Three LSAs Under $65,000

Without too much difficulty, this year at AirVenture Oshkosh we found three light sport category ready-to-fly aircraft available for less than $65,000 – the Cheetah, X-Air LS, and the Aerotrek A240. There are others in the price range; this is just a random sample from a group of high-wing, front-engined, tricycle-gear aircraft we saw at the show. The Cheetah came in at a base of $48,500 and is expecting SLSA approval next month. The X-Air LS was displayed on sale for $59,900 and had first delivery last year at OSH. The $63,000 Aerotrek A240 has delivered 45 aircraft in the U.S., but not under the Aerotrek name, which was adopted in April. As the most expensive of the three, Aerotrek’s A240 also offers the fastest cruise (“120 mph-plus,” according to the company, compared to a VNE of 125 for the wider Cheetah, and 113 mph X-Air LS). The A240 also offers folding wings to facilitate trailering. For this price in this group you are getting a tube-and-fabric airplane with externally braced wings and cub-like flat-airfoil tail surfaces. And, yes, you’ll may find yourself paying more for upgrades (like Mode C transponders) to suit your needs. … Some quick opinions after the jump.

Without too much difficulty, this year at AirVenture Oshkosh we found three light sport category ready-to-fly aircraft available for less than $65,000 - the Cheetah, X-Air LS, and the Aerotrek A240. There are others in the price range; this is just a random sample from a group of high-wing, front-engined, tricycle-gear aircraft we saw at the show (the Aerotrek A220, pictured, is that company's taildragger version of the A240). The Cheetah came in at a base of $48,500 and is expecting SLSA approval next month. The X-Air LS was displayed on sale for $59,900 and had first delivery last year at OSH. The $63,000 Aerotrek A240 has delivered 45 aircraft in the U.S., but not under the Aerotrek name, which was adopted in April. As the most expensive of the three, Aerotrek's A240 also offers the fastest cruise ("120 mph-plus," according to the company, compared to a VNE of 125 for the wider Cheetah, and 113 mph X-Air LS). The A240 also offers folding wings to facilitate trailering. For this price in this group you are getting a tube-and-fabric airplane with externally braced wings and cub-like flat-airfoil tail surfaces. And, yes, you may find yourself paying more for upgrades (like Mode C transponders) to suit your needs.

The fit and finish of each aircraft was similar between the X-Air and Cheetah, both of which may require the slightest extra attention during ingress and egress to avoid cables or brake lines. The X-Air felt smaller than the Cheetah (we did manage to fit two six-plus footers comfortably in the Cheetah), but the Cheetah's throttle-integrated moveable armrest arrangement felt less solid than we'd prefer. The Aerotrek was impressive for fit and finish and in our opinion shouldn't be left off the list if you're shopping for a new aircraft in this price range.