Spend enough time browsing used aircraft offerings priced below $100,000 and one thing becomes clear – virtually every available example was built prior to the 1980s. From 1940s-era Ercoupes to 1970s-era Cherokee 140s, such search results begin to resemble an aircraft museum. Today’s bargain, on the other hand, bucks the trend by offering 1990s-era modernity below $70,000 and is available on Aircraft For Sale.
In 1975, French manufacturer SOCATA introduced the TB family of single-engine piston aircraft. Ranging from the entry-level, fixed-gear TB-9 Tampico with a 160-horsepower Lycoming O-320 to the complex, high-performance, turbocharged, retractable gear TB-21 Trinidad TC, over 2,000 examples were produced by the time production came to an end in 2012.
This particular example is a 160-horsepower TB-9 and offers a compelling change of pace from the Cessnas and Pipers that tend to represent the price range. With 3,611 hours on the airframe, it has seen far less use than many examples that were heavily used in training environments. And in addition to having hundreds of hours remaining before TBO, the engine has only 71 hours since receiving a top overhaul to freshen it up.
Climb into the cabin via a wide-opening gullwing door – on either side of the cabin – and you’ll be welcomed by a neatly-organized panel that’s a welcome change from earlier panels with haphazardly-arranged gauges. A Garmin 430 provides GPS duties, and a uAvionix Skybeacon provides ADS-B out, ensuring all airspace is equally accessible.
While the interior and exterior paint show wear, the logbooks are complete, and the airplane has been hangared since 1998 and owned by the same owner. For a prospective owner who values a relatively modern airframe and a design you don’t see every day, this Tampico could be just the ticket to many years of enjoyment.
You can arrange financing of the aircraft through FLYING Finance and quickly calculate your monthly payment using the airplane finance calculator. For more information, email info@flyingfinance.com.
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