Everyone is familiar with the famous Boeing 747, Queen of the skies. Or the Airbus A320 used by Easyjet and many other airlines. But what about less well known aircraft? I have compiled a list of what I think are the top 5 most interesting aircraft you can fly on that most people have never heard of. I’ve only included aircraft that are (relatively) realistic options to fly so there won’t be anything prohibitively expensive for example. So please read my article on 5 Unusual Aircraft and Where You Can Fly Them. Leave a comment to let me know what you think or if you can think of anything better!
Short Skyvan
First flown in 1967, the Short SC.7 Skyvan was made the the Belfast-based Short Brothers. I had previously assumed they only made military aircraft, such as the WW2 Short Stirling. In fact, they released several relatively popular small regional airliners like the Short 360. Sadly, they no longer make these “flying shoeboxes” but the company does still exist in some form or another. Sold to Bombardier in 1989 and Spirit AeroSystems in 2020.
If you find yourself in Alberta, Canada you can find an example of this plane in limited operation. According to Flightaware this plane, originally built in 1967, registered C-GTBU is still going strong. Its most recent flight at time of writing was 22 Sep 2022 and it is used by Nomad Air for Skydiving. So, if you’re feeling adventurous you could get a chance to fly on this weird contraption. The below Youtube video shows what the flight is like, and how impressively spacious it is:
Piaggio P.180 Avanti
The Piaggio P.180 Avanti is a much more modern aircraft, first flying in 1986 and still in production. You can fly on this plane with many aircraft charter companies, but it won’t come cheap at $1,850 per hour according to Paramount business jets. That being said, if you spread the cost between 6 passengers it comes down to $300 each which doesn’t seem too bad.
Unusually for a propeller aircraft, the P.180 Avanti has some pretty impressive performance stats. With a maximum speed of 745 km/h (402 KTAS) and a service ceiling of 12,497m (41,000ft). This aircraft performs more like a jet than a turboprop. This is thanks to its powerful engines, sleek aerodynamics and pusher configeration.
Ilyushin Il-96
The Ilyushin Il-96 was designed by Russian aircraft designer Sergey V Ilyushin. This long-haul wide-body aircraft is powered by four engines with a maximum range of 5,400 nm (10,000km).
As you can see from this trip report by Simply Aviation, the plane and flight experience is pretty similar to that of its western couterparts. Namely the Airbus A340-200. What makes it interesting however, is its intention to be a competitor to the big aviation duopoly of Airbus and Boeing. It failed dramatically to do this but is still finding very limited service with airlines that can’t access more conventional aircraft.
Looking at the aircraft fly the proportions just seem slightly off. With a short fuselage, giant tailfin and pointy nose, it has a unique design aesthetic which sets it apart from Airbus and Boeing. It’s also incredibly rare, with just 1 or 2 or even none produced per year since its launch in 1988. Currently the only airlines using this plane for commercial flights are Cubana de Aviacion (Cuba’s national airline) and Rossiya Airlines (part of the Aeroflot Group).
Antonov An-2
First flown in 1947 with over 18,000 aircraft produced, the Antonov An-2 is one of the most produced aircraft ever. It also holds the record for longest production run of any aircraft with production only ending in 2009.
This plane is a real soviet workhorse and there are still thousands flying around the world. It is also popular for bush flying and crop-dusting. Two activities which require a very rugged, reliable aircraft. Amazingly, the aircraft is reported to remain controllable at speeds as low as 30 mph (48 km/h) with no listed stall speed. In Poland you can go on a sightseeing flight in an AN-2 for only 140 PLN (~£25).
Dragon Rapide
The Dragon Rapide is easily the oldest aircraft on this list, and in my opinion, the best looking. Introduced in 1934 and built out of plywood. This sleek Art Deco aircraft was originally used by early airliners before being commandeered by the RAF for training and transport in WW2. Thanks to its aerodynamic design it is also surprisingly fast for a biplane, with a maximum speed of 158mph.
From only £99 you can fly both a Dragon Rapide & Spitfire at Duxford near Cambridge, also one of the best aviation museums in the UK. They have two Rapides at Duxford (reg G-AKIF and G-AIYR) built in 1945 and 1943 respectively. After long illustrious lives spent as airliners, survey planes, skydiving planes and more they are now just used for sightseeing flights.
More by me…
Also feel free to use my Amex referral link for great signup bonuses:
- The Platinum Card – You Receive 65,000 Membership Reward points and a £200 travel credit, I receive 24,000 points: https://americanexpress.com/en-gb/referral/fREDEGgRA5?CPID=100493012
- British Airways Card: You Receive 12,000 Avios after spending £1,000 in the first 3 months, I receive 8,000 Avios: https://americanexpress.com/en-gb/referral/fREDEGuUeO?CPID=100493012