For Sale Looking for a taildragger

RyanShort1

Final Approach
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RyanShort1
If you know of a good certified 2-place vintage taildragger in the $10-16AMU range I'm interested. I'm more interested in classics like Cubs (Likely out of price range), Luscombes, Aeroncas, Taylorcrafts that are LSA, but Cessna 120/140 and similar are also in the mix.
 
If you know of a good certified 2-place vintage taildragger in the $10-16AMU range I'm interested. I'm more interested in classics like Cubs (Likely out of price range), Luscombes, Aeroncas, Taylorcrafts that are LSA, but Cessna 120/140 and similar are also in the mix.
Are you active on North Texas Aviators? Post the request there and you might get some leads to local aircraft
 
Are you active on North Texas Aviators? Post the request there and you might get some leads to local aircraft
I've been using a Cessna 140 at Redbird but someone has misplaced the registration and airworthiness certs... SMH - I've got a student halfway through and have turned away three students in two weeks.

I'm not on Facebook right now (Used to be on NTA), but I'm always around at the link in my signature and here: https://www.instagram.com/texas_tailwheel/
 
Would opening up to non-certified really change much considering the "vintage" "classic" requirements anyway?
If someone found me an Aerotrek or Apollo Fox or similar S-LSA in that price range they would be considered... but I rather suspect I couldn’t afford them.
 
I learned TW in a cessna 120. It was an excellent platform for learning.
 
The Cessna 120/140 is a great aircraft to learn tailwheel, but also a very fun and economical aircraft to keep and fly. Don't think that these little Cessna's are not classics - they have a very strong following and a great type club. Contact them and they will help you find the right plane and you will meet a lot of really nice people in the process. www.cessna120140.com
 
The Cessna 120/140 is a great aircraft to learn tailwheel, but also a very fun and economical aircraft to keep and fly. Don't think that these little Cessna's are not classics - they have a very strong following and a great type club. Contact them and they will help you find the right plane and you will meet a lot of really nice people in the process. www.cessna120140.com
LOL. I've owned one previously that I never wanted to sell, and as stated before have been using one and wouldn't mind one.
 
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Yep, the Piggy's still a beloved member of the family. Has a fresh engine, ADS-B, custom Albeit aged IFR panel, O200 A, alternator, vac pump, on and on.

yes, it is out of the $15K price range, and yes a 120/140 makes a wonderful first tailwheel trainer.
 
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Whelp, looks like the 140 I've been using is usable and ready to go again! I'll probably keep an ear to the ground but this isn't as urgent anymore.
Good... this will be at RBD?
 
In that price range the only airplanes I have seen would be Aeronca Chiefs and most would need at least some work. There is a Funk on Barnstormers right now asking 15k but sure it needs a ton of work. Closer to 20K and you can find a few Champs. There are deals out there. My experience is the local deals seem to be the best when you are looking for a bargain.
 
In that price range the only airplanes I have seen would be Aeronca Chiefs and most would need at least some work. There is a Funk on Barnstormers right now asking 15k but sure it needs a ton of work. Closer to 20K and you can find a few Champs. There are deals out there. My experience is the local deals seem to be the best when you are looking for a bargain.
There are more options out there than you think! I know of one decent option I was looking at for $12K, and a Taylorcraft recently sold for $8K.
 
There are more options out there than you think! I know of one decent option I was looking at for $12K, and a Taylorcraft recently sold for $8K.

I agree there are a few options out there. Although a lot of people say they want a plane in that price range until they see what a lot of planes in that price range look like. :) It is all boils down to how much work will it need or how long will it be before you need fabric or an engine. The ones I pointed out are more consistently in that price range and there are some reasonable flying examples. I have seen a few Piper Colts in the price range the OP is looking at as well. I have seen a few Stinson 108s for not a lot more than that although they needed work.

We bought our '57 172 for 13K. The owner had bought it and put a good bit of money in it (close to 5k for a windshield cylinder and several other things) then found he couldn't get a medical. Admittedly we took some risk in that it hadn't been flown a lot in recent years. When we bought it she was in annual and we have put just shy of 65 hours on her since September. There have been a few things we needed to do but so far nothing major yet. My co-owner and I are also in a bit of a different position than some we both volunteer at a warplane museum doing mechanical work, he is a mechanic by trade and working on his A&P, and we also have a friend who is an A&P/IA who will inspect and sign off on our work so this significantly keeps the cost down for the small stuff.

Prior to buying this I was looking at a decent 11CC Chief that was airworthy for $14,500. Unfortunately the guy doing the pre-buy talked me out of it. I say unfortunately because I found out after the fact the mechanic had a bit of thing with the owner and I think he was trying to find reasons for me not to buy it most being paperwork issues that could have been rectified pretty easily. Guess it just wasn't meant to be.

I have seen a few other Chiefs locally in the 12-15K range but they had rough paint and fabric and close to run out engines.

The nice thing about some of these bargain airplanes is if you are willing to do the work sometimes their parts are worth close to or even more than the whole. So if something major breaks you can still get some money out.

I know there are deals out there you really have to be looking and again both of these deals were local which is where I think the best deals can be had. Some of it is finding the right person at the right time.
 
The 120 that I never wanted to sell (sigh) I bought out of New Mexico for $12.5 in perfectly usable condition. The 172 I had for a while I think I picked up around $22.5 and actually sold it for a thousand more than I paid for it when the time came. Even had some engine reserve money saved from flight training, so that one was a win.

Not being in a hurry, and really really watching the market helps. There's one plane I'm tempted to pull the trigger on already.
 
There's one plane I'm tempted to pull the trigger on already.

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Is there anyone on the west side of Dulles in Virginia on this board that I could hire to go look at an airplane?
 
How far west?
 
If you’re strapped for cash there are options if you look hard for them.

A very close friends nephew passed his Private Checkride Saturday in a Cherokee that he bought for not much more than $10 K. He put sweat equity into it and made a solid flying plane out of it but it had original paint and looked HORRIBLE, but it is a good plane. He had it sold for delivery yesterday which made me nervous fearing that there would be a delay in his checkride, but it all worked out. Passed his checkride and sold the plane breaking even after the price of the plane and parts/labor he put into it.. He was only out fuel costs for the private training. My hats off to him for his resourcefulness.

Where there’s a will, there’s a way.
 
Very nice. I would hope to experience her in person someday

We’ve been working on that for a long time. We’re going to have to make it happen. The museum is open every Saturday 10 to 2 and I’m almost always volunteering there doing tours. Come see us! Doesn’t mean I won’t stumble into Denton some day though.
 
70v one of my favorite 170s

I don't know the pilot but it belongs to a friend
You can't do better to get a 170 for a taildragger.
 
Glad I don’t have a hanger, that one seems too reasonably priced and too local.
The modern fabrics do not require a hangar. of course it helps but all aircraft will benefit.

I'll bet this 170 won't stay on the market long.
 
70v one of my favorite 170s

I don't know the pilot but it belongs to a friend
You can't do better to get a 170 for a taildragger.
If you have the pockets to insure four seats for something that can be done with two, fine... but in my experience insurance is a serious driver for a tailwheel flight school.
 
take the rear seats out, and insure just the 2 front ones.
 
If you know of a good certified 2-place vintage taildragger in the $10-16AMU range I'm interested. I'm more interested in classics like Cubs (Likely out of price range), Luscombes, Aeroncas, Taylorcrafts that are LSA, but Cessna 120/140 and similar are also in the mix.

Check out Indy Air Sales. They have a Luscombe for $11K
 
If you know of a good certified 2-place vintage taildragger in the $10-16AMU range I'm interested. I'm more interested in classics like Cubs (Likely out of price range), Luscombes, Aeroncas, Taylorcrafts that are LSA, but Cessna 120/140 and similar are also in the mix.

Hey Ryan, You might want to look at Hangar 67.
 
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