General aviation (GA) aircrafts typically pertain to aircrafts operating for non-compensation or hire and civilian use. GA flying can be anything from taking a joy flight around the Quad Cities to flying your grandma to Des Moines for a Bingo tournament or flight training.
Typically, GA aircrafts are small, slow, can’t fly that high and are very forgiving. But that doesn’t mean they’re cheap. Normally, a small single-engine GA aircraft will set you back a couple hundred thousand dollars. So, here are some of the best GA single-engine aircrafts that are the best bang for your buck.
Photo Credit: Alan Radecki Akradecki CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikipedia
- PA-24-250 (Comanche) 1958-1972 ($100,000-$200,000)
The Comanche is an aircraft produced by the Piper Aircraft Company. This beast rivals other high-performance aircraft produced by Bonanza and Cessna for a fraction of the cost. The Piper Comanche is a single-engine, propeller aircraft that holds six seats. This aircraft is powered by a carbureted Lycoming O-540-AIA5, with some models being fit with a similar engine but fuel-injected. This aircraft creates a whopping 250 horsepower and cruises at 180 mph at a max of 20,000 feet while also being a complex aircraft.
Photo Credit: Bill Larkins CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikipedia
- Beechcraft S35 (Bonanza) 1964-1966 ($150,000-$250,000)
The Bonanza S35 is typically known for its distinct V-shaped vertical stabilizer. This aircraft holds a carbureted continental IO-520-B, producing 285 horsepower. Holding six seats, the aircraft can cruise at 18,000 feet at around 200 mph and is also complex. While this aircraft is harder to come across, the relatively low cost makes this aircraft extremely competitive on this list.
Photo Credit: Tomás Del Coro CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikipedia
3. Cessna 210 1957-1986 ($100,000-$300,000)
The Cessna 210 is an aircraft produced by Cessna, a company under Textron Aviation similar to Beechcraft. The Cessna 210 is essentially a complex, high-performance Skyhawk. Containing a continental IO-520-L, this aircraft produces 285 horsepower and cruises at 200 mph at 15,500 feet. This aircraft is still very common to find, a more affordable option and makes a great transition from a conventional Skyhawk to a high-performance plane.
