to own and having good parts availability.

• READ MORE: Top 8 Historic American Aircraft

Inside, the Alarus is far roomier than comparable two-place types. At 46” wide, the cabin is a full 8 inches wider than a Cessna 150 and is even wider than a 182. It is, in fact, only three inches narrower than a big Piper Cherokee Six. Gullwing doors make for easy entry and exit, and outward visibility easily bests most high-wing Cessnas.

The panel is neat and orderly, particularly when compared to most older aircraft types at this price range. A traditional “six-pack” of primary instruments is centered in front of the pilot, and an easily accessible radio stack is positioned in front of the passenger. Engine gauges are similarly arranged in a clean stack, making it easy to scan for information. 

• READ MORE: Bargain Buys on AircraftForSale: 1947 Beechcraft Bonanza

At a price that is typically associated with tired, worn-out types from the 1950s and 1960s, this Alarus provides a more modern flying experience with an airframe, accessories, wiring, and controls that should provide decades of trouble-free flying.

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

The post Bargain Buys on AircraftForSale: 2003 Zenith CH 2000 Alarus appeared first on Plane & Pilot Magazine.

Pilots interested in a unique experimental biplane should consider this 1986 Stolp SA-100 Starduster, which is available for $25,000 on AircraftForSale.

Introduced in 1957, the SA-100 is a single-seat, fabric-covered biplane with a tubular steel fuselage. Presently, 27 examples are actively registered in the U.S., making it a rare and unique sight at most fly-ins but with an owner community that’s large enough to engage with for support.

• READ MORE: STOLP SA-100 “STARDUSTER”

Originally designed around a 125 hp Lycoming O-290, many including this one have been upgraded to more powerful engines. Sporting a 150 hp Lycoming O-320, this example should handily exceed the already healthy 1800-foot-per-minute rate of climb reported by owners of the original version. More importantly, it’s far easier to source parts and maintenance for the O-320 than for the older O-290, making ownership significantly easier.

Inside, the lone occupant is presented with a charmingly vintage aesthetic. Devoid of any modern color screens or even radios, the simple panel resembles that of a World War II-era biplane. Some modern functionality has been added, however, in the form of an electrical system, G-meter, and cylinder head temperature gauge.

With a midrange engine time of 890 hours since major overhaul and a total airframe time of only 625 hours with no known accident history, this Starduster offers a massive amount of open-cockpit aerobatic performance for the dollar.

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

The post Bargain Buys on AircraftForSale: 1986 Stolp SA-100 Starduster appeared first on Plane & Pilot Magazine.

Pilots interested in an economical, fun-to-fly four-place aircraft should consider this 1957 Piper PA-22-150 Tri-Pacer, which is available for $64,000 on AircraftForSale.

Derived from the PA-20 Pacer taildragger, Piper’s PA-22 Tri-Pacer adds tricycle gear for surefooted handling in crosswinds and notably less expensive insurance premiums. Purists love Piper’s robust, fabric-covered tubular steel airframe, reasoning that it is superior to the stressed-skin aluminum fuselage construction utilized by Cessna and Beechcraft. The steel cage is said to provide better protection to occupants, and the fabric covering can make both inspection and repair easier than aluminum counterparts.

Equipped with a 150-horsepower Lycoming O-320 and a left-side rear door, the Tri-Pacer is equally happy bringing friends and pets along as it is toting camping equipment for weekend adventures. Although this particular example doesn’t have a rear seat installed, Piper parts are plentiful and not overly expensive compared to many other types. Beefy bungee-cord-equipped main gear holds up well to rough runways, and vortex generators provide crisp, responsive handling.

With only 2,650 hours on the airframe, 815 hours since the major overhaul of the engine, and only 355 hours since new cylinders were installed, this Tri-Pacer is poised to provide its next owner with many years of economical flying. Perhaps best of all, the fabric was replaced with Ceconite in 2003 and repainted in a classic scheme—a job easily worth over $40,000 alone.

But the owner didn’t stop there! A look inside reveals a completely new interior that was installed in 2016, including fresh soundproofing for a quieter, less fatiguing cabin environment. In addition to fresh carpet and upholstery, the panel is in outstanding shape, free from the ugly cracked and weathered plastic trim pieces that are so commonly found. A set of AV-30 digital gauges replace the heavy vacuum system, a Stratus ESG transponder provides ADS-B out, and a Garmin Aera 660 GPS is neatly installed in its recessed panel mount.

At $64,000, this Tri-Pacer is more expensive than many examples, but with over $40,000 in new paint and fabric and many thousands of dollars in new cylinders, updated interior, and advanced avionics, it seems to be an exceptional value that will likely provide decades of economical, trouble-free ownership.

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

The post Bargain Buys on AircraftForSale: 1957 Piper PA-22-150 Tri-Pacer appeared first on Plane & Pilot Magazine.

Pilots interested in an economical, fun-to-fly four-place aircraft should consider this 1976 Grumman American AA-5A Cheetah, which is available for $60,000 on AircraftForSale.

The Cheetah is the mid-range model among Grumman’s four-place offerings. Equipped with a 150-horsepower Lycoming O-320, the AA-5A Cheetah was essentially a modified version of the original AA-5 Traveler, adding important upgrades such as a larger horizontal stabilizer that results in a wider center of gravity range and 15 additional gallons of fuel capacity.

• READ MORE: Bargain Buys on AircraftForSale: 1949 Piper PA-16 Clipper

With over 3,000 examples built between 1971 and 2006, the AA-5 family of aircraft is common enough that parts are plentiful and easily sourced. Additionally, the vibrant Grumman Owners and Pilots Association enthusiastically supports new Grumman owners with knowledge, expertise, and regular events. And as we discovered in last summer’s comparison between the AA-5 and the Mooney M-20 series, the Grumman’s fixed landing gear results in insurance premiums that are thousands of dollars less per year than retractable gear alternatives.

Most important, however, is the flying experience. Rather than traditional cables, torque tubes and push/pull rods are used to actuate the ailerons, resulting in quick, precise, fingertip handling. The unique Grumman canopy offers a panoramic view and slides back on rails to provide cabin access from both sides. On warm days, it can be left partially open in flight, and it can be slid fully aft after landing to dump hot cabin air.

This particular example has just over 3,000 hours on the airframe and 1,847 hours on the engine since major overhaul. While this is coming up on the 2,000-hour TBO, prospective buyers should note that the $60,000 asking price is substantially less than the $79,000 average price for the Cheetahs we surveyed last summer, leaving some room in the budget for a fresh engine overhaul. It has always been hangared, and it includes complete logs since new.

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

The post Bargain Buys on AircraftForSale: 1976 Grumman American AA-5A Cheetah appeared first on Plane & Pilot Magazine.

• READ MORE: Avions-Mudry CAP 10B

Equipped with a 180 hp Lycoming AEIO-360 capable of aerobatic and fully inverted flight and weighing roughly the same as a Cessna 150, the CAP 10 is at home upside down in various maneuvers or cruising to breakfast. Best of all, the type is factory-supported in Europe with ample parts availability, and certified in the standard category in the U.S.

This example comes fully restored, with only 205 hours on the engine since major overhaul, a new prop, new paint/interior, and new canopy glass. An experienced CAP 10 A&P/IA performed a detailed inspection of the airframe, and with consumables like brakes, tires, and hoses refreshed, the airplane is well set up for reliable flying with its new owner.

Pilots interested in a unique, aerobatic aircraft with a well-proven and capable engine should consider this 1981 Mudry CAP 10B, which is available for $97,000 on AircraftForSale.

Each day, the team at Aircraft For Sale picks an airplane that catches our attention because it is unique, represents a good deal, or has other interesting qualities. You can read Aircraft For Sale: Today’s Top Pick at FLYINGMag.com daily.

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

The post Bargain Buys on AircraftForSale: 1981 Mudry CAP 10B appeared first on Plane & Pilot Magazine.

University of North Dakota’s flight school has decided to abandon Swift UL94 and return to 100LL after exhaust valve recession in Lycoming-powered aircraft. The school conducted an extensive trial using the new unleaded fuel almost exclusively in its Lycoming-powered Piper Archers and Seminoles. After recording exhaust valve recession, the school opted to return to 100LL in October. 

Partly because students were interested in a less-polluting fuel, the school switched to Swift Fuel’s ASTM-spec UL94 in late June. In four months of flying totaling 46,000 hours, the school found evidence of significant valve recession in some of the Archers. The school’s director of maintenance, Dan Kasowski, told AVweb Wednesday (Nov. 8) that the total number of aircraft impacted isn’t known yet because the data is still being collected. The data is being forwarded to Lycoming for analysis. “The fuel is on-spec, so that’s not a problem. I don’t want to speculate on what it could be. We’re waiting for Lycoming to tell us,” Kasowski said.

Valve seat recession was a known problem when unleaded fuels were introduced in the automotive market starting in the 1970s. As explained in this AVweb video, the precise mechanism is debatable, but hardened valve seats and cylinder heads tamped down recession damage. Lycoming addressed this issue in its cylinders during the 1990s and was believed to have valve seats and guides suited for unleaded fuels. Lycoming said it was “proactively evaluating” the data received from UND and would provide appropriate guidance based on its analysis. As of today’s deadline, Swift’s Chris D’Acosta confirmed that Lycoming is looking at materials, pilot operating methods, flight telemetry and additional data to understand the findings at UND. “The comment attributed to equivalent spark plug fouling and replacement vs. 100LL is generally not consistent with our own experience with UL94. This may be an indication of different operating methods at UND than elsewhere,” D’Acosta said.

UND’s Jeremy Roesler said when the school made the switch in June, it did so only after setting up a maintenance monitoring program to track potential issues with UL94. “We are overcautious,” he said. “When we started finding these issues, we needed to ask ourselves how bad does it have to get before we switch back to 100LL?” he said. With intense daily flight operations, aircraft down for maintenance were a worry for UND. “We’re big on how it affects our students. It is causing some delays. So it’s not in our best interest to accelerate back to UL94,” he added.

To monitor for cylinder wear, the school conducted regular compression checks on its fleet of Archers and also did the so-called “dry tappet” check. This involves removing and cleaning the tappets and reinstalling them with the pushrods in place. The clearance between the rocker arm and the valve stem is then checked. If the valve seat is recessing, this clearance will progressively diminish as the valve recedes farther into the cylinder head. Kasowski said the Lycoming specified minimum clearance is 0.028 inch and some of the cylinders exceeded this limit. If the recession is deep enough, the valve won’t close against the seat and power loss or burned valves can result. Recession was measured only on exhaust valves, not intake valves.

In addition to data sent to Lycoming, UND is also sending both cylinders and engines for further analysis. Kasowski said after 46,000 flight hours, the school had about the same replacement rate for spark plugs as on 100LL, nor was spark plug fouling noticeably reduced.

Another operator we’ve been monitoring for more than two years is Rabbit Aviation Services in San Carlos, California. The company oversees maintenance and fueling of a pair of flying clubs totaling nearly 10,000 hours of flight per year. Rabbit CEO Dan DeMeo said experience with UL94 has been universally positive with less spark plug fouling and cleaner oil. Rabbit has been offering UL94 for two and a half years.

Editor’s note: This is a developing story that originally appeared on avweb.com. Find updates there as the story unfolds.

The post UND Drops Unleaded Fuel appeared first on Plane & Pilot Magazine.