Short list wanted - popular 4-seat single engine land

New to powered flight. It's a jungle out there.

Seeking the short list of the most popular 4-seat single engine
aircraft made in the last ~20 years. What are the best options?

(Used, fixed gear.)

::tuno

"Tuno" wrote in message
oups.com...
Seeking the short list of the most popular 4-seat single engine
aircraft made in the last ~20 years. What are the best options?

Define your typical mission.

Vaughn

Transportation for family of four. Mostly VFR but some IFR. Rarely
more than 1000 miles one-way. Southwest USA.

"Tuno" wrote in message
ups.com...
Transportation for family of four. Mostly VFR but some IFR. Rarely
more than 1000 miles one-way. Southwest USA.


Easy choice

C182 or C182T

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cessna_182

Aspirated C182 will limit your IFR in the West since MEA's are occasionally
over 12,000 and regardless of what might be published as a service ceiling
climb performance of a C182 fully loaded above 12,000 seems anemic. Any ice
collection is just plain frighting.

If your budget and skills allow then the ideal SEL fixed gear aircraft is my
all time favorite the C208.

Howard
C182P

To answer your question specifically -
The most popular is the Cessna 172.
But you may want to move up -
In any case the answer are all Cessna,
unless you want to debate the comparitively recently introduced Cirrus
line. But then you open up a whole new ball of wax!!!

Tony
C-GICE



--

Tony Roberts
PP-ASEL
VFR OTT
Night
Cessna 172H C-GICE

In article .com,
Tuno wrote:

New to powered flight. It's a jungle out there.

Seeking the short list of the most popular 4-seat single engine
aircraft made in the last ~20 years. What are the best options?

(Used, fixed gear.)

::tuno

Tuno,

Turbocharging is of interested to you, since the SW US is hot and high.
Do you want to go into dirtstrips, too? Short strips? How much does
speed (and thus travel time) matter? Why only fixed gear?

My ranking would be:

Cirrus SR 22 and SR20.
Socata TB-10 Tobago.
Diamond DA-40.
Grumman Tiger.
Piper PA-28 Archer.
For dirtstrips, the C182(T) is hard to beat, but the others will work
on most, if you know what you are doing.

Have a look at the Aviation Consumer USed Aircraft guide.

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)

Tuno,

Seeking the short list of the most popular 4-seat single engine
aircraft made in the last ~20 years. What are the best options?


Since when does "popular" equal "best"?

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)

"tony roberts" wrote in message
...
To answer your question specifically -
The most popular is the Cessna 172.

The OP's "family of four" may today contain two small children, but at best
the 172 would be a temporary answer.

Vaughn

-----Original Message-----
From: Thomas Borchert ]
Posted At: Saturday, July 21, 2007 6:21 AM
Posted To: rec.aviation.owning
Conversation: Short list wanted - popular 4-seat single engine land
Subject: Short list wanted - popular 4-seat single engine land

Tuno,
....
Since when does "popular" equal "best"?

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)

I wondered when someone would point that out Thomas. Like "popularity
contests" the world over - rarely is the chosen contestant the best for
the role.

Vaughn has already pointed out step number one - define your mission

What Tuno listed...
1000 miles or less
Family of 4
- How big are the kids now?
- How long before you have to move up in size?
IFR capabilities
- Does this mean glass panel or steam gauges to
you?
Southwest states

What still needs to be defined...
What are the short or soft field requirements?
Really, how much load do you plan on carrying?
Any odd sized baggage requirements like skis?
High MEAs mean turbo and oxygen may be required
High wing or low wing (kids looking out the windows?)
What is the price range to purchase and to operate?
How many hours per year?
Are you going to take on a partner or two?
- Partners putting hours on the bird is a good thing
- it dilutes fixed costs
- it keeps the bird from sitting long times
alone
- it lowers buy-in costs
- Partnership can also be a bad thing with the wrong
partner(s)
What do other flyers in the family think?
- they don't have to be pilots; they may be passengers
- but only if they want to go in the bird.


I've been through this pretty much over the past year and have been
seriously looking for the past 4 or 5 months. I've definitely chosen a
bird for my needs and desires and not popularity. Once I find the Navion
I want, I'll have good short and soft field capability, good endurance
with up to 100 gal. of fuel, nice large panel for future needs, nice
roomy interior, good weight carrying capabilities, reasonable service
ceiling for the Eastern half of the US and Canada, reasonable speed, and
lots of engine options when its time for overhaul. Of course, these damn
things are all older than me and good ones are hard to find in my price
range.

Good luck on your search, and don't let popularity make your decision
for you. No matter what you end up with if it isn't something that meets
your needs and makes you happy, you will not use it much no matter how
popular it is.

Kindest regards,
Jim Carter

Politicians fear most an armed, educated electorate.

Maule,

Good capable aircraft in both tricycle and tail wheel versions.