Piston singles are where most pilots start, and where many of us stay for life. The category includes everything from a 1960s two-seat Cessna 150 to a brand-new Cirrus SR22T with a parachute — all powered by one piston engine driving a propeller at the front.
If you are buying your first aircraft, this is almost certainly the page you should be on. Acquisition cost is the lowest of any certified category (clean used singles start around $40,000), parts are everywhere, mechanics know them, and the resale market is the most liquid in general aviation. The trade-off is speed — most singles cruise between 110 and 180 knots — but for the kind of flying most pilots actually do, that is more than enough.
On MarketplaceAviation we list piston singles from every era and every continent: from 1950s trainers with high time and honest paperwork to late-model glass cockpits with a few hundred hours since new. All listings are free to publish and free to browse, with secure messaging between buyers and sellers.
How much does a used piston single cost?
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The market is wide. Entry-level options like a 1960s–70s Cessna 150 or 172 sit in the $35,000–$70,000 range. A clean 1980s–90s Skyhawk or Cherokee usually trades between $75,000 and $130,000. Late-model glass-cockpit aircraft like a recent Cirrus SR22T or Cessna 172S G1000 NXi reach $350,000–$700,000.
What is the cheapest piston single I can realistically buy and fly?
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A high-time but well-documented Cessna 150, 152 or Piper Tomahawk can change hands for $30,000–$45,000. Just understand that "cheap to buy" and "cheap to operate" are different things — budget at least $5,000–$8,000 per year for hangar, insurance, annual inspection and reserves on any owned single.
Should I get a pre-buy inspection on a piston single?
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Always, and always by an independent mechanic. A proper pre-buy includes compression testing, borescope on the cylinders, verification of all open ADs, careful logbook review and a test flight covering every system under load.
Is it free to list a piston single on MarketplaceAviation?
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Yes. You can publish your listing for free with up to two photos, no commission on the sale, no time limit. Optional one-time boosts (€4.90 Standard / €19.90 Premium) feature your listing at the top and unlock more photos permanently.
