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Five Taildraggers That Are Easy To Buy, Fly, and Insure

The lower values of some vintage models is a good thing for buyers.

Cessna 170B [Shutterstock]
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • Tailwheel aircraft offer pilots unique freedom, allowing off-airport operations on fields or dirt paths that conventional aircraft cannot access.
  • After facing potential obscurity, vintage taildraggers are experiencing a resurgence, driven by younger pilots attracted to their classic designs, back-to-basics appeal, and significantly lower purchase prices compared to modern aircraft.
  • The article recommends several accessible vintage tailwheel models, such as the Piper J-3 Cub, Aeronca Champion, and Cessna 170, highlighting their ease of ownership in terms of purchase price, insurance, and operation.
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Many of us were drawn to small aircraft because of the freedom they represent. As private pilots, we can fly almost whenever we want to, weather permitting, and access airports in interesting locations that are too small or out-of-the-way for airline service.

Tailwheel aircraft arguably are the fullest expression of that freedom because they often don’t need airports at all. A field, dirt path, or gravel bar in the middle of a river will do. While off-airport exploration is possible in tricycle-gear airplanes, the endeavor usually works out better with a tailwheel.  

Jonathan Welsh

Jonathan Welsh is Lead Editor of Aviation Consumer and a private pilot who worked as a reporter, editor and columnist with the Wall Street Journal for 21 years, mostly covering the auto industry. His passion for aviation began in childhood with balsa-wood gliders his aunt would buy for him at the corner store. Follow Jonathan on Twitter @JonathanWelsh4

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