Today’s Top Pick is a 1943 Stinson Vultee V-77.

When pilots think about the golden age of general aviation, small, two-seat, high-wing Pipers, Porterfields, Taylorcrafts, and Aeroncas tend to come to mind.

The era also produced more substantial models with space for a family of four (or five) and enough power to take them aloft easily. This 1943 Stinson Vultee V-77, more commonly known by its civilian name, the Reliant, was one such aircraft.

Machines like this Reliant were the high-performance traveling airplanes of their time, much like a Cirrus SR22 or Beechcraft Bonanza of today. For antique-aircraft enthusiasts who also like to take longer flights to a variety of destinations beyond vintage fly-ins will find the Reliant to be a robust and capable vehicle that also happens to draw crowds wherever it goes.

As a later-model Reliant, this aircraft has the distinctive gull wing that has a wider chord around mid-span that tapers toward the fuselage and tips. Earlier “straight wing” versions have a constant chord wing.

This 1943 Stinson has 1,447 hours on the airframe, 110 hours since overhaul on its 300 hp Lycoming R-680-13 9-cylinder radial engine and 11 hours since overhaul on its Hamilton Standard propeller. The aircraft is also equipped with a Brackett air filter, Cleveland wheels and brakes, Jasco alternator and regulator, navigation and landing lights, and Aeroflash strobe.

The VFR panel includes a Garmin GTR 225 comm, Garmin GTX 335 transponder with ADS-B Out, and PS Engineering PM1200 two-place intercom.

Pilots looking for a classic design from aviation’s golden age that can hold its own in modern times should consider this 1943 Stinson Vultee V-77, which is available for $115,000 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: Pilots Gather at the 2022 Stinson Summit
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The post This 1943 Stinson Vultee V-77 Is a Gull-Winged ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1947 Beechcraft 35 Bonanza.

When people hear that an airplane dates to 1947, they might envision a lightweight, high-wing, rag-and-tube classic. But in this case we are talking about something a bit more modern.

When the Beechcraft Bonanza made its debut that year it looked more like a sleek air racer or military fighter prototype than a member of the GA fleet. Ramps at small airports at the time were full of biplanes, high-wing trainers, and machines from aviation’s golden age or earlier.

When the V-tail Bonanza taxied past it must have looked like a shark among the mackerel.

There was nothing else quite like the Bonanza in the late 1940s—at least nothing in regular production that was widely available. The fast, efficient all-metal machine caused a sensation that arguably has lasted up to the present.

While the Bonanza initially was aimed at wealthy buyers, today you can park a nice V-tail in your hangar without breaking the budget. While these aircraft might be antiques, they still provide modern cross-country performance for pilots seeking a solid traveling machine. 

This 1947 Bonanza has 4,717 hours on the airframe, 763 hours since major overhaul, 16 hours since a top overhaul of its Continental E-225-8 engine, and 81 hours on its two-blade Hartzell propeller since overhaul.

Upgrades and recent maintenance include Cleveland wheels and brakes, Jasco alternator, LED landing and navigation lights, Peterson auto fuel STC, 12-gallon tip tanks, new engine hoses and mounts, Sunrise oil filter STC, Jourdan Flanagan spar reinforcement STC, and Alpha Aviation three-point restraint system. The aircraft’s landing gear motor and gearbox were overhauled in 2016 and its flap motor was overhauled in 2015. A new exhaust system was installed in 2015.

The panel includes a Garmin GNS 340 audio panel with four-place intercom, GTX 327 transponder, GDL 82 with ADS-B Out, Bendix King KLX 135A GPS/Comm, dual AV-30-C instruments, fuel flow gauge, engine monitor with data recorder, electric tachometer, and new airspeed indicator.

Pilots who appreciate the clean design, impressive performance, and historical significance of the early V-tail Bonanzas should consider this first-year example, which is available for $99,500 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: Beechcraft A36 Bonanza vs. Bonanza V-tails
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• Plane & Pilot: Beechcraft V-35 V-Tail Bonanza
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• The Aviation Consumer: Model 35 Bonanza

The post This 1947 Beechcraft 35 Bonanza Is a Capable, Antique ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1946 Aeronca 7AC Champion.

Pilots interested in historic aviation and those who simply want to own an aircraft without breaking the bank are increasingly seeking vintage rag-and-tube taildraggers. Demand for such aircraft, like this Aeronca 7AC Champ and its competitors, including the Piper J-3 Cub, Luscombe 8 series, and Cessna 120, may have driven prices higher in recent years but these models remain relatively inexpensive. They also offer an engaging, tactile, stick-and-rudder flying experience that can be hard to find in this era of autopilots and magenta lines.

Low and slow is the traditional method for flying an airplane like the Aeronca, and that makes sense because the pilot can make out navigational landmarks easier at low altitudes and, well, “fast” simply is not an option in the Champ. Pilots in a hurry to reach Point B should look elsewhere but those who regard every flight as a sightseeing tour will enjoy getting there in an old taildragger. For couples or a pair of friends who like to travel together, an aircraft like this can be the key to memorable weekend getaways.

Do not worry too much if your pilotage skills are rusty. A friend who flies vintage machinery all the time swears by his smartphone, tablet, and handheld com radio. If, by chance, those layers of powered devices fail, there is always the sectional chart. You are carrying one, right?  

This 1946 Aeronca 7AC Champion has 794 hours on the airframe and 200 hours on its engine since overhaul. The panel includes traditional basic VFR instrumentation.

Pilots looking for a truly economical path into general aviation with the benefits of classic tailwheel charm and versatility should consider this 1946 Champ, which is available for $35,000 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: Restoration Nation: Aeronca Champ
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• The Aviation Consumer: Legacy Light Sport: Cub vs. Champ
• The Aviation Consumer: Used Aircraft Guide: Aeronca Champ

The post This 1946 Aeronca 7AC Champion Is a Low, Slow, Superb ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1948 Piper PA-14 Family Cruiser.

How many more pilots would have purchased a Piper Cub or one of its many derivatives if the aircraft could carry more than two people? Certainly the company had this in mind when developing the three-place PA-12 Super Cruiser.

But even Cub fans might not be aware of the PA-14, a four-place model developed by widening the front of the Super Cruser’s cabin to add a fourth seat. This machine could have been just right for many customers with families of four, but difficult financial times at Piper coincided with PA-14 production. Only 200-odd PA-14s rolled out of the Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, factory before the model was discontinued.

Subsequent four-place Piper models, such as the Pacer and Tri-Pacer, eventually addressed the needs of traveling families, though the Family Cruiser, with its traditional control sticks and Cub styling, always seemed like the one that got away. The aircraft for sale presents a rare opportunity.

Like many PA-14s, this one wound up in Alaska, where pilots truly appreciate an airplane with extra utility. Many of the modifications made to the airframe and systems are aimed at maximizing the aircraft’s performance in the region’s often-challenging conditions. The airplane’s design and features could make it an ideal vintage traveler for modern families.

This 1948 Family Cruiser has 11,117 hours on the airframe and 749 hours on its 160 hp Lycoming O-320-A2B engine. Time on the Sensenich two-blade 74DM6-0-52 propeller is unknown.

The aircraft is equipped with Super Cub landing gear, throttle and horizontal stabilizer with modified elevators, Cleveland brakes, 26-inch Goodyear tires,  Scott ABI 3200 tailwheel, seaplane doors, float fittings, and other modifications, and comes with EDO 2000 floats.

The VFR panel includes a Garmin Aera 500 GPS, King KY 92 comm radio and a CHT gauge.

Pilots who love Cubs but need four seats should consider this 1948 Piper PA-14 FamilyCruiser, which is available for $125,000 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: Cubs to Gather in California
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• The Aviation Consumer: Used Taildraggers: Demand, Prices Up
• The Aviation Consumer: Used Aircraft Guide: Piper PA-12 Super Cruiser

The post This 1948 Piper PA-14 Family Cruiser Is a Super-Rare ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1946 ERCO 415-C Ercoupe.

Lately we have read about the growing use of simplified flight controls in aviation from the developing eVTOL category to personal aircraft that increasingly assist pilots in efficiently maintaining control. The ERCO Ercoupe is an ancestor of these modern systems, having pioneered the easy-to-fly-aircraft concept as early as the 1930s.

The Ercoupe is well-known among pilots as the airplane without rudder pedals. For coordinated turns, it uses coupled rudders and ailerons through a traditional control wheel. Limited control surface movements and the Ercoupe’s overall design were intended to make it a safe, stall-proof aircraft. Many of its fans say it performs as advertised and is lots of fun to fly.

The airplane’s generous wing, twin vertical fins, and tricycle landing gear (that stood out in an era of taildraggers) all seem to point to stability and ease of use. Other features, including a low wing and large bubble-style canopy, give the pilot and passenger better-than-average visibility.

This 1946 Ercoupe has 1,784 hours on the airframe, 267 hours on its 90 hp Continental C90-12F engine since overhaul, and 245 hours on its McCauley two-blade propeller since new.

The panel includes a Flightline FL-760 Comm radio, Narco glideslope Garmin GPS 396, GTX 320A transponder, Sigtronics Sport 200 panel mount two-place intercom, airspeed and vertical speed indicators, turn coordinator, directional indicator, altimeter, RPM, Oil pressure, EGT, air temperature, carburetor temperature, amp and voltage gauges.

Additional equipment includes a uAvionics TailBeacon ADS-B Out unit, 12-volt auxiliary adapter, landing and taxi lights, and bubble-style windshield.

Pilots looking for an easy-to-fly piece of aviation history that is economical, has timeless charm, and will be welcome at any vintage fly-in, should consider this 1946 ERCO Ercoupe, which is available for $31,500 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: Approachable Aircraft: Ercoupe
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• The Aviation Consumer: Used Aircraft Guide: Ercoupe and Cadet

The post This 1946 ERCO Ercoupe Is an Especially Easy-to-Fly ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1940 WACO UPF-7.

WACO was known for crafting a range of beautiful open cockpit and cabin biplanes from the 1920s into the 1940s. That range was diverse, including what often seemed like too many configurations and variations to remember.

This UPF-7 is one such example because many observers are accustomed to seeing biplanes of this vintage with open cockpits, not sliding canopies. The built-to-order nature of the civilian aircraft industry during aviation’s golden age, however, resulted in a variety of features.

This aircraft also benefited from a 2010 restoration that included modifications and upgrades to its engine, panel, and airframe that improve its readiness for today’s general aviation missions. Flying a machine like this to vintage aircraft gatherings, pancake breakfasts, or informal fly-ins is nearly a guarantee of good times and gratification.

This 1940 WACO UPF-7 has 2,652 hours on the airframe and 112 hours since overhaul on its 300 hp fuel-injected Jacobs R755A2 engine. The aircraft is equipped with a Jasco alternator, Whelen A650 wingtip strobe and navigation lights, Cleveland wheels and brakes, RRR Russ tailwheel, Brackett air filter, Hooker harnesses front and rear, M20 oil separator, and smoke system.

The panel includes an Aspen 1000 PFD and MFD, Garmin GNC 250XL Comm/GPS, GTX 327 transponder, Garmin 496 GPS on panel mount, PM 1000 three-place intercom, ACK A30 encoder, Electronics International 7-cylinder engine monitor, and FS 450 fuel flow and totalizer.

Pilots looking for a World War II biplane trainer that is less common than a Stearman, and those who simply have a soft spot for the UPF’s distinctive silhouette, should consider this 1940 WACO UPF-7, which is available 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: We Fly: WACO YMF-5
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• AVweb: WACO Updates Its Classic Biplane

The post This 1940 WACO UPF-7 Is a Restored and Upgraded ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

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

Pilots are increasingly embracing the many potential advantages of owning and flying vintage aircraft dating to the 1940s and ’50s. While machines like the Luscombe 8 series and the Piper Cubs, Aeronca Champs, and Cessna 140s it competes with are not built for speed, they have other endearing qualities including short-field performance, good looks, and the ability to start conversations wherever they land.

Compared with many of its contemporaries, the Luscombe is less fragile-looking and, when equipped with wheel pants like the aircraft for sale here, displays a smooth, streamlined shape that reminds us of racy designs from aviation’s golden age. The aircraft makes a pleasant traveling platform for two people who know how to pack lightly and are not in too much of a hurry to reach their destination. Still, it will get you there much sooner than driving.

This 1947 Luscombe has 2,330 hours on the airframe and 750 hours since overhaul on its 90 hp Continental C-90 engine. Its panel includes a Garmin GTR 200B com with intercom and a GTX 330 transponder. Additional features include Groves brakes, new alternator and voltage regulator, and new BAS shoulder harnesses. The aircraft’s carburetor was rebuilt last year, and its exhaust was replaced in 2020. 

Pilots looking for a classic two-seat taildragger, especially those who prefer the unusual combination of control sticks with side-by-side seating, should consider this 1947 Luscombe 8E, which is available for $45,000 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
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The post This 1947 Luscombe 8E Is a Rugged, Mid-Century ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick 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’ 
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• 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 1941 North American AT-6D Texan.

North American turned out more than 17,000 AT-6 Texans and variants like the SNJ Harvard, mostly for advanced training during World War II. But the airplane’s career would continue long after the war, arguably to this day. Indeed, for many pilots the AT-6 remains the most effective preparation for those who want to fly high-performance tailwheel fighters.

Like many AT-6s, the airplane for sale here has been restored and upgraded in certain ways to keep pace with the changing demands of modern general aviation. Still, lifting off in this sturdy, 600 hp machine, retracting the gear and adjusting power settings is sure to transport modern pilots back to the early 1940s, when this airplane was the last stop before stepping into a thoroughbred fighter to fly combat missions.

My fondest AT-6 memory is of a family friend and career airline pilot who also owned one of the trainers and flew it regularly. We were members of the same radio-control model airplane club during the 1980s. One Sunday he circled our busy club field in a rural part of New Jersey. We loved the sweet sound of that radial engine. As he departed he performed a beautiful barrel roll—not something I would try today, but an absolute thrill at the time. We all cheered.

This 1941 AT-6D has 870 hours on the airframe, 280 hours on its Pratt & Whitney R1340 engine and 100 hours since overhaul on the Hamilton Standard propeller. The panel includes an Apollo 360 GPS, King KX 170B nav/com with KI 214 glideslope and Narco AT 50 transponder, uAvionics WingX ADS-B beacon and Sigtronics 200 intercom. Special features include a smoke system for potential airshow performances.

Pilots looking for an exciting warbird experience, invitations to airshows, or a stepping stone to flying frontline vintage fighters like P-51 Mustangs and F8F Bearcats, should consider building time in this 1941 North American AT-6D Texan, which is available for $210,000 on AircraftForSale.

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

• FLYING Magazine: The T-6 Texan
• The Aviation Consumer: Warbird Ownership: Respect Required
• The Aviation Consumer: Off The Beaten Path: Vintage Aircraft

The post Today’s Top Aircraft For Sale Pick: 1941 North American AT-6D Texan 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.