This 1996 SOCATA TB-10 Tobago Is a Stylish, Practical ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick

1996 SOCATA TB-10 Tobago [Courtesy: John Longuil]

Each day, the team at Aircraft For Sale picks an airplane that catches our attention because it is unique, represents a good deal, or has other interesting qualities. You can read Aircraft For Sale: Today’s Top Pick at FLYINGMag.com daily.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1996 SOCATA TB-10 Tobago

Daher-SOCATA is well-known in the U.S today for its long-running series of fast, appealing TBM turboprop singles. But during the 1980s and ‘90s, when the name was just SOCATA and the company was offering a line of piston singles, its name recognition was weak and sales were slow. This might seem curious to anyone who has seen a TB-10 on the ramp lately, because some pilots consider it among the best-looking fixed-gear aircraft available. If you want retracts and more power, there is the TB-20 Trinidad. Those seeking a more economical training airplane should look at the TB-9 Tampico. Like Cessna and Piper, SOCATA’s lineup gives shoppers a range of performance levels.

If you are in the market for one of the many aircraft that use the venerable Lycoming O-360 and are practical and economical for cross-country trips, you might find yourself cross-shopping the Tobago with a Piper Cherokee 180, which represents a sweet spot for many pilots. Like the Piper, the SOCATA offers an appreciable bump in power while still going easy on fuel and maintenance. Unlike the Piper, this stylish European sports doors that open upward, gull-wing style like those on the DeLorean sports car, which hit the market around the same time. The Tobago also has some of the slickest-looking wheel fairings in the business.

This TB-10 Tobago has 2,634 hours on the airframe, 628 hours on its 180 hp Lycoming O-360 engine since overhaul.

The panel features a Garmin GNX 375 GPS and a transponder with ADS-B in and out, dual King KX 155 Nav/Coms, dual Garmin GI 275 electronic flight instruments, King KMA audio panel S-Tec 55 autopilot and an engine monitor. Additional equipment includes flap and aileron gap seals, upgraded LED exterior lighting and an engine pre-heater.

Pilots looking for a basic, economical aircraft for traveling or training, but with more distinctive styling than many others in the same category, should consider this 1996 TB-10 Tobago, which roughly matches the Piper Cherokee 180 in terms of function. This aircraft, however, stands out in form and is available for $175,000 on AircraftForSale.

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