Fred - you may want to consider a C172 w/180 hp. The extra hp will get
you no more then 5 knots, but what a lift you'll get. Climbs with
gross weight (2550 lb) easily 1000 fpm.
I have LRT, which allows me at about 65% bhp to cruise for 5 hours.
Don't know if your
bladder will hold up, but it's very close to you specs.

My payload is 735 lb. That's not a bad payload figure. With the same
hp in a Piper, you will not get close to this figure or the 1000 fpm
either. I burn about 9.5, but use 10 gph. Now if go to a C182, you
will get close to the same payload, but burn rate is much more and the
cost to maintain is great.

I love my hybrid





fred wrote:
I'm a newbie working on getting a PPL.
People tell me that if I'm serious about flying, I should seriously
look into purchasing a plane - in the long run it'll be cheaper than
renting.

If I buy (used, of course, but I'm open to the possibility of
joint ownerships/partnerships),
I'd need something that seats 4 adults and a small amount of luggage.
Expected useage would be trips of a few hundred to about 500 miles.

I'm learning in a Cessna 152. My gut tells me that I'd like something
with a bit more speed than a C172, but I'm not seeking a high
performance aircraft.
High wing vs low wing is not a major issue.
Cost could be an issue.

What I seek is a table laying out performance and
payload characteristics for your basic single engine prop planes.

So what is the airplane equivalent of a Toyota Corolla or Honda Civic?

Thanks in advance.