AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2021 - 42

PILOT BRIEFING
AIRCRAFT FOR THE MISSION |

Enjoy the view

CESSNA 140

Airplanes that provide a sense of wonder
B Y J I L L W. TA L L M A N
THE CUSTOMER: Weekend warrior who likes it low and slow
THE MISSION: Flying frees you from the tyranny of petty problems

on the ground. It calms your soul and makes you feel like anything
is possible. For you, the perfect mix of pilot, machine, and nature
make flying one of life's great pleasures. Your idea of perfection is
flying late on a summer afternoon, gazing over cornfields as you
wander the countryside. The view and the sensory experience that
flying offers are your only goals, and occasionally you like to share
that experience with another person. You would like to travel only
to EAA AirVenture and maybe a few local airports.
THE BUDGET:

$30,000
EMAIL jill.tallman@aopa.org

THE OPTIONS:

Cessna 140
Cessna: A name so ubiquitous in general aviation that to the nonflying public, every airplane is a Cessna. The storied Cessna 140
and its lean little brother, the Cessna 120, present you with a couple of options squarely in the budget ballpark, depending on how
old-school you want to go. Both are lightweight taildraggers, but
the Cessna 120 has no flaps and no electrical system, whereas the
140 has small wing flaps and an electrical system. With its high
wing, the 140 provides one of the best views of the passing landscape imaginable, and if the airplane sports its original Continental
85-horsepower engine you won't be blazing along in too much
of a hurry. (If you desire a bit more speed, STCs are available for
engines of up to 135 horsepower.) At 105 miles per hour you're
burning just 5 gallons per hour-what's not to love about that?

42 | AOPA PILOT March 2021

Ercoupe
Any list of low-and-slow aircraft would be lacking without this
happy little two-seat low-wing. Slower than a grandpa driving in
the left lane of a highway with its prewar Continental 65-horsepower engine (or postwar 75-horsepower engines), the Ercoupe
is perfect for the person who is in no hurry to get back to the real
world. A glazed canopy provides the stunning view that a sightseeing pilot needs, and the airplane can be flown with the canopy
open. Solo pilots are quite happy to toss a bag or a dog in the other
seat and travel all over the United States, but a right-seater (or
both occupants) would need to be on the slender side to remain
under gross weight.

CHRIS ROSE

Piper J-3 Cub or Pacer/Tri-Pacer
Are you willing to stretch that budget a bit? If you are-say, to
$35,000 or more-you can own Piper's iconic J-3 Cub. The fabriccovered taildragger is normally everyone's answer to " What's the
best low-and-slow aircraft? " but the popularity of this enduring
airplane means you'll have to open your wallet to get one. Although
the earliest models rolled off the production line with 40-horsepower engines, you'll want something with a little more power
than that, and you will likely find it as subsequent owners replaced
those underpowered engines. If flying the Cub solo, the pilot sits
in the rear seat of the two-seat tandem cockpit.

Alternatively, you could consider Piper's PA-20, the Pacer, or
the PA-22, the Tri-Pacer. Both fit within the $30,000 budget and
check the boxes of both low and slow and great view. Pacers are
tailwheel aircraft, said to have somewhat limited forward visibility. Tri-Pacers have tricycle gear, intended to introduce flying
enthusiasts to an airplane that would be somewhat easier and safer
to land. Their four-seat configurations may be enticing, but prudent pilots would treat them as a two-seater. Pacers generally
have 125-horsepower Lycoming engines. Tri-Pacers were produced with 125-, 135-, 150-, and 160-horsepower engines, so the
installed engine will affect the final cost. And, like the Cessna 140
and the J-3 Cub, the tube-and-fabric Pacer or Tri-Pacer will need
a hangar to protect it from corrosion and sun damage.

AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2021