One of these is the Tecnam P2008, a two-seat metal and composite high-wing aircraft that arrived on U.S. shores in 2009. (The model name comes from Tecnam’s practice of naming aircraft based on the last name of company founders Luigi and Giovanni Pascale and the year a given aircraft was designed.) The standard P2008 flies behind a 100-horsepower Rotax 912 engine, burns about 4.5 gallons per hour, and cruises at about 116 knots. A turbocharged version was offered with a Rotax 914 UL engine that could handle higher elevations and warmer climates.
See how the Tecnam P2008 measures up:
How much: New with all the options can run as high as $279,000. A 2013 turbo model was listed on Controller.com for $179,900.
Buy it: If you want a comfortable, modern, ergonomic two-seat trainer with avionics from the twenty-first century.
Skip it: If you’re happy with vintage airframe designs and analog instruments.