This 2021 Piper PA-28-181 Piper Pilot 100i Is a Training-Initiated ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick

Garmin G3X Touch avionics, advanced GFC 500 autopilot, and rugged airframe create compelling instructional platform.

FLYING Staff

Tuesday, September 01, 2026 at 10:30 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

2021 Piper PA-28-181 Piper Pilot 100i [Credit: Lone Mountain Aircraft]

Key Takeaways:

Today's Top Pick is a 2021 Piper PA-28-181 Piper Pilot 100i, lauded for its efficiency in flight training and suitability for both flight schools and individual owners.
This specific aircraft, based in Massachusetts, has accumulated 1,650 hours since new in a flight school setting and is powered by a reliable 180 hp Lycoming IO-360-B4A engine.
The cockpit features an advanced Garmin G3X Touch glass-panel suite with synthetic vision, fully equipped for IFR instruction and travel, including a Garmin GFC 500 autopilot.
Listed at $335,000, it offers a practical useful load of 976 pounds, modern amenities, and is described as a turnkey solution ready for operation.

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

Today’s Top Pick is a 2021 Piper PA-28-181 Piper Pilot 100i.

Designed specifically to meet the rigorous demands of flight training while maintaining exceptional efficiency, the Piper Pilot 100i continues the celebrated PA-28 legacy. It brings a new level of technological sophistication to the single-engine piston trainer market, serving as an ideal platform for both flight schools and individual owner-operators seeking a capable, predictable aircraft.

Based in Massachusetts, this 2021 airframe has amassed 1,650 total hours since new while actively serving in a flight school environment. The exterior sports a crisp all-over white base with striking blue-and-gray-accent striping, while the cabin is appointed with light gray leather seats, two-tone gray side paneling, and dark gray carpeting. The aircraft offers 48 gallons of usable fuel, a highly practical useful load of 976 pounds, and added conveniences like Rosen sun visors, USB charging ports, and LED wingtip lights.

Forward of the firewall sits a reliable 180 hp Lycoming IO-360-B4A engine that has recorded 1,650 hours since new. This fuel-injected powerplant comes equipped with a Tanis engine preheat system for cold weather operations. It spins a robust Sensenich two-blade, fixed-pitch propeller that also shows 1,650 total hours since new, ensuring dependable thrust for practice maneuvers and cross-country legs alike.

2021 Piper PA-28-181 Piper Pilot 100i [Credit: Lone Mountain Aircraft]

In the cockpit, student pilots and seasoned aviators alike will appreciate the highly advanced, glass-panel suite centered around a Garmin G3X Touch 10.6-inch PFD/MFD with synthetic vision.

The modern panel is fully equipped for IFR instruction and travel, boasting a Garmin G5 standby instrument, GNX 375 touchscreen navigator/transponder with ADS-B In/Out, and Garmin GFC 500 autopilot with Electronic Stability and Protection (ESP). Rounding out the impressive avionics package are a GNC 255A nav/comm, a GTR 20 second VHF comm, and Bluetooth-enabled GMA 245R remote audio panel.

Listed at $335,000, this 2021 Piper Pilot 100i underwent its last annual inspection in February 2026, making it a turnkey solution ready to build time or generate revenue on the flight line.

If you’re exploring ownership options, FLYING Finance can help get you airborne. Use our airplane loan calculator to estimate your monthly payments, or connect with an aviation finance expert at flyingfinance.com.