Summary

  • Cessna has produced the most popular single-engine aircraft since 1956, with the coveted Cessna 172 Skyhawk model.
  • Beechcraft manufactures the iconic Beechcraft Bonanza, operating since 1947, boasting over 17,000 aircraft produced.
  • Cirrus Aircraft is known for producing the SR20 and SR22, high-performance piston aircraft with innovative avionics systems.

Single-engine piston aircraft are some of the most frequently seen aircraft in the world. These aircraft are typically used for both general aviation and training aircraft. Pilot owners typically begin their flying careers with purchases of smaller single-engine aircraft. Many pilots are trained on these aircraft by flight schools as well. These are some of the most popular aircraft in the world.

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The Cessna brand is at the forefront of single-engine aircraft. Since its founding in the 1920s, Cessna has produced the most popular aircraft ever, the Cessna 172 Skyhawk. Nearly 50,000 aircraft have been produced since it started selling in 1956. It also has various other single-engine, high-wing aircraft, like the Cessna 182 Skylane and the Cessna 206 Stationair.

However, many other aircraft manufacturers produce single-engine piston aircraft. Let’s look at some of the other unique piston aircraft built and flown worldwide.

1

Beechcraft

Founded: 1932

Cessna is owned by Textron Aviation, which currently owns another manufacturer of single-engine piston aircraft. This original equipment manufacturer (OEM) is known as Beechcraft. This company is almost as old as Cessna and almost merged with it at one point. Beechcraft produces the famous Beechcraft Bonanza. This aircraft was originally introduced in 1947 and has been continuously produced longer than any other aircraft. Over 17,000 aircraft have been built.

V-tail Bonanza on takeoff

Photo: Angel DiBilio | Shutterstock

The Bonanza is a low-wing aircraft that has undergone several upgrades. Earlier models show the aircraft with a V-tail, whereas newer models are built with a conventional tail. The aircraft has retractable landing gear and is mostly made from aluminum, unlike other general aviation aircraft produced in the 1940s and 1950s.

The newest model is known as the Bonanza G36. It has the following specifications:

Length

27 feet six inches

Height

Eight feet seven inches

Wingspan

33 feet six inches

Cruise speed

176 knots (203 miles per hour)

Range

716 nautical miles (824 miles)

2

Cirrus

Founded: 1984

Another popular single-engine aircraft is the SR22, produced by Cirrus Aircraft. The Klapmeier brothers, Alan and Dave, founded this company in 1984 in Baraboo, Wisconsin, and it is currently headquartered in Duluth, Wisconsin. Cirrus is well-known for producing the single-engine jet designated as the Cirrus SF50 Vision Jet. However, the company is also known for producing piston aircraft, which is designated as the Cirrus SR series.

Cirrus SR22 landing shutterstock_1039112650

Photo: Philip Pilosian | Shutterstock

One of Cirrus’s first notable aircraft was the SR20. This single-engine piston aircraft began production in 1999 after earning its Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) type certification in 1998. The aircraft was FAA Part 23 certified during a certification drought in the 1990s. Over 1,500 aircraft have been produced.

Beyond the SR20, Cirrus also produces the SR22. This was an upgraded variant of the SR20 that was released in 2001. It included a larger wing, newly upgraded engines, and a higher fuel capacity. It was also one of the first piston aircraft to utilize a glass cockpit avionics system. These two aircraft have the following performance specifications.

Specification

SR20

SR22

Length

26 feet

26 feet

Height

Eight feet eleven inches

Eight feet eleven inches

Wingspan

38 feet four inches

38 feet four inches

Cruise speed

155 knots (178 miles per hour)

183 knots (211 miles per hour)

Range

800 nautical miles (920 miles)

1,049 nautical miles (1,207 miles)

3

Piper

Founded: 1927

Piper Aircraft is one of the most notable light aircraft producers in the United States. The company started as Taylor Brother Aircraft Manufacturing Company in 1927 but was later purchased by William Piper in the late 1930s when it was later named Piper Aircraft Corporation. Currently, the company is headquartered in Vero Beach, Florida.

Piper J-3L-65 Cub single engine light aircraft VH-JCP

Photo: Ryan Fletcher | Shutterstock

The company is well known for the production of a Piper J-3 Cub. This single-engine aircraft was considered to be the most inexpensive way to begin flying due to its basic, lightweight design. Over 20,000 Piper Cubs have been built. Beyond the J-3 Cub, Piper has also manufactured several other aircraft. This includes:

  • PA-11 Cub Special
  • PA-12 Super Cruiser
  • PA-22 Super Cub
  • PA-28 Cherokee
  • PA-38 Tomahawk
  • Piper M350

4

Mooney

Founded: 1929

Another aircraft manufacturer that began in the 1920s is Mooney International Corporation. The company produced single-engine aircraft from the early 1930s until the company ceased production of all aircraft in 2019. It has yet to resume making aircraft, after ownership of the company has been moved around several times. Currently, the company is headquartered in Kerrville, Texas.

Mooney M20V Acclaim Ultra

Photo: Mooney

The company’s most famous airplane is the Mooney M20. Initially, the aircraft was introduced in 1955. The aircraft resumed production in 1974 and 2014 after several halts in 1971 and 2008. These aircraft have also undergone several upgrades, including retractable landing gear, avionics upgrades, and additional fuel tanks. The latest Mooney M20 variant has the following specifications:

Length

26 feet eight inches

Height

Eight feet four inches

Wingspan

36 feet six inches

Cruise speed

175 knots (201 miles per hour)

Range

1,100 nautical miles (1,300 miles)

5

Diamond

Founded: 1981

One of the more recently introduced single-engine companies is Diamond Aircraft Industries. Founded in 1981 in Carinthia, Austria, it was purchased by Wanfeng Aviation, which is based in China, in 2017.

A Diamond DA20 flying in the sky.

Photo: Diamond Aircraft

The company is well known for producing light aircraft, specifically the Diamond DA20. This ultra-light aircraft is a single-engine, two-seat aircraft introduced in 1992. Over 1,000 of these aircraft have been delivered. Diamond has also stretched this aircraft into a new one, designated as the Diamond DA40 Diamond Star, which has yet to be certified. The Diamond DA20 has the following specifications:

Length

23 feet six inches

Height

Seven feet two inches

Wingspan

35 feet eight inches

Cruise speed

138 knots (160 miles per hour)

Range

547 nautical miles (629 miles)

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