10 Most Undervalued Airplanes

They’re the best-kept, money-saving secrets in town

By Douglas Colby

The Cardinal RG was introduced in 1970 to satisfy the market’s enthusiasm for the model 177, which can easily be identified by its cantilever monoplane wing.

Many of them are airplanes you don’t see on every ramp, but pilots in the know almost universally regard them as “sleepers,” flying machines with more than their share of talent. In some cases, they were overshadowed by faster or more powerful models. In others, economic forces doomed them to relative obscurity.

These airplanes often were neglected and maligned on the used market, but they represent better deals than you might imagine. Almost inevitably, some excellent buys will be left out, but here are our nominations for the top 10 most undervalued general aviation airplanes.

Prices for these aircraft are taken from the most current Aircraft Bluebook Price Digest, published by Primedia Business Directories and Books. The values listed an average of aircraft sold within the recent months. Buyers shopping for these aircraft models should expect to see examples of prices both higher and lower.

1. Cessna Cardinal RG The retractable version of the Cessna Cardinal was a far more talented airplane than many realized. Although the model was often maligned for an unreliable gear design, the swept Cardinal RG was arguably the sexiest of the 200 hp retractables, second fastest in the class (to the Mooney) with plenty of leg room, large entry doors and outstanding visibility.

The Cessna 177RG sported a strutless, full cantilever wing, constant-speed prop and essentially the same 200 hp, IO-360 Lycoming engine used on the Arrow, 112, Sierra and Executive. The combination yielded cruise around 145 knots following a 900 fpm climb. Cessna built Cardinal RGs for seven years in the ’70s, and today, you’ll spend $57,000 to $69,000 for a reasonable 177RG.