Plane & Pilot 2021 Buyer‘s Guide: Single-Engine Piston Planes

Newcomers, upgrades, and old favorites: 20 piston singles for 2017.

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • The market for piston singles offers a diverse range of aircraft, from newly updated models and all-new Part 23-certificated designs, encompassing everything from 120-knot taildraggers to pressurized six-place screamers.
  • Modern piston singles are characterized by significant advancements in avionics, with many featuring sophisticated Garmin G1000 NXi or G3000 touch-controlled suites that enhance safety and user experience.
  • The Cirrus SR22 G6 remains the best-selling piston single, known for its updated avionics and whole-airplane parachute, while competitors like the Piper M350, Cessna TTx, and Mooney Acclaim Ultra offer specialized features such as pressurization, higher speeds, or improved cabin comfort.
  • Enduring classic models, including the Beechcraft G36 Bonanza, Piper Archer, and Cessna 182 Skylane, continue to be produced and updated, balancing their proven reliability with modern technology for various personal and training niches.
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Cessna 182 Skylane
Cessna 182 Skylane

Cessna 182 Skylane

One of the most popular airplanes of all time, the 182 Skylane is arguably the best-executed compromise in aviation history, with good speed (145 knots), simple operation (fixed gear, low landing speeds), great useful load and rugged reliability. No wonder Cessna has built around 25,000 182s since its introduction in 1956. Today’s Skylane features a 230 hp Lycoming IO-540 and is a far cry from that early bird. While still the same basic airframe, in most regards today’s model is far more technologically advanced, with Garmin G1000 avionics with synthetic vision, safer, with better seats, flap configuration and fuel management (and electronic enhancements), much quieter inside and more comfortable. This airplane is for people who want to go moderate distances, carry an impressive load and enjoy the view that only a high-wing airplane can provide.

Niche: Fixed-gear utility

Base Price: $470,000

Competitors: Tecnam P2010, Diamond DA40, Maule M7-235

Read our latest Cessna 182 pilot report on the Skylane NXi. You can also check out our review of Used Cessna 182 Skylanes or visit the flight levels with our Turbo Skylane pilot report.

Cessna 182 Skylane Specifications

Learn more at Cessna.

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