AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2020 - 34

PILOT BRIEFING
BUDGET BUY

|

Cessna 140
Truly affordable classic
B Y KO L L I N S TAG N I TO

EMAIL kollin.stagnito@aopa.org

34 | AOPA PILOT January 2020

$15,000 for a bare-bones flyable Cessna 120 up to $35,000
for a perfect Cessna 140A.
HOW MANY IN THE FLEET

7,664 Cessna 120/140/140As
were produced between 1947
and 1951; 2,576 remain on the
FAA registry.
FINANCING

AOPA Finance estimates a
monthly payment of $237 for
a 10-year loan at 7.5 percent
with 20 percent down on a
purchase price of $25,000.
BIGGEST PLUS

Sips fuel.

BIGGEST MINUS

Marginal climb performance.
THINGS TO WATCH OUT FOR

Cracks where the gear legs
attach to the fuselage; if the
airplane has fabric wings,
make sure the fabric test is
current; as with any 70-yearold airplane, check ADs and
documentation.
FOR MORE INFORMATION

cessna120140.com

MIKE FIZER

CESSNA 140S are the quintessential budget buy. Inexpensive to purchase, economical to
operate, and with few moving parts to wear out-they just want to keep flying. These simple
airplanes encourage frequent joyrides, epitomized by the 30-minute sunset flight.
But don't discount this classic for low-and-slow journeys across America. With typical
cruise speeds of 105 mph, burning a mere 5 gallons of fuel per hour, 140s will fly longer than
most bladders can handle. With wing tanks that contain 25 gallons of fuel, that's a four-hour
endurance plus reserve. Baggage space holds much more than the 80-pound weight limit.
There are tradeoffs when looking to buy. The original fabric-covered wings keep the airplane light and maximize useful load, but metalized wings will better withstand the weather
if tied down outside (albeit with a 40-pound weight penalty). High density altitude takeoff
performance is marginal-particularly with the original 85-horsepower engine. Finding one
with a climb propeller is helpful, or look for an example with a 100-horsepower Continental
O-200 engine upgrade.
The Cessna 120-140 Association, led by president Jeff Tourt, provides extensive advice
on how to keep the type flying with minimal expense. Among the airplane's many positive
attributes, Tourt said there is little maintenance to perform at annual, the parts cost less
than many other classic aircraft, and the aircraft always generate a conversation at the FBO.
The Cessna 140 is equally happy flying into short grass runways or Class C airports, wheel
landing or three-point landing. But the spring steel landing gear-while extremely durable-
will cause a few bounced landings until you learn how to finesse the airplane onto the ground.
Striving for that perfect landing is part of the joy of this budget buy.

PRICE



http://www.cessna120140.com

AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2020

Contents
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2020 - Intro
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2020 - BB1
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2020 - BB2
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2020 - Cover1
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2020 - Cover2
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2020 - Contents
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2020 - 2
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2020 - 3
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2020 - 4
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2020 - 5
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2020 - 6
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2020 - 7
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2020 - 8
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2020 - 9
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2020 - 10
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2020 - 11
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AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2020 - 18
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AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2020 - 20
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AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2020 - 30
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AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2020 - 33
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2020 - 34
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2020 - 35
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2020 - 36
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2020 - 37
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AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2020 - 39
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2020 - 40
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AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2020 - Cover3
AOPA Pilot Magazine - January 2020 - Cover4
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