Following on from an earlier post about transport aircraft, what is the best GA aircraft to fly and why?
A man of culture I see (Owner of a Tri Pacer here)
tip of the hat I’ve only actually flown in a proper tri-pacer once, mine is a pa-22/20-160, converted to tailwheel. With a few other mods that are fun to read up on in the full owner/maintenance logs. Feels like owning a lil piece of aviation history!
Mines a 22-160 as well however it remained in the milk stool state, the interior is all 50s themed with the original old black artificial horizon with the white line though it, feels like you are teleported back to the 50s, love it
I have a share in a PA22 and another I’m restoring in my garage! Certainly one of the best ratios of smile per mile available anywhere.
Just looked them up, the Tri-Pacer looks like a 172 but better in every way
More maintenance issues with a tripacer. Fabric compared to metal.
Duct tape fixes everything.
Joking aside, IFF you have a hangar, there shouldn't be significantly more mx items with an early 172 vs a PA-22. Modern fabric really should be more considered a composite.
Did Piper actually give the pilot their own door?!
Haha damn right. There’s a school near me that actually has a little fleet of tri-pacers for training, it certainly would be a different experience learning to fly in a tri-pickle
I flew a pacer once. Very different experience from the 172 I’m used to. Loved it.
On the other hand, if you want one of the ugliest planes ever put into the skies, take a look at the twin tri pacer
PA22/20 club represent!
PA22/20 FTW
Mission dependant imo. I’m ok with my 152 but someone travelling with a family and a fat ass mother in law needs a PC12.
All round though a IFR C182/PA28 is probably it.
All round though a IFR C182/PA28 is probably it.
Nah, Bonanza. Everybody coming out of the trainer world who has flown my A36 has gone "ooooohhhhh I get it now."
Whoops forgot about Bonanzas. Don’t see them at all in Europe which is a shame but means I never think of them.
Flying A36s spoiled me for most other GA airplanes. People ask me what kind of jet I’d buy with a winning lottery ticket. Nah, I’d be happy with an A36
can you elaborate on the A36?
Powerful, well equipped for IFR, easy to fly and responsive. Comfortable for passengers.
I haven't had the pleasure to fly an A36, but I'd use those words to describe the SR22.
Same but opposite. I haven’t had a chance to fly an SR22 yet but I’m looking forward to it
Isn’t insurance higher for retractable gear aircraft?
Yeah but only because I keep forgetting to put it down when I land.
That’s why you have spare propellers in your hangar. It’s called thinking ahead
Keep them in the luggage hold for convenience.
I've been following this checklist to help avoid that.
Can't wreck your prop if you just kill the engine before you land.
That right there is next level thinking!
Yeah I still don’t get it. I’ve got 600 hours of given in it. But I’m tall and I hit my head at every bump so I end up flying and gangster lean
Nah you need a c17 for your MIL
PA28 dash what? A 140? lol That would be very limiting.
Get a Piper Fury, and hand the mother in law a ticket for a commercial airline...
Loved flying my RV. Push-rod driven ailerons and elevators make for some seriously smooth flying. The plane responds as soon as you give it input. No lag or looseness like cable controls. The flight controls are light enough you can use two fingers to control the plane and only need an inch or two of movement with the control stick for any normal flying.
How is the push-rod setup in turbulence?
Whomever downvoted you for asking a perfectly reasonable question should be permanently banned from this sub.
Turbulence wasn’t a problem for me. I also owned an RV9A which is a bit more docile than the other models. Wing loading on the RVs leads to a bit more bumpiness than in your standard GA aircraft but it still controls just fine.
As long as it doesn’t run between the cheeks you’re fine.
Another vote for the RV. Doing 170kts on 9 gph, taildragger (cool guy cred), and a couple loops and rolls en route to my destination checks all the boxes for me. Oh, and it costs less than a Tesla Model S.
My RV-8 is the best all-rounder I’ve ever flown. Faster than almost anything else in the light GA world, will STOL like a Husky, will compete at Sports level aeros, and will carry a lot of baggage and a very fat passenger. I can’t imagine ever getting rid of it but I may get a One Design for the competition aeros.
I sold my 9A and regret it every day! Don’t ever sell!
I prefer the ttx over the cirrus for this reason
Bell UH-1H with a Fortunate Son button installed into the instrument panel.
And, naturally, with one of these loaded in the back.
As a former warpig (Y's) driver, it's the first thing I say I am when people ask what do I fly. Absolutely love being part of the UH-1 legacy.
Now only if I could afford to own one
I like to play Wagner. Scares the hell out of em
By an amazing coincidence, Fortunate Son comes through my Bluetooth every time I fly a Robbie.
IMO for all-around use it's the six-seat retractables from the big three. No particular order:
- Piper Saratoga
- Beechcraft Bonanza
- Cessna 210
Easily take 4 people and all their luggage. Six people when needed. 2 people and a fuckton of space. Double rear doors are a huge plus on the Pipers and Beechcraft for throwing whatever cargo you need. Lots of fuel. Good speed with retractable gear. Lots of them out there. Well proven. The list goes on.
Each have their own strengths and weaknesses, but for my money, that class of GA plane ticks a lot of boxes.
Private pilot here with a 210. I agree 😄
Still amazed by that video of the guy gliding one in to land in Brazil.
PA-32 300 all the way. Did a day trip with 4 adults plus bikes and backpacks. I love that you can easily pull out whichever seats (middle two or back two).
PA46 FTW. I LOVE mine.
Early vtail owner, i agree
Diamond DA62. Expensive as hell. But boy is she smooth and comfy. Fuel efficiency is also a huge plus.
Helps if you fit in a Diamond. They’re not exactly roomy. I’m 6’4.5” and I don’t. Nice planes tho.
While everything you said is true, counting the 0.5 is oddly hilarious for a 6'4.5" person... you get turned down by someone that wanted a 6'5"?
It matters to me. Means I’m taller than my father.
when you get really tall you get petty again. very jarring not being the tallest person in the room
Finance, trust fund, 6'5", blue eyes!
I'm surprised you don't because the Austrians who fly them aren't exactly on the small size. (At least the 50 and 62 from what I've seen).
Yeah. I’m 5’ 11 and no one more than 2 inches taller could fit comfortably.
Shame it’s a center stick. Side stick for the win and legroom. Wish it was a bit faster too.
I agree. The cirrus are faster above 11 or 12k if I remember correctly too. We have found the book numbers to be a bit lower than reality but definitely slower than a conventional twin.
This plane is almost singularly a trainer. No capability as a twin at all.
I could get behind the DA42 being singularly a trainer, but the DA62 is quite well equipped. The shear fact that it burns ~16 gph combined for our typical cruise settings makes our ability to carry more people (5-6 pax) or/and gear easier. An engine out is also handled incredibly well and has a single engine service ceiling of 12k or something absurd (I do think this number is most definitely under absolute best case and therefore is inflated for all intents and purposes)
421C if I'm not paying for it, A36 Bonanza if I am. Coincidentally, I own an A36...
I haven’t flown an A36 in while but man is it a fun plane to fly.
C182 is pretty cool. My buddy has a cub with bush wheels id love if i could move the seat back 3 more clicks.
SR22s, expensive but nice to fly and decently spacious, basically always get a nice avionics suite.
(Im prepared for the hate i might get)
Honestly jealous of cirrus pilots. Only ever flown 172s and while i’m not scared of an engine failure (to a degree) in-flight breakup or midairs scare me so having that chute is probably wonders for the peace of mind.
You can add a chute to a 172 ($$$, obviously). Cirrus also gives you free training with used plane purchase, terrain warnings, anti-icing option, dual ahrs/alternator/battery, and fuel sensors that work. They actually change the design constantly to figure out how to reduce accidents. Still too many, though.
SR22 to commute around in, absolutely, super comfortable and all the tech is amazing, but that thing to “fly” I find horrible, the spring loaded side stick is horrid, and I say that as a 320 pilot.
It's spring loaded??? Like the home simulator setup I have?
Yes, but worse.
It's no big deal, you get used to it.
Also why it felt so natural the first time I flew the SR20
and I say that as a 320 pilot.
Probably why you hate it. The bus is a fly by wire setup with highly precise force feedback servos. It is one of the more expensive and time consuming development aspects of the aircraft.
Yeah, the Cirrus is mechanically rigged flight controls with centering springs. It is very basic, but extremely intuitive and easy to fly with natural feedback.
I have 1000+ hours in various Cirrus models it is lovely GA aircraft, and well built, and forward thinking design that makes most maintenance easy and accessible compared to other GA aircraft where maintenance is an afterthought.
Not arguing it’s not a fantastic aircraft, I have quite a few hours in various versions and for what it is built for, it’s hyper comfortable and very ergonomic, if I was buying something to fly a commute in, I’d buy an SR22.
I’m just answering the original question of best aircraft to “fly”, I don’t think anyone can say the SR22 is enjoyable to actually “fly”.
The FCMC of that causes several issues. PIO in the flare, hard to trim, difficult to fly precisely, the list goes on.
How do you trim a cirrus? You turn the autopilot on and off.
Flew a 22 from NY to the Bahamas a few months back. I'd absolutely do it again. 550 fpm climb performance at 10k', cruise speed of 160 ind. and 13.5 GPH fuel usage. Seats are comfy, plenty of space and it's pretty simple to fly. Only thing is the side stick takes a bit of getting used to, I get why people who haven't flown one much don't like it.
There’s a lot of these based at the airport I work at. I heard that they’re among the most popular GA aircraft.
Grumman Cheetah/Tiger
All the perks of a TW, None of the downsides.
I will say the ease of maintenance is a double edged sword. On one hand it means its simple enough that theres nothing to break, but on the inverse if something is broken, you have to take it down for repairs.
Yup. That castoring nose gear might be one of the weakest points and you’ll definitely go through brake linings but a fresh set of linings is literally a Sunday afternoon worth of work and barely $50 in parts. Becomes insignificant when you turn around on a dime while taxiing and see the look on other pilots’ faces 😜
Don't forget the canopy. Being the only one not overheating in the run-up area
Tiger, maybe one of the most undervalued planes out there.. Simply awesome.
Love my Cessna 182 RG. If there were more of them, I might have considered a 210.
Same here, loving the R182.
I’m not up to the level of ownership yet, but 182RG/177RG look well suited to the family traveler mission.
As mentioned, 210 would be amazing if they were more readily available and “affordable”.
Bonanza seems like a dream, but something about the perception of safety and platform stability of a Cessna keeps me intrigued.
My Bellanca Super Viking 17-31A.
17-30 here. I jokingly refer to mine as a "discount bonanza." I love the plane and the way it handles.You just have to get past the fabric and wood wing hesitancy.
I’ve heard all kinds of negative comments, all from people who have never flown one. Giuseppe was an artist as much as an engineer.
I hesitate to post this because I hate to denigrate anyone's airplane and the Bellanca is definitely an interesting little sports car to fly. However, the single entry door, stiff landing gear, and the least comfortable seats of any airplane I've flown keep it off my list of favorites. 30 years later I still remember how uncomfortable those seats were on long flights. ;)
I'm glad you like it though.
To each their own. I could use your exact words to describe how I feel about Mooneys.
I'm glad you see it that way. I am also glad I got some time in an SV, despite its old single-frequency Collins radio stack. It's a unique flying machine.
The only Mooney I ever flew had a manual gear lever and funky hydraulic flaps that had to be pumped up or down. Definitely not on my favorites list either.
DA40NG. Excellent visibility, low fuel consumption, love the G1000 and the aircraft has very good flight controls in my opinion. I have also flown the Aquila a210 and C172P, which are great planes but the DA40 feels much better.
Did most of my instrument in a 40NG. Great plane, but Diamond's QC is awful and whoever makes their engine sensors sucks. The number of times we had to go back to the ramp for an abnormal indication during runup...
That 6 GPH is amazing though and it glides like a dream.
Just not with the 50gal tanks which mean you can’t put 4 people in it.
C182. Just a reliable and capable aircraft.
How has nobody said C-180 or C-185 yet. They’re remarkably versatile high performance singles.
Right, I saw the 182 five or six times before 180/185 here. Very surprising to me
Any RV
I bought a C182 and believe I will fly it for the rest of my life. I live in mountainous terrain so the option of landing safely (survivably, at least) on a random patch of dirt 200 feet long is attractive to me. I’m a low hours pilot so the 50 knots stall speed is nice. Having 2 exit doors is also nice for my loved ones. I’ll install airbag equipped seatbelts soon. I could install a parachute if I really wanted to and was flying nighttime IFR a lot—or I could just limit myself to safer conditions. I’ll decide after getting my instrument rating. Needless to say, my main mission is safety which may not be your priority. I’d maybe feel differently if I was former Air Force with 20,000 hours behind me.
I do love the low stall speeds and short runway requirements of the Cessna line. One of the 'negatives' on the PA-32R.
I like the Cherokee 235 for its payload.
From the modern world, i like the DA62, the better 42.
I know someone with a 235 that offered to let me fly it. He’s still a student, I don’t have a high performance endorsement yet… I should work on that
Flying minivan, if it fits it ships
Sinks like a fucking lead safe once you pull the power, i did my commercial in one. The power off 180 had to be done no more than 0.5nm away from the runway and you had to turn nearly immediately towards the runway after killing the power and pitching for glide. VSI would show between -1200/-1500 FPM. 1976 model.
Great airplane to load up a bunch of shit into and fly for many hours at a time though, wish the plane had an auto pilot. 84 gallons of fuel and you still have nearly 1000lb useful load.... It's truly a four place airplane
Mission dependent 100%.
As a retired husband and restaurateur , I wanted something to fly for fun, that is also fun to fly. It needs to be comfortable for my wife for the 6-8 trips we take each year. It needs to be able to fly 170-180kn minimum and have a range of at least 800nm, as you get older stretch and pee breaks become mandatory….IFR rated and composite build were 2 additional requirements I came up with in the last year, so O2 becomes a requirement as well for my longer trips.
I also don’t have a million dollars nor want to spend more than 20-30k per year on maintenance, fuel, insurance and miscellaneous expenses.
The only aircraft that fit all of these was a TL-Sparker. I’ve flown 20+ different types of aircraft so of course not everything out there, but the FUN flying was actually the hardest criteria to fit.
I have 300hrs, most in a Czech Sportscruiser which I trained in and fell in love with. Once I flew ONE time with a stick I knew I would never go back. My other mission criteria were built over time and I spent about 6 months searching and the Sparker was the only one that hit or exceeded every box.
These are pretty rare aircraft out there in terms of production numbers. Were able to get ahold of one?
I am #8 and out of production in July/August. Was a 7 month wait but worth it.
I just got back from the factory in the Czech Republic doing part of the build. So cool to be apart of that. 95% of the aircraft is produced in the factory and they have a shitload of parts inventory. They have been in business since the late 80’s so not a fly by night organization.
There is one in the US now, based in Charleston. I’ll be #2 in NC and #3 will be in NC in September/October as well.
That is awesome! Congrats on the acquisition! Shoot me a PM if you ever come up to the NE. I’d love to see one in person.
I’ll be up in Rochester NY sometime in the fall and CT as well as my son lives there. I will shoot a quick message to keep your name in my contacts.
Well that's a neat ship. TIL 👍🏻
Upvotes for modern, novel aircraft!
Baron B55 President 2 (IO-550’s instead of 470’s), feels like a BMW M5 that flies
Beechcraft Bonanza IMO
GA is such an incredibly and wildly multi-role and multi-faceted mission that this isn't a question that can be answered.
If I just want an airplane that will fly me from point A to point B at a reasonable speed but I never ever plan to carry more than 2 people or much for baggage
vs
If I have a family of 4 and I want to take long-haul multi-state trips with regularity
vs
I want to go camping in the backcountry with me, the wife, and a dog
vs
I want to fly myself and an overnight bag as quickly as feasibly possible from here to a few states away
vs
I want to aero-commute most days about 75 miles
...what you're using the plane for, your budget and how much you want to pay all will change the answer.
There absolutely is no one good answer.
(For all-around general-purpose usability with affordability i.e. being pretty good at several things but really good at nothing, it's incredibly difficult to be a PA-22, a C-182, and a Cherokee Six in increasing orders of magnitude of cost).
Comanche PA-24 gang checking in
Seats 4 adults + 2 children with tons of range
hi there!
Comanche gangggg! 1964 250 here
Restored Spitfire.
Im not sure how any GA aircraft can beat the J-3 when it comes to encapsulating what General Aviation is all about: the beauty, enjoyment and fun of powered flight. Low and slow with the window open. It barely even flies fast enough to kill you. No electrical system, but no need for one. Pure stick and rudder flying. Land on the grass next to the runway, walk in and grab a burger.
Long live the Piper Cub :)
The best ga aircraft to fly is the best one that fits your mission.
I am a big fan of Bonanza because for the cost - I get a ton of power, speed, payload, range, and parts availability
But some people like Cirrus because they like to be able to stare at shiny objects while their brand new $1.5 million dollar plane sits in the hangar due to defects and shortages in their supply chain.
Beaver!
It always circles back to the C182 for most people.
DA40
Transport aircraft are typically gear with one goal in mind - transport. So more reasonable to have a debate on which is best.
GA has endless goals, objectives, reasons why people fly. Landing on lakes, short strips, carrying family of 6, single pilot long distance, fun flying low at 50mph, etc. so it’s basically like asking a crowd which color is best.
Cessna 182 or a Bonanza 36. These are the "general purpose" aircraft that owners tend to eventually move to, then stick with.
Big enough to carry your family somewhere, reliable, nice to fly. Just good all purpose aircraft.
The Bo is supposedly much more pleasant to fly than the 182, and of course is faster. I wouldn't know - I've got a 182 and I'm happy.
Vintage Mooney. F or J is the sweet spot.
I want an M20J so bad. I own a lake property that’s a 5 hour drive away. Mooney would cut that down to less than 1.5 hrs.
We owned a vacation home in North Myrtle Beach until this spring - the Mooney took a 13 hour drive down to 3.5 in the air.
Best? Pick your favorite warbird.
Best for a reasonable budget/mission? That's a very different question and one that depends entirely on the status of your bank account.
Ideal: A fleet of my own aircraft to include at least 1 warbird as well as something to take the family around in.
Or just go all in on a Skymaster and call myself "Bird-Dog" on CTAF
cherokee 235/cherokee 6 depending on how many people you need. I want to go fast, though, so bonanza/baron 55/aerostar
Twin Comanche- faster than a 182, burns less fuel on the same legs if you pull it back and can carry more. Plus you get twin motor safety
Totally agree on PA30. One of few piston twins that makes sense to own and operate outside of a business.
Only if you get the counter rotating version
I don’t agree, but if you don’t have CR then you need to stay current with engine out procedures
I like a good Cessna 172. Stable, forgiving, reliable, proven platform.
I have a 172a. It's not fast, it's not sexy, but it does what I need it to!
Piper Saratoga/Cherokee 6; Go pretty far, carry everything, go reasonably fast, land easily, and fly rock stable. Jack of all trades, quintessential general aviation aircraft.
I’ve seen this question a few times on here and numerous times elsewhere and I haven’t seen a consensus on any of those occasions. Why? Because there is no best. There never will be a best. All you will ever have is personal preferences based on mission specific requirements. I’d love to have a 182 or similar on amphib floats. But the pilot wanting to do airshow aerobatics would find that choice problematic as would the pilot wanting to fly their family across country quickly. And while I enjoy backcountry strips almost as much as lakes and rivers, that same 182 would fail me on many strips.
So this question is pointless and will never produce a good answer or even a decent discussion. A better discussion is always had when you define a specific mission or set of missions and ask what aircraft would be best for that mission. You’ll still get a variety of answers based on personal preferences but they’ll all be based on the same basic mission parameters. That makes for a proper discussion.
Honestly a simple 152. Hard to beat
C-182 hands down. You can do almost anything with it- floats, back country, longer XC flights, haul tons of stuff, and it’s relatively cheap.
PC12, or TBM
GA is anything that’s not 121 or MIL. I’m going to say a G700 is the best. I got to start up a G500 recently and it’s absolutely blown me away.
The one you can afford to fly!
Huey
A high performance glider. I like LS8-18
Single engine piston: 1965 S35 and newer Vtail Bonanza, 1978 36 Series Bonanza
Probably a bonanza. Speed and utility are rarely second to none. But it depends on budget.
If you cna get your hands on a hornet they make great time, very fun ride. If you need to bring a buddy a tomcat would be just as cool.
Personally those were both out of budget tho :/
Cessna 195.
Really a question of your mission and what you can afford. I really love the DA62 but will never afford that. So C182/A36 Bonanza/Archer? Cirrus in my mind is too expensive (SR22 which is a piston goes for a million, and vision jet is under powered for the similar cost of a Phenom 100).
But the ultimate GA is kit planes... RV8/10/12/14.
G7 is fun to take over to Monaco for lunch. VFR.
Such an open question, but doesn't it really depend on what your mission is?
Baron
Honestly a good piper arrow, with a twin axis autopilot and a G600 txi
I do love me an AA5
The one I own. ICP Savannah VG.
Grumman Tiger. Fast and fun
For building hours: the safest, cheapest, and slowest thing you can get.
For general use: the one that fits your mission.
If you don’t understand the second, focus on the first.
All depends on your mission. A J3 Cub on floats and a Bonanza both are tops of class IMO... But one is not "better" than the other unless we define the mission. The J3 is horrible to do a 1K NM XC, and the Bonanza is crap landing on water.
Beech Baron is like a Ferrari
I wasn’t interested in long range travel, just getting up there and buzzing around about a 300 mile radius or so of my home field. That said, my absolute favorite to fly was my Kitfox 3. Light and nimble, cheap to operate, with incredibly low stall speed, and could get in and out of tiny fields. I would fly in and out of my local 500’ RC field all the time.
The DA40NG- there’s no feeling better then losing your engine to an unreliable diesel engine
I personally adore my Piper Arrow. It’s the original 200hp Arrow I so it’s a classic and it flies so nicely. But the best GA aircraft for me may not be for thee. It’s what you can afford & what you plan to do with it. Arrows don’t make good aerobatic birds for example.
Love my 1946 Ercoupe 415. All analog, simple, bare bones flying.
Diamond da40 because it’s the most recent design and it’s got the least fatilities per hour flown. It’s got a indestructible cockpit and it’s had one fire because of its well protected fuel tanks. It’s also impossible to get a full break stall. And is 100% controllable in the stall it can get.
Da40 it’s the safest per hour flown, only had one fire which is the leading cause of death in Ga. Indestructible cockpit. Cannot full break stall, and in its stall it’s fully controlable.
Cessna 310R
In the Navy MH 53E. Big bastard but responsive. Now Piper Warrior not a fan of the 172.
What would be a good plane for my mission? Cheap to own, enough payload for 4 adults with a light bag, just weekend trips with family/friends.
Diamond Star DA40. Statistically the safest. And it flies amazing.
Almost as fast as the C182 I had. But burns about 60% of the fuel.
C185 because it’s cool
My dream is a Mooney M20K, better performance than most SR22 for a fraction of the cost, nice legroom and built to haul ass.
Currently flying a Piper Turbo Arrow III which is also great, but looking to step up to a Mooney in the future.
From my experience I'd say it'd have to be the Cessna 172 (I haven't flown anything else).
R22 helicopter
,...because its fun!
Diamond DA40 works for me now, but the A36 is my forever plane.
Anything with air conditioning
The one that’s free.
The one that you have access to.
Which ever one you can afford to fly regularly…
Look at all these folks who clearly haven't tried rotary...
The one you are comfortable flying.
2 missing replies
Piper Pacer because it’s an engineering marvel and the sexiest bird out there. Oh and also I can afford to fly it.
Which brings me to my real point: the best GA plane is the one you can afford to fly:)