I have owned two airplanes: a Piper Cherokee 140 and a Piper Cherokee 235. Both of which are fixed gear airplanes. I would like to go faster and it strikes me that one way to do that is to get landing gear out of the airflow creating drag. I spoke with a guy across the way from me at our airport, and he said, "Stay away from retracts. You can go fast with fixed gear. But then you don't have to pay the maintenance on the retracts which has been - by a large margin - the most expensive part of maintaining any of the airplanes I've owned. I just won't buy retracts any more." I wonder what other's experience is with that.

Anyone have a plane they are looking for at the moment? I find a few and break down the trade a plane ad for the best 3 deals

You’ve just found your hangar for smart aircraft shopping. This Skool community is where we look at the best Trade-A-Plane deals every month — focused on Cessna 172s, 182s, Bonanzas, and Cirrus SR22s.If you’re a pilot thinking about buying, upgrading, or finally stepping into ownership, this is where we cut through the noise together. 🧭 What We Do Here: Every month, I review hundreds of listings and pull together a shortlist of the best values in the piston market.We talk through why each airplane made the list — price vs. condition, avionics stack, maintenance history, and resale potential. The goal isn’t to sell airplanes.The goal is to help you move from “just looking” to a qualified prebuy inspection — efficiently, confidently, and without wasting months chasing dead ends. 🛠️ How to Get Started: 1️⃣ Introduce yourself – Tell us what you fly now (or want to), your mission, and your purchase timeline. 2️⃣ Read the latest “Top 10 Deals” post – That’s where you’ll see how we break down each airplane. 3️⃣ Join the next live call – We meet on the first Sunday of each month at 7 PM CT to walk through current listings together. 💬 What You’ll Find Inside - Monthly Deal Posts — ranked picks and market commentary - Member Deal Reviews — post your own find and get feedback - Path to Prebuy — guidance on narrowing options and working with shops - Avionics & Upgrades — Garmin retrofits, panel planning, and ownership insights - Hangar Chat — casual talk and real-world experience from fellow pilots ⚙️ A Few Ground Rules - Use your real name and be respectful. - No selling, spamming, or brokering. - Keep posts focused on buying, evaluating, or owning piston GA aircraft. - Everything here is for education — verify details with your own A&P/IA. 📣 Need Expert Help? If you want direct help getting from “interesting listing” to “ready for prebuy”, you can book a Deal Vet Session or a full Prebuy Concierge service under Consulting Offers.That’s where I step in one-on-one to save you time and headaches.

Let’s hear about what you are shopping for and what your mission is?

Nick Gilbert welcome aboard