The Five Coolest New Aircraft to Check Out in 2017
In reality all aircraft are cool. We just had to narrow down the five coolest ones to check out in 2017.
Cessna TTX Corvalis
This isn’t your grandfather’s Cessna! The sleek styling, clean lines and gull wing doors will definitely catch people’s attention on the ramp. The TTX is as fast as it looks; Cessna quotes a 235 KTAS cruise speed. Coming standard with an advanced Garmin G1000 suite of avionics, it can also be equipped with an optional TKS weeping wing anti-ice system. This makes the 1,270 nm range Cessna TTX a serious IFR machine.
Piper Matrix
If the Corvalis doesn’t have enough seats to meet your needs, check out the Piper Matrix. An update on the venerable Malibu, the features a dual turbocharged 350 horsepower Lycoming engine, a standard Garmin G1000 avionics suite and seating for up to six. This is a serious go anywhere machine; the Matrix boasts a respectable cruise speed of 213 KTAS, an optional TKS anti-icing system and a useful load of over 1,300 pounds.
Mooney M20TN Acclaim
Mooney wins the speed prize for production piston aircraft! For the Acclaim, they tweaked the already proven classic Mooney design to get an eye-popping 242 KTAS out of their latest offering. It’s a long range airplane too, capable of reaching out over 1,400 nm. The aircraft comes standard with a G1000 flat panel display with some enhancements available only in the Acclaim: you can read the flap position and pitch trim indications directly on the super-crisp LCD displays.
Maul MT-7–260
Maybe tiny unimproved runways and taildraggers are your thing. If so, you need to take a look at the Maul MT-7–260. This airplane is a true workhorse that can be outfitted for nearly any purpose: Skis, floats, tundra tires… The Maul can handle them all. With a takeoff distance of only 600 feet and a landing distance of just 900 feet (both over a 50 foot obstacle), there isn’t a place that you can’t get in and out of.
American Champion Xtreme Decathlon
Sometimes, you just want to roll the world upside-down. If that’s your thing, the Xtreme Decathlon is the airplane for you. American Champion went back to the drawing board with its venerable basic Decathlon design in 2012, coming out with a newly revised model with a 210 hp Lycoming attached to an advanced composite prop. That’s plenty of power to push you through gut-wrenching aerobatics — the airplane is rated to +6 Gs to -5 Gs.
