Flying Four-by-Fours

FLYING Staff

Saturday, May 07, 2005 at 08:00 AM ET

Verified

Four-cylinder, four-place piston singles

Key Takeaways:

Four-seat, fixed-gear single-engine aircraft are a foundational and budget-friendly segment of general aviation, widely available on the used market and suitable for both new and experienced pilots.
Ownership involves significant annual fixed costs (estimated at ~$8,500 for the "first hour"), but subsequent hourly costs are lower, potentially making it more economical than renting for frequent flyers, with little depreciation but a need to budget for avionics upgrades.
While 150/160 horsepower models offer adequate performance, 180-horsepower variants are significantly more desirable, commanding a premium due to their improved utility, cruise speed, and overall performance.
These aircraft are characterized by forgiving flying qualities and are well-suited for pleasant, unhurried cross-country travel, despite some limitations like carburetor-related issues or reduced effective range in strong headwinds.

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The four-seat, four-cylinder, tricycle fixed-gear singles are in large part the basis for general aviation flying. There are a lot of them out there. They fly a big percentage of the general aviation hours, and one of them is often a first airplane with many pilots satisfied with them as the only airplane they will ever own. (And, yes, pre-1968 Cessna 172/Skyhawks had six-cylinder engines, but the horsepower was 145, close to many of the four-cylinder engines.)

There is a misconception that these airplanes are for first-time owners and relatively new pilots only. They are great for that, but they are also great for an experienced pilot who wants to have an airplane and fly it without busting the budget.