Today’s Top Pick is a 1978 Varga Aircraft 2150A Kachina.

When was the last time you spotted a Varga 2150 on the ramp? How about a Shinn or a Morrisey?

These are all related, and one can argue that they are the same aircraft whose name changed as it moved from one manufacturer to another. Still, even when you combine all of the versions and evolutions, this is a rare machine.

After checking out some of its thoughtful features, pilots might wonder why this airplane is not more popular.

During the 1950s William Morrisey, an aircraft designer and test pilot, built an airplane called the Morrisey 1000C Nifty. He developed the aircraft into the 2000C before selling the design to Shinn Engineering.

By the late 1960s Shinn had ceased production, and Varga Aircraft acquired the design rights. Over the course of ownership changes the airplane gained power, from a Lycoming O-235 in the beginning to a 150 hp O-320 and finally a 180 hp O-360.

Because it is small and light, the airplane flies well enough on any of the three engines, but the O-360 version is a bit of a muscle car with wings.

Many people will be stumped as they try to identify the Varga, perhaps thinking it is a Grumman Tiger or, from a distance, a Beechcraft T-34 Mentor. That large, airy canopy gives it the look of a military trainer. Indeed, some clever folks call it the poor man’s AT-6.

This 1978 Varga 2150A has 1,810 hours on the airframe and 308 hours since overhaul on its 150 hp Lycoming O-320 engine. The panel includes a Garmin GNX 375, Garmin 795 GPS touchscreen transponder/GPS/moving map with ADS-B In and Out, GTR 225 comm, intercom, and basic analog flight and engine instruments.

Pilots looking for a compact personal aircraft with tandem seating for two and control sticks that give it a sporty, almost fighter-like feel should consider this 1978 Varga 2150 Kachina, which is available for $79,500 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: Down to Empty Fuel Tanks
• Plane & Pilot: Varga Kachina
• Plane & Pilot: Varga 2150/2180 Kachina
• Plane & Pilot: Shinn 2150-A

The post This 1978 Varga 2150A Kachina Is a Rare-but-Reliable ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 2010 Aviat A-1C-180 Husky.

There is a reason the Aviat Husky reminds many people of a Piper PA-18 Super Cub. It is because the airplane’s designer, Frank Christensen, had the Cub in mind. He had tried to buy the Super Cub design from Piper with a plan to build an improved version. Piper declined the offer, however, leaving Christensen, who produced the Christen Eagle aerobatic biplane, to design his own STOL utility machine. He started with a list of improvements that, many pilots feel, make the Husky a more pleasant airplane to fly than the Super Cub.

Several versions of the Husky have rolled out of the factory since the first one flew in 1985. The 180 hp model for sale here hits a sweet spot for many pilots, combining strong short-field and load-carrying performance with decent cruising speed, comfort, and fuel efficiency. Wipline 2100 amphibian floats are included, as are standard wheels and oversize bush wheels and tires.  

This 2010 Husky has 1,129 hours on the airframe and 1,132 hours on the 180 hp Lycoming O-360-A1P engine and MT 3-blade propeller. The VFR panel includes a Garmin 696 GPS. The aircraft is equipped with vortex generators.

Pilots looking for a strong STOL performer with cruise speeds suitable for longer cross-country trips and the option for operating on water should consider this 2010 Aviat A-1C-180 Husky, which is available for $250,000 on AircraftForSale.

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

• FLYING Magazine: Husky Experience Offers Backcountry Fun
• FLYING Magazine: Husky Gets Hartzell Trailblazer
• FLYING Magazine: Video: Reverse Taxi in a Husky
• Plane & Pilot: Aviat‘s Husky Adds New Tricks
• Plane & Pilot: Plane & Pilot Photo/Video of the Week: Autoland in a Husky?
• The Aviation Consumer: Aviat Husky
• AVweb: Buying Utility STOL: Ignore the Ad Hype

The post This 2010 Aviat A1-C-180 Husky Is a Short-Field Wiz and an ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1996 Maule MXT-7-180A.

Most of us have seen footage of Maule aircraft performing fantastic feats of short-field flying, often from surfaces that look more like small parking lots than runways. And let’s not forget the famous photo of a Maule taking off through the open door of a hangar.

Those airplanes were all taildraggers, and while the MXT-7’s nosewheel might surprise some traditionalists, the company has enjoyed success with the design since introducing it in 1991. The idea was to compete more effectively with mainstream four-seaters like the Cessna 172 by offering short-field fans the option of tricycle gear with more flexible load-carrying capabilities.

This 1996 Maule MXT-7-180A has 2,925 hours on the airframe, 804 hours on its 180 hp Lycoming O-360 engine since overhaul, and 539 hours on its Sensenich propeller since overhaul.

The panel includes a Garmin 796 GPS and a PCAS portable traffic avoidance system. Additional equipment includes heavy-duty struts, observer windows and doors, Rosen visors, float kit installation prep, and Tanis engine heater.

Pilots looking for an economical STOL and backcountry aircraft with the flexibility of tricycle gear should consider this 1996 Maule MXT-7-180A, which is available for $139,900 on AircraftForSale.

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

• FLYING Magazine: Choose Your Mount—The Maules Do it All
• FLYING Magazine: Maule Air Expands Its M-9 Series, Introduces M-4
• Plane & Pilot: Maule MX-7-180: Barebones With Big Tires For Big Fun
• Plane & Pilot: 2018 Maule MXT-7-180
• Plane & Pilot: 2018 Maule M-7-235B
• The Aviation Consumer: Used Aircraft Guide: Tailwheel Maules

The post This 1996 Maule MXT-7-180A Is a Backcountry ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick Is a 1995 Mooney M20R Ovation. 

Mooney’s long-running M20 series aircraft are known for aerodynamic efficiency that allowed them to cruise at impressive speeds, often outrunning airplanes with much larger, more powerful engines. Early M20s used Lycoming O-320s and O-360s for power. As the line evolved, fuel injected engines with up to 200 hp became common. Still, many pilots wondered how an M20 would perform with a big-bore, 6-cylinder engine like those under the cowlings of so many other high-performance four-seaters. The M20R Ovation for sale here has the answer.

Even though its Continental IO-550 is derated to 280 hp, the Ovation can cruise at 190 ktas, getting pilots and passengers to their destinations quicker than earlier Mooneys and ahead of most competing aircraft. This Ovation  also has an updated panel, attractive paint scheme, and sharp interior. 

The 1995 Mooney Ovation offered has 1,662 hours on the airframe, 709 hours on its 280 hp Continental IO-550-G engine, and 709 hours on the three-blade Hartzell Scimitar propeller.

The aircraft’s panel includes Garmin GNS 530W and GNS 430W GPS/nav/com radios, GTX 345 ADS-B transponder, Aspen Evolution 1500 PFD and MFD, Garmin GMA 347 audio panel, GTS 800 active traffic, BendixKing KAP-150 autopilot, Insight Strikefinder, and JPI EDM700 engine monitor.

Additional features include a standby vacuum system, four-place intercom, electric flaps, electric trim, and speed brakes that help prevent the aerodynamically clean M20R from overspeeding during descents. 

Pilots looking for a fast, efficient, four-place cross-country aircraft should consider this 1995 Mooney M20R Ovation, which is available for $209,900 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
• FLYING Magazine: Project Notebook: Mooney M20V Acclaim Ultra
• FLYING Magazine: STC Approved for Hartzell Propeller Three-Blade Mooney Bravo Prop
• Plane & Pilot: Mooney M20 PFM, MSE, TLS, Eagle, Encore, Ovation, Bravo
• Plane & Pilot: Big Approvals For Garmin GFC 500 Autopilot: Cessna 210s, Mooney M20s and Beech Bonanza Vee Tails!
• The Aviation Consumer: Used Aircraft Guide: Mooney 231/252

The post This 1995 Mooney M20R Ovation Is a Powerful, Slippery, and Speedy ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1974 Grumman American AA-5 Traveler.

The Grumman American AA-5 Traveler and the rest of the company’s AA series began with the Bede 1, a kit aircraft developed by renowned and controversial designer James Bede. American Aviation acquired the design and later became part of Grumman. Grumman American developed a line of general aviation aircraft ranging from the two-seat Yankee and TR-2 trainer with Lycoming O-235 engines to the performance-oriented Tiger with a 180 hp O-360.

The AA-series airplanes are known for delivering stronger performance than many pilots would expect based on their power. Their notable cruise speeds and fuel economy stem in part from their bonded wing skins, which use strong honeycomb structures and no rivets, resulting in a durable, smooth, and aerodynamically clean surface. While the AA trainer aircraft proved a bit too sporty for many students, they appealed to experienced pilots seeking responsive handling. Today the AAs have a following but can often be found at bargain prices. 

This 1974 Grumman Traveler has 3,521 hours on the airframe and three hours on its 160 hp Lycoming O-320 engine since overhaul. The airplane has both a new Sensenich propeller and ducting for its heater and defroster. The panel includes a Garmin GNS 430, King KY197 transceiver, Garmin/Apollo SL70 transponder, Davtron M800 digital clock, Century autopilot, PS Engineering PMA 6000M audio panel, UAvionix ADS-B beacon, and FL202D digital fuel gauge. The aircraft also has a four-place intercom and four USB charging outlets.

Pilots looking for a compact, innovative, and economical four-place traveling aircraft with responsive handling should consider this 1974 Grumman American AA-55 Traveler, which is available for $95,000 on AircraftForSale.

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

• FLYING Magazine: Approachable Aircraft: Grumman AA-5 Series
• FLYING Magazine: Air Compare: Grumman AA-5 vs. Mooney M20 Series
• FLYING Magazine: Garmin’s Retrofit Autopilot STCed for Additional Aircraft Models
• Plane & Pilot: Grumman American TR-2
• The Aviation Consumer: Panel Planner 101: Grumman – Light IFR
• The Aviation Consumer: Grumman Tiger/Cheetah

The post This 1974 Grumman American AA-5 Traveler Is a Compact, Fast, and Efficient ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.