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.

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The post This 1992 SOCATA TB-9 Tampico Is a Stylish-But-Economical ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The incident occurred Monday at the 82nd Training Wing at Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas, but the pilot was attached to the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program that instructs new military pilots from Canada and various European countries.

The pilot was taken to a hospital but died about 12 hours after the incident, which the Air Force is currently investigating.

There have been issues with the ejection seats in Texan IIs, which have been in service for 17 years and are based on the Pilatus PC-9 built under license by Beechcraft. The airplanes were grounded in 2022 after a potential defect was discovered in the Martin-Baker seats’ explosive cartridge, and some were replaced.

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AVweb.

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Today’s Top Pick is a 1981 Piper PA-44-180T Turbo Seminole.

Piper’s PA-44 Seminole received its type certificate in 1978, arguably at the height of niche formation in general aviation. Aircraft makers were determined to fill every perceived gap in their lineups, and demand for light twins with easier handling, simple systems, and economical operation was strong.

The Seminole readily checked those boxes while its counter-rotating propellers gave pilots relief from worries about the possible failure of a critical engine and the resulting handling challenges.

It is no surprise that Seminoles became popular multiengine trainers and are still common on the ramps at flight schools across the country. The airplane can also perform well as a personal mount, especially for travelers who appreciate the redundancy of two engines when flying at night, over water, or while traversing remote, forbidding terrain. The turbocharged version, like the aircraft for sale here, provides the added flexibility of flying easily at higher altitudes to take advantage of favorable winds or escape traffic.

This 1981 PA-44-180T has 6,141 hours on the airframe, 1,647 hours on its left 180 hp Continental TSIO-360 engine, and 632 hours on the right since overhaul. There are 1,626 hours on the left Hartzell propeller and 3,294 hours on the right.

The panel features a Garmin GNS 430W GPS/Nav/Com, King KY-197 TSO Com, King KN-53 TSO Nav, KMA-24 TSO audio panel with three-light marker beacon, Sandel SN3308 digital EHSI, Garmin GTX 330 transponder, King KN-64 DME, Bendix weather radar, Century 41 autopilot, and dual ECI graphic engine monitors.

Additional equipment includes a uAvionix ADS-B solution, Bob Fields inflatable door seal, 60-amp alternators, propeller synchronizer, oxygen system, front-seat shoulder harnesses, and four-place intercom.

Pilots looking for an economical twin with forgiving handling for training, travel, or time-building should consider this 1981 Piper PA-44-180T, which is available for $189,900 on AircraftForSale.

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

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• AVweb: Used Aircraft Guide: Piper Seminole

The post This 1981 Piper PA-44-180T Turbo Seminole Is a Versatile ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

According to Tecnam, the company is now on track to begin deliveries to U.S. flight schools.

• READ MORE: We Fly: Tecnam P-Mentor

“The FAA certification of the P-Mentor is another significant milestone for the Tecnam team,” said  Giovanni Pascale Langer, Tecnam managing director. “We look forward to working with all U.S. flight schools to improve the quality of training and help them keep hourly rates low.” 

The performance specs of the Tecnam P-Mentor put its hourly fuel consumption at 3.7 U.S. gallons per hour.

• READ MORE: Tecnam Signs Deals for HCH Aviation Fleet Transition

Deliveries of the aircraft in North America will begin soon, with the first 20 going to HCH Aviation/Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas. Deliveries will also be made to Kilo Charlie Aviation in New Century, Kansas, and EpicSky Flight Academy in Des Moines, Iowa.

About the P-Mentor

The two-place P-Mentor sports a Rotax 912isC3, with a variable pitch propeller, simulated retractable landing gear, and optional ballistic parachute. The cockpit features a Garmin G3X IFR touchscreen suite compliant with the latest CS-23 EASA and FAA amendments. The aircraft is designed to take a learner from private pilot and instrument training up through commercial certification on a single platform.

According to Capua, Italy-based Tecnam, the P-Mentor is one of the most environmentally efficient designs available, with very low carbon dioxide emissions. 

“Recent study shows that flight schools operating with Tecnam single- and twin-engine fleets can reduce emissions by up to 60 percent: 10 tons of CO2 for each student by the time they receive their commercial pilot license,” the company said in a statement.

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The aircraft will replace the T-44C Pegasus, an earlier version of a militarized King Air that has been in use since 1977. The T-44C is slated to be phased out over the next year.

• READ MORE: Navy to Explore Use of eSTOL Aircraft, Issues Contract to Electra

Last week the T-54As were flown from the factory in Wichita, Kansas, to Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas, where they will be used by Naval Air Training Command. They will be used to train the next generation of naval aviators who may go on to fly the P-8A Poseidon, E-2D Hawkeye and C-130 Hercules.

The Navy placed an order for the aircraft made by Textron Aviation in January 2023 as part of a 2023 METS contract. 

• READ MORE: U.S. Navy Awards Contract for Long-Range, Solar-Powered Stealth Drone

“The new METS aircraft will give us the ability to train pilots across the services with an advanced platform that better represents fleet aircraft,” Captain Holly Shoger, program manager of the Naval Undergraduate Flight Training Systems Program Office, said at the time. “The T-54A will include the latest avionics and navigational updates, such as virtual reality and augmented reality devices, to ensure pilots are ready to face any challenges that come their way in tomorrow’s battlespace.” 

The T-54A is a pressurized turboprop with state-of-the-art avionics, including multifunction displays with a digital moving map, an integrated GPS/inertial navigation system, ADS-B, a flight management system, weather radar, radar altimeter, and a cockpit data recorder. 

• READ MORE: U.S. Navy Signs Deal with Boeing for 17 F/A-18 Super Hornets

The T-54 is expected to meet advanced multi-engine and advanced tilt-rotor training requirements for the Navy, Coast Guard, and Marine Corps through 2055.

According to NAVAIR, the T-54A will “provide advanced instrument and asymmetric engine handling training to student naval aviators selected for multi-engine fleet communities.”

Last year’s agreement initially ordered 10 King Air 260s and associated support. Deliveries for the first aircraft are scheduled between 2024 and 2026. Per the contract, the Navy may take delivery of up to 64 of the trainers.

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This aircraft model once filled the skies as cadets trained for World War II. Today, they are exceedingly rare—especially the airworthy ones. The older an aircraft, the more attention must be paid to its care, and the Commemorative Air Force (CAF) recognizes this.

“This historic aircraft, originally used to train Tuskegee Airmen in World War II, had flown for Commemorative Air Force Airbase Georgia for many years, but the leadership team decided it was time to take it apart and inspect, restore, and repaint it,” said Airbase leader Joel Perkins. “Reskinning the aircraft with fabric and applying an authentic paint scheme took a lot of time, but our members were committed to re-creating a piece of aviation history.”

• READ MORE: How LaGuardia Airport Inspired a Tuskegee Airman to Dream of Flight

The restoration began with a complete disassembly and inspection of all the components. According to the CAF, the horizontal stabilizer and some supporting wood structures were replaced, along with all the canopy glass. The aircraft was then recovered with polyester fabric, primed with a UV protectant, and painted with Ranthane silver polyurethane.

The project took about two years, said Steve Forsyth, the group’s public information officer, in providing the numerical details for the restoration, noting that several CAF members helped with the fabric prep and painting. According to crew chief Tom Thompson, “there were six to eight regular team members plus assistance from the machine shop, amounting to an estimated 4,300 hours of work.”

After the restored aircraft underwent a new weight-and-balance calculation and final inspection, retired Air Force major general George Harrison, an CAF Airbase Georgia pilot, was cleared to conduct a ground engine test, followed by a test flight.

About the PT-19

The PT-19 was developed for the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1940 as it became clear another conflict was on the horizon. Thousands of pilots were trained in the airplane, which had a reputation for being easy to maintain and fly. The aircraft has a fabric-covered, welded-steel tube fuselage and plywood-sheathed center section, outer wing panels and tail assembly.

This PT-19A, serial number 42-83511, rolled off the assembly line on November 1, 1943. CAF Airbase Georgia acquired the aircraft in 2006. It had been modified with an enclosed cockpit to allow it to fly in inclement weather, so it looked more like the PT-26. The aircraft made its rounds in the airshow and fly-in circuits in the Southeast, often providing rides to the public as well as hundreds of photo ops for aviation enthusiasts who can’t get enough of the cantilever, low-wing monoplane with fixed landing gear and a tailwheel, along with its two-place, tandem seating and open cockpit.

About CAF Airbase Georgia 


CAF Airbase Georgia, located just outside Atlanta, was founded in 1987. The airbase boasts a flying museum consisting of six vintage military aircraft, including a P-51 Mustang, FG-1D Corsair, SBD Dauntless, P-63A Kingcobra, PT-19 Cornell, and T-34 Mentor. The airbase is a founding partner of the Georgia World War II Heritage Trail and relies on the work of more that 500 volunteers and tax-deductible donations to conduct its continuing mission. CAF officials say it’s likely the aircraft will be available for rides later this year.

More information can be found at the CAF Airbase Georgia website. 

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Today’s Top Pick is a 1999 Diamond DA20-A1 Katana.

For many pilots in North America the Diamond DA20 served as an introduction to the Austrian aircraft manufacturer that more recently brought us advanced models such as the DA62 light twin and DA50 RG high-performance single. The DA20, which dates to the early 1990s, is a distinctive composite design that incorporates a T-tail and several features reflecting the company’s history building gliders. At a time when a lot of flight students were learning in decades-old Cessna 150s, the DA20 made a big impression on the ramp.

While this DA20 would be a sensible addition to a flight school’s fleet it also makes a strong case as a personal airplane for one or two people who like to travel efficiently and on a budget. It cruises faster and has a more modern, comfortable cockpit than older two-seat light aircraft yet still appeals to traditionalists who prefer a control stick over a yoke. The airplane’s combination of responsive handling, control feel, and visibility helped it develop a following over the decades.

This DA20 has 735 hours since new on the airframe, its 125 hp Continental IO-240-B engine, and Sensenich propeller. The panel includes a BendixKing KX125 TSP nav/com, Garmin GNS 430, GMA 340 audio panel, GTX 330 transponder, davtron M800 digital chronometer, and digital OAT gauge.

Pilots looking for a modern, economical 2-place personal aircraft for commuting, time-building, training or travel should consider this 1999 Diamond DA20-A1 Katana, which is available for $99,900 on AircraftForSale.

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

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The post This 1999 Diamond DA20-A1 Katana Is an Efficient, Responsive ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The T-7A—known as APT-2—was designed to train Air Force fighter and bomber pilots and replace the 1960s-era T-38 trainer. Its iconic red-tail livery honors the Tuskegee Airmen of World War II, the U.S. Army Air Forces’ first Black aviation unit to serve. 

The Air Force’s $9.2 billion purchase of the Boeing advanced trainer includes 351 T-7A jets, 46 simulators, and support.

• READ MORE: First Air Force Pilot Flies T-7A Red Hawk

The trainer jet, which is the first production representative aircraft to come off the assembly line, was flown to Edwards AFB on Wednesday following fuel stops at Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma; Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico; and Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, the Air Force said.

“This arrival marks an exciting transition into the next phase of developmental flight,” said Major Jonathan “Gremlin” Aronoff, a T-7A test pilot.

• READ MORE: Boeing Unveils First USAF T-7A Red Hawk Trainer

Air Force test pilots, who have rehearsed missions in a simulator, will now fly up to three times a day, expanding flight envelope testing before progressing into mission systems, the service said.

Air Force test pilots will expand the flight envelope with flutter testing. Following that, two additional aircraft will then be integrated for flight attributes and systems testing, Boeing said.

“Bringing the T-7A Red Hawk to the heart of the U.S. Air Force’s test community at Edwards for dynamic flight testing will prove the jet’s performance as an agile and safe trainer for future pilots,” said Evelyn Moore, vice president and program manager of T-7 programs at Boeing.

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Today’s Top Pick is a 1963 Cessna 172C Skyhawk

Cessna’s long-running 172 model line introduced new features and capabilities when it was new and continued to develop for decades, regularly upgrading its airframe, interior, controls, engines, and avionics. It became the go-to training aircraft for many flight schools and remains a staple of airport ramps across the United States and around the world.

This 1963 model has many of the qualities pilots seek when shopping for an airplane. The forgiving flight characteristics, predictable handling, and comfortable cabin that make it a popular trainer also add to its value as personal transportation. Unlike many two-seat trainers designed around the instructor and student, this aircraft gives its owner the flexibility to carry more people and baggage.

This Skyhawk has 2,550 hours on the airframe and 97 hours on its Continental O-300C 6-cylinder engine. Panel upgrades include a Garmin 430 GPS navigation system. The exterior received new paint in 1985 and the interior was refurbished in 1990.

If you are in the market for a gentle-flying, capable family aircraft that looks sharp and has vintage appeal, consider this 1963 Cessna Skyhawk, which is available for $105,000 on AircraftForSale.

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

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The post Today’s Top Aircraft For Sale Pick: 1963 Cessna 172C Skyhawk appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The investigation is one of two fatal accidents that occurred Saturday within three hours of each other at EAA AirVenture, AVweb reported.

• READ MORE: Four Dead In OSH Accidents: T-6 In Lake, Helicopter-Gyrocopter Midair

According to reports, local first responders launched a recovery mission for the aircraft and those onboard. The classic trainer went down in Lake Winnebago shortly after 9 a.m., the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office told the Oshkosh Northwestern.

NTSB investigating the crash of a North American T6 aircraft near Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

— NTSB Newsroom (@NTSB_Newsroom) July 29, 2023

“[U.S. Coast Guard Aux & local crews on scene reported debris & oil slick,” U.S. Coast Guard Great Lakes said via social media. “Plane was reportedly maneuvering before rapidly descending from around 3K ft altitude. Water depth is around 20 [feet] w/ poor visibility.”

This is a developing story and will be updated when more information becomes available.

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