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
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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 2020 Pipistrel Panthera.

More than a decade has passed since Pipistrel revealed the prototype of its Panthera high-performance four-ace retractable—and caused a sensation.

At the time everyone agreed that the airplane looked fast. Testing and production have since proved that it is, with cruising speeds north of 190 ktas.

The only downside for some prospective buyers has been the long wait for the Panthera to receive FAA certification. The machine currently flies under experimental rules.

The lack of certification has not been a showstopper for everyone, though, as many pilots, unwilling to wait, have purchased Pantheras. It is easy to understand why.

The airplane seems to represent what other piston singles might have become had they continued to evolve over the decades since they first came to market. The Panthera’s sleek composite airframe and elegant, racy interior contrast sharply with the 40- to 60-year-old riveted aluminum aircraft found on most GA airport ramps today.

What almost any pilot of a Piper Comanche, Rockwell Commander or other single with a 260 hp Lycoming IO-540 under the cowling is likely to notice is that the Panthera gets a lot more performance from the engine while burning less fuel and turning heads everywhere it goes. It could be an ideal fit for shoppers who are tired of considering the same old airplanes.

This 2020 Panthera has 801 hours on its airframe and its 260 hp Lycoming IO-540V-V4A5 engine. The aircraft’s panel features dual Garmin G3X 10-inch displays with synthetic vision for PFD and MFD, a Garmin GMC 307 autopilot, GTN 750 Xi GPS/nav/comm, GTN 650 GPS/nav/comm, GMA 35 audio panel, GTX 345R transponder with Mode C and ADS-B In and Out, Mid-Continent Instruments, SAM backup airspeed, backup altimeter, and backup artificial horizon.

Pilots looking for a thoroughly modern four-seat retractable that might be the most efficient aircraft in its category should take a detailed look at this 2020 Pipistrel Panthera, which is available for $760,000 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: Pipistrel Sees Path to EASA Certification of the Panthera
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• The Aviation Consumer: Pipistrel Panthera: Sleek, Stylish, Fast

The post This 2020 Pipistrel Panthera Is a Modern, Fast, Efficient ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1976 Grumman American AA-5A Cheetah.

It is safe to say that the story behind the popularity of Grumman American’s family of compact AA-5 aircraft lies in the details.

Innovative design elements, such as bonded wing skins and honeycomb fuselage construction, eliminated the rivets common on other GA aircraft of the same era. The company continuously made small aerodynamic improvements to raise the aircraft’s cruising speed and fuel efficiency. The sliding canopy, while a practical convenience for ingress and egress, is also a cool feature that pilots love.

The four-seat AA-5 series that includes the basic 150 hp Traveler, the faster 180 hp Tiger, and the Cheetah for sale here developed from the American Aviation AA-1 Yankee, a two-seat Jim Bede design that traced its origins to Bede’s BD-1 kit concept of the early 1960s. Success with the Yankee compelled American Aviation to add a four-seat model, which would become the Traveler. Production began around the same time Grumman acquired American Aviation.

The Grumman American line, especially the Cheetah and Tiger, have a following among pilots who like their light, responsive handling and lively performance on relatively low horsepower and fuel consumption. People often draw parallels between the airplanes’ appeal and that of lightweight sports cars.

This 1976 AA-5A Cheetah has 2,850 hours on the airframe and 380 hours on its 160 hp Lycoming O-320 engine and Sensenich propeller. The panel includes dual Narco 122 navs, Garmin Aera 660, Garmin 225 and Icom A220T comms, single channel EGT/CHT, and digital OAT gauge with ice warning.

Pilots looking for an economical, efficient traveling airplane with responsive, engaging flight characteristics should consider this 1976 Grumman American AA-5A Cheetah, which is available for $90,000 on AircraftForSale.

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

• FLYING Magazine: Air Compare: Grumman AA-5 vs. Mooney M20 Series
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• AVweb: Buying a Used Aircraft: Grumman Tiger/Cheetah

The post This 1976 Grumman American Cheetah Is a Responsive, Rewarding ‘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
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• 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.