Today’s bargain blends classic 1950s style with genuine usability and major upgrades already completed.
Pilots interested in an economical, fun-to-fly four-place aircraft should consider this 1957 Piper PA-22-150 Tri-Pacer, which is available for $64,000 on AircraftForSale.
Derived from the PA-20 Pacer taildragger, Piper’s PA-22 Tri-Pacer adds tricycle gear for surefooted handling in crosswinds and notably less expensive insurance premiums. Purists love Piper’s robust, fabric-covered tubular steel airframe, reasoning that it is superior to the stressed-skin aluminum fuselage construction utilized by Cessna and Beechcraft. The steel cage is said to provide better protection to occupants, and the fabric covering can make both inspection and repair easier than aluminum counterparts.
Equipped with a 150-horsepower Lycoming O-320 and a left-side rear door, the Tri-Pacer is equally happy bringing friends and pets along as it is toting camping equipment for weekend adventures. Although this particular example doesn’t have a rear seat installed, Piper parts are plentiful and not overly expensive compared to many other types. Beefy bungee-cord-equipped main gear holds up well to rough runways, and vortex generators provide crisp, responsive handling.
With only 2,650 hours on the airframe, 815 hours since the major overhaul of the engine, and only 355 hours since new cylinders were installed, this Tri-Pacer is poised to provide its next owner with many years of economical flying. Perhaps best of all, the fabric was replaced with Ceconite in 2003 and repainted in a classic scheme—a job easily worth over $40,000 alone.
But the owner didn’t stop there! A look inside reveals a completely new interior that was installed in 2016, including fresh soundproofing for a quieter, less fatiguing cabin environment. In addition to fresh carpet and upholstery, the panel is in outstanding shape, free from the ugly cracked and weathered plastic trim pieces that are so commonly found. A set of AV-30 digital gauges replace the heavy vacuum system, a Stratus ESG transponder provides ADS-B out, and a Garmin Aera 660 GPS is neatly installed in its recessed panel mount.
At $64,000, this Tri-Pacer is more expensive than many examples, but with over $40,000 in new paint and fabric and many thousands of dollars in new cylinders, updated interior, and advanced avionics, it seems to be an exceptional value that will likely provide decades of economical, trouble-free ownership.
You can arrange financing of the aircraft through FLYING Finance. For more information, email [email protected].
