This 1992 SOCATA TB-9 Tampico Is a Stylish-But-Economical ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick

1992 SOCATA TB-9 Tampico Club [Courtesy: Randy Long]

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.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1992 SOCATA TB-9 Tampico Club.

Sometimes the most basic airplanes also are the most practical and economical for first-time buyers who are—officially or not—acquiring an aircraft to continue their aviation education.

One possible downside is that there is not much variety in that market segment. Whatever you find is likely to come with a Lycoming O-320 on the nose, fixed-pitch propeller, fixed gear, and an overall design that is not too exciting.

One exception is the SOCATA TB-9 Tampico, which, despite sharing specs with basic Cessna 172s and Piper PA-28s, manages to look alluring on the ramp. The stylish, upward-opening gull-wing doors certainly help. So does its more modern shape, which, in my opinion, clearly did not emerge from a domestic drafting table.

The Tampico and its siblings, the more powerful TB-10 Tobago and retractable TB-20 Trinidad, simply look European, which they are. They are not orphan designs, though, as SOCATA’s parent company Daher, known today for TBM turboprops, continues to support these piston singles.

The Tampico is sure to be a superior icebreaker for any pilot flying into an unfamiliar airport. People will ask what kind of airplane you are flying and you will have the opportunity to share the model’s interesting details.

This 1992 TB-9 Tampico has 3,611 hours on the airframe, 1,531 hours in its 160 hp Lycoming O-320-D2A engine since its major overhaul, and 71 hours since the engine underwent a top overhaul. Additional equipment includes strobe lights, heated pitot tube, and alternate static system

The IFR panel includes a KMA 24 audio panel with markers, Garmin GNS 430 GPS/nav/comm, NSD-360 HSI, KT 76 transponder with encoder, two-place intercom, and wing beacon with ADS-B Out.

Pilots searching for a more stylish four-seat personal aircraft that is versatile enough for training, building time, or traveling should consider this 1992 SOCATA TB-9 Tampico, which is available for $69,500 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.