The Best Entry-Level Planes. The importance of starting off your  

flying career with the right plane is as critical  as it gets because, unlike cars, airplanes behave  

as differently as they look. Every airplane  out there is seriously unique in its own way.  

Airplanes are not created equal, and this can  be especially true for entry-level planes.  

Your first plane can make or  break you as a low-time pilot.  

If you get into one that is too complex, and not  forgiving enough, you may be inclined to give up  

on flying altogether, because it will give you  the impression that flying is too dangerous.  

However, a more forgiving, easier-to-fly airplane  can give you the confidence you need to achieve  

your aviation dreams. So, what are the best  entry-level planes to fly? Let’s find out.

Piper Cherokee 140 For local flying and short  

cross-country flights, and for a reasonable price,  the best entry-level Piper is the PA-28-140,  

popularly knoooooooown as the Cherokee 140. Production History 

The Cherokee started off as a replacement  for the Tri-Pacer. Designed to be simple  

to fly and maintain, the Cherokee is one  of the best planes for low-time pilots.  

Originally, the Cherokee was equipped with 150 and  160-hp engines and was called the Cherokee until  

1963, when it became the Cherokee B. With the  Cherokee B model, the buyer could choose a 150-hp  

engine, a 160-hp engine, or a 180-hp engine.  For the 1965 model, it became the Cherokee C,  

with the same engine options as the Cherokee B.  The aircraft got its "Cherokee 140" moniker when  

Piper decided to promote the basic Cherokee as a  trainer. Piper removed the rear seats and tweaked  

the prop, and Lycoming tweaked the engine slightly  to reduce the horsepower from 150 to 140 hp.  

The PA-28-140 came out in early 1964. In 1965,  the horsepower was put back to 150 and it was  

offered with rear seats. About the only thing that  remained was the name. For 1964 and most of 1965,  

buyers could purchase a Cherokee 140 with 140  hp and thereafter, with only a 150 hp engine  

as an option. From 1964 through 1967, buyers  could also get a Cherokee B or Cherokee C  

with their choice of a 150, 160, or 180 hp  engine. It was a confusing mishmash of models  

that Piper simplified with the 1968 model year  when the company trimmed the offerings to two:  

the Cherokee 140 with the 150 hp engine,  and the Cherokee D with the 180 hp engine.  

The Cherokee 140 did not undergo too  many significant changes over its run,  

which ended in 1977. The most notable changes  included going from push-pull engine controls  

to a throttle quadrant; a standard "T"  configuration instrument panel; and moving the  

pitch trim from the overhead crank to the wheel on  the floor next to the Johnson bar for the flaps.  

Various minor and cosmetic changes  and refinements were made too,  

but these Cherokees are all the same basic  airplane and they all fly the same way.  

Cherokee 140s were kept simple on purpose,  as they were aimed at the trainer market and  

designed to keep the hundreds of Piper flight  centers equipped back in the heyday of General  

Aviation training and activity. The production  run only ended when the Tomahawk was introduced  

as the new Piper trainer. Flight characteristics 

Speaking of flight characteristics, Cherokees  are very simple and straightforward to fly,  

land, and maintain. In smooth air,  

they can be trimmed to hold altitude so  well you would think it was on autopilot. 

They handle well in a crosswind due to the  low center of gravity and the wide stance of  

the landing gear, though the roll response is  not stunning. The manual flaps also give you  

instant and immediate control, so if one needs to  dump lift after touchdown, it is easy and quick.

First Recommendation: Piper Cherokee 140 If you are looking for an entry-level, VFR,  

fun airplane for a 300-mile trip  carrying a couple of passengers,  

don’t look past the Cherokee 140. Cherokee 140 Price Points 

Today a Cherokee 140 can be had for the price  of a Tesla. Budget anything around 50 to $75,000  

for one in a good condition, there are some  available for $40,000 or less, but I can’t say  

what condition they are in. Operating Costs 

Maintenance is simple and annual inspections will  not much exceed $1,500 even in an expensive part  

of the United States, provided the aircraft  is maintained as it goes and flown regularly.  

The Cherokee is one of the cheapest planes  to insure, even for low-time pilots. At 7  

to 8-gph, fuel burn is reasonable and you can get  a supplemental type certificate for auto fuel if  

it is available in your area. Practicality 

Most Cherokee 140s will have a useful load of  around 820 to 850 pounds, which means you can  

fill the tanks with 48 gallons of useable fuel  and still put almost 600 pounds into the aircraft.  

That makes it a good three-person aircraft, though  there are some limitations on back seat legroom.  

At maybe 110-knots burning about 8-gph, it has on  paper a range of around 450-nautical miles with a  

VFR reserve—though backseat passengers might  not be able to stick it out for four hours.  

Three hours is a reasonable maximum  for these planes, yet they are also  

an economical choice for local flights. Second Recommendation: Piper PA-38 Tomahawk 

For those who only need two seats, the Tomahawk  is a very nice little plane and an excellent  

choice for an entry-level VFR aircraft. The poor  Tomahawk got a bad rap as the tail structure  

needed some beefing up and a few pilots got them  into a spin that they couldn’t get out of.  

Of all the planes Piper has made in the  last 50 years, the Tomahawk is the most  

fun just to do touch-and-goes. It is a fun  little airplane if you stay off soft strips.  

It would be a good choice to learn to fly  in and to just bop around in. The visibility  

is unmatched with the bubble canopy, and  the panel is logical and well-laid-out.  

The Tomahawk was designed as a trainer, so  don’t expect it to be a great traveling machine.  

The fuel economy is decent; this plane will cruise  between 100 and 105 knots, burning 6 to 6.5 gph.  

There is nothing intrinsically  wrong with the little Tomahawk,  

despite disparaging names like  "Traumahawk," typically uttered by  

pilots who have never flown one. Cherokee 140 vs. PA-38 Tomahawk 

The Cherokee 140 and the Tomahawk are two  excellent starter aircraft for VFR or light IFR,  

if properly equipped. The 140 has more capability and is more  

expensive to buy and operate than the Tomahawk.  There are also a lot more of them out there and  

for that reason, I will recommend you go for the  Cherokee 140, over the fun little Tomahawk, which  

is somewhat rarer to find in the market. Both  of these airplanes are great entry-level choices  

for a first-time buyer looking for an economical  plane for fun local flying and short trips.  

Third Recommendation: Diamond DA40 Diamond Star Diamond’s DA40 is one of the more desirable  

piston singles around. It works as a trainer,  moves right along for traveling, and for those  

who might eventually step up to a Diamond  twin, the DA40’s systems are a good primer. 

With excellent visibility from its bubble  canopy, the DA40 is a favorite among pilots.  

This airplane is light and easy to control.  Since it is essentially a powered glider,  

if the engine did fail, its rate of  descent would be lower than the SR22  

with its parachute deployed. Performance 

With cruise speeds of up to 150-knots, the DA40  blow away its direct competitors, mainly the  

Cessna 172 and the Piper Archer, both entry-level  four-placers. Only the Tiger comes close in older  

designs, although the Cirrus SR20-also entry  level-is faster by about 12 knots or so on 20 more  

horsepower. With its long wing and relatively high  aspect ratio-reflecting its sailplane heritage,  

the DA40 is a terrific climber, even when  loaded. Moreover, it leads the league in  

short-field capability, easily hopping off the  runway in 1200 feet or less with a heavy load.

Payload 

At about 2600 pounds gross, the DA40  is light; at 14 pounds per horsepower,  

its power loading puts it in the middle of its  class. The SR20 has a power loading of 15.25  

lbs/HP, while the 172 is lower, at 13.6 lbs/HP.  Nonetheless, any competent pilot should be able  

to comfortably fly the DA40 out of 2000-foot  runways, at reasonable density altitudes.  

Payload-wise, the DA40 is really a three-place  airplane with baggage space, even at the higher  

gross weights. Useful loads are in the 850-pound  range, so with the tanks full, it can carry  

about 600 pounds-three people with some bags. The  weight-and-balance envelope is relatively benign,  

narrowing a bit toward the gross weight limit.  It tends toward forward, rather than aft CG.  

Offloading fuel is always an option to stuff in  more payload, but the airplane carries only 40  

gallons usable, to begin with, so its range is  hardly exceptional. The 10-gallon extended range  

option helps, but owners complain it narrows  the CG envelope, something that needs watching.

Flight characteristics The Diamond DA40 Star is one of the  

most fun to fly. It’s not quite as well balanced  as a Bonanza, but it has no bad habits, and pitch  

and roll forces are light and easy to manage with  the stick. Slow flight and stalls are non-events,  

and even deep into the stall, the airplane simply  mushes and could probably touch down that way  

in a survivable impact. Flaps have little or no  effect on the trim condition, but neither are they  

as effective as the barn doors on a Cessna 172.  Landing a DA40 Star isn’t particularly difficult,  

but the sight picture over the nose requires some  acclimation to avoid too-high flares. Flown into  

the flare faster than about 65 knots, the DA40  will float; slower is better. Whether for training  

or travel, the DA40 has modern ergonomics,  efficiency, and a stellar safety record.