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.

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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 1975 Cessna 177RG Cardinal.

Cessna missed the memo regarding the “if it isn’t broken” rule during the 1960s and tried to replace its venerable 172 Skyhawk with a new, better-looking model called the 177 Cardinal. The new airplane was promising, with a cantilever wing that eliminated the 172’s draggy, old-fashioned struts. The 177’s cabin was wider, as were its doors, which made getting in and out much easier. Its large, attractively sloped windshield stretched back into the front of the cabin roof to improve the pilot’s upward visibility. Overall the new Cardinal appeared to fix all of the Skyhawk’s minor shortcomings.

But there was a problem with power.

The first fixed-gear Cardinals had 150 hp engines that were not up to the task and, along with certain handling quirks, gave the airplanes a poor reputation. Cessna soon boosted power to 180 hp and made other adjustments that helped. Later the company rolled out the retractable model with 200 hp like the aircraft for sale here. Performance improved significantly.

Among the Cardinal’s many fans, this version is considered the best. The extra power and improved aerodynamics of retractable gear resulted in a neat, comfortable cross-country package that could cruise economically at 140 ktas. The Skyhawk wound up outliving the Cardinal, but the latter remains a desirable traveling machine.  

This Cessna 177RG Cardinal has 3,248 hours on the airframe and 1,440 hours on its 200 hp Lycoming IO-360 engine. The panel features a King KMA 20 audio panel with PM1000A four-place intercom, KLN 90A GPS, dual KX-155 Nav/Coms, King ADF, Narco AT-150 transponder, and S-TEC 50 autopilot with altitude hold.

Pilots who like the Cessna 172 but want a stylish aircraft with more responsive handling and a higher cruising speeds should consider this 1975 Cessna 177RG Cardinal, which is available for $103,900 on AircraftForSale.

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

• FLYING Magazine: Power Flow Adds Airframes to Approved List
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• The Aviation Consumer: Used Aircraft Guide: Cessna 177RG
• AVweb: Cessna 177 Cardinal

The post This 1975 Cessna 177RG Cardinal Is a Sleek, Segment-Splitting ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.