Ryan Navion

This page's frontmatter describes the Navion G / "Rangemaster G": Continental IO-470-H, 260 hp, 3,150 lb gross, 108 gal usable fuel, 5 seats -- NOT the family average, and not the 2,850 lb / 4-seat / 60 gal figures the previous version of this page carried, which mixed the Navion B's certificated gross weight with a later IO-470-H engine designation (a rule-2 cross-variant borrowing error -- see the tcdsa782 passage for the full breakdown by model). "Rangemaster" is a MARKETING name; the certificate itself calls this model simply "Navion G," and that distinction is worth knowing before a title search or an AD lookup, both of which key off the certificated designation.

SPLITTING-RULE FINDING, not executed this session. This page fails docs/CATALOG-SPLITTING-RULE.md on THREE separate, independently disqualifying grounds, and the first is a hard Step-1 trigger with no judgment call involved:

1. Seat count differs (Step 1, hard split, no exceptions). The base Navion/A/B/D/E/F are 4-seat airplanes; the G and H are certificated 5-seat. Step 1's table lists "different seat count" as an absolute split with "no judgment, no exceptions."
2. Fuel capacity spans 39.5 to 108 gallons (Step 2), a 173% spread against the 20% threshold -- the single largest violation on this page.
3. Max gross weight spans 2,750 to 3,315 lb (Step 2), a 20.5% spread against the 15% threshold, and cruise speed spans roughly 128 to 166 kt (Step 2), a ~30% spread against the 15% threshold (both per the aopa1982navions/aopa1976rangemasterh passages).

This is the same shape of fault the King Air 90/200 split was built to fix -- a marketing name ("Navion"/"Rangemaster") spanning genuinely different airplanes, now sourced with real numbers instead of copied ones, but still on one page. No split is executed here, per this session's explicit instructions (three other sessions are writing into this tree concurrently, and a split means new slugs, retired redirects and repointed wikilinks, which is not safe to do unilaterally). This is recorded for a dedicated splitting pass: at minimum, the 4-seat Navion/A/B/D/E/F group and the 5-seat G/H group should become separate pages, and the G and H likely warrant their own pages from each other too given the fuel-capacity and weight-serial-break complexity documented in tcdsa782.

The Navion is a four-to-five-seat, low-wing, retractable-gear single designed at the end of WWII by North American Aviation as the NA-143 (produced as NA-145), leveraging the design DNA of the P-51 Mustang's basic planform and sliding bubble canopy. North American built the first 1,109 aircraft starting in 1946 with a 185HP (205HP takeoff) Continental E-185 before selling production rights to Ryan Aeronautical Company in 1947. Ryan built another 1,238 Navions (A and B models) at its San Diego plant through 1951, including 163 L-17A/B/C aircraft for the US Army and Air Force used as liaison, training, and observation aircraft during the Korean War.

After Ryan exited production, the type certificate and tooling changed hands repeatedly: TUSCO (Tulsa) built D, E, and F variants in the mid-1950s with optional tip tanks and higher gross weights (3,150 lb across all three, per the certificate -- not the 2,850 lb previously stated here). The Navion Aircraft Corporation (later Navion Rangemaster Aircraft Corp) then revived the design in 1961 with the Navion G, marketed as the "Rangemaster G," which replaced the iconic sliding canopy with a conventional cabin-top and car-style doors, adding a fifth seat and (per the certificate's required-equipment list) factory tip tanks bringing standard fuel to 108 gallons. The Navion H followed in 1967 with a 285HP Continental IO-520-B and a 3,315 lb gross weight. Production finally ended in 1976 after roughly 100 Rangemasters were built (about 90 G-models plus roughly 50 H-models across two further ownership changes -- see TCDS Type Certificate Holder Record). Total airframes across all variants: approximately 2,634.

A multi-engine Camair 480 conversion of the airframe exists as a SEPARATE type certificate (TCDS A-782's own NOTE 3 reads: "Deleted. Information pertinent to twin-engine Navions now covered in Aircraft Specification 2A1") and is not described by this page at all.

Today the Navion is a cult classic -- a docile, overbuilt, Mustang-pedigreed tourer that cruises in the 128-166 KTAS band depending on variant. The sliding canopy on early models is beloved for visibility and ramp presence, though the page's chosen representative (the G) traded the canopy for a cabin-top and doors, and a fifth seat. Ownership is supported by the American Navion Society and Sierra Hotel Aero of South St. Paul, MN, which has held the type certificate since March 2003 (confirmed directly from TCDS A-782's own Type Certificate Holder Record) and supplies parts, STCs, and refurbishment services.

A note on gross weight the certificate itself required: every D/E/F/G(early) model is certificated at 3,150 lb, not 2,850 lb. Only the Navion B (Lycoming GO-435-C2, the "Super 260") is a 2,850 lb airplane. The previous page's frontmatter had applied the B's weight to an F/G-engine airplane; this page's Variants table now states each model's own certificated weight from TCDS A-782 directly.

The frontmatter's 145 KTAS / 13.8 GPH / 1,110 NM triple is ONE row of ONE table -- AOPA Pilot's November 1982 three-model comparison, at 70% power, 7,500 ft, for the Rangemaster G specifically. The G is the fastest of the pre-H canopy-less Navions and the only 5-seat, 108-gallon airplane among D/E/F.

The original 205HP E-185 Navion (the base "Navion" and "Navion A" models) is a sluggish climber at gross weight and cruises only around 128 KTAS on roughly 10.3 GPH -- the airframe is heavy for its wing area compared to contemporaries like the Beechcraft Bonanza 35 V-tail (Early). The Navion B (geared 260 hp Lycoming) reaches 140 KTAS on 13.3 GPH. The Rangemaster H is the fastest production variant: AOPA's dedicated September 1976 test of a Rangemaster H reports 166 KTAS normal cruise (75% power, 7,500 ft) and 143 KTAS economy cruise (50% power, 12,000 ft), with range of 1,125 NM and 1,398 NM respectively -- all figures for the H specifically, not blended into this page's G-model frontmatter (runbook rule 2).

Real-world cruise on Continental-converted Navions typically settles in the 140-160 KTAS band at 65-75% power -- respectable for the airframe but clearly bested by a comparable Comanche 260 or Bellanca Super Viking on similar horsepower. Where the Navion wins is stability (solid IFR platform, heavy controls, great trim authority) and ride quality in turbulence thanks to high wing loading. Short-field numbers are surprisingly good for a 3,150 lb retractable: AOPA's own table gives the Rangemaster G a 785 ft takeoff ground roll and a 425 ft landing ground roll.

A recorded disagreement: the certificate (TCDS A-782, Model Navion G section) states Va as "132 m.p.h. (115 K) True Ind." The AOPA 1982 table reads Va as 117 KIAS for the same airplane -- a 2-knot gap. The certificate wins (tier 1 over tier 3): this page stores 115.

With the Navion G's 1,200 lb useful load, 108 gal (648 lb) fuel capacity, and 5 certificated seats:

• Full fuel (648 lb) + 2 adults (340 lb): 212 lb remaining for bags and the 3rd-5th seats -- a genuine 2-3 person, full-range airplane. At 145 KTAS and 13.8 GPH this is well over 7 hours' fuel, far beyond practical bladder/reserve range; a realistic trip leg is set by comfort and daylight, not fuel, for 2-3 occupants.
• Five occupants (850 lb) + bags (100 lb): fuel limited to roughly 250 lb (~42 gal) -- around 3 hours plus reserves, roughly 435 NM no-wind. The Navion G is a genuine 5-seat airplane at reduced fuel, unlike the D/E/F canopy models it succeeded, which certify at 4-5 seats but with far less standard fuel (39.5-68 gal) to work with.
• Rangemaster H (3,315 lb, 1,315 lb useful, 108 gal all-usable): AOPA's 1976 test loaded N2558T at 2,245 lb empty + 648 lb full fuel = 2,893 lb, leaving 422 lb for "two standard (170 lb) passengers and 82 pounds of baggage" against the 3,315 lb gross -- the article's own words, confirming the type is not close to a true 5-person-plus-baggage-plus-full-fuel airplane despite its 5 certificated seats, a caution worth carrying into any Navion G/H purchase decision.

The G and H's move to 108 gallons standard (versus 39.5-68 for the earlier D/E/F) is the single biggest payload-range change in the model's history, and is the reason this page favors the G as its representative variant over an earlier canopy model.

Related pages: Beechcraft Bonanza 35 V-tail (Early) | Comanche | Bellanca Super Viking | Aircraft Valuation Methodology | GA Insurance Underwriting | Maintenance Ecosystem | Avionics Pricing Reference

• Local fun flying (8): Ramp presence, military heritage, and docile handling make Navions outstanding weekend airplanes across the family. The sliding-canopy early models add an open-canopy taxi experience the cabin-top G/H give up.
• Cross-country (7): The Rangemaster G and H cruise in the 145-166 KTAS band with 1,100+ NM range on their 108-gallon standard fuel. Heavy, stable, and comfortable.
• Business travel (5): Capable but slow compared to modern singles; parts delays and specialist mechanic needs hurt dispatch reliability.
• Cargo hauling (5): 1,200 lb useful load (G) is solid, and the cabin is wide, but loading through car doors (Rangemaster) or over the wing (canopy variants) is awkward.
• Backcountry (4): Short-field numbers are decent, but low-wing retractable with tight prop clearance disqualifies serious off-airport use. Some owners do fly them off grass strips.
• Surveying (4): Good visibility from the cabin-top windows, but fuel burn and cost are high for a mission where slower aircraft win.
• Flight training (2): Retractable gear, vintage systems, complex endorsement requirements, and parts headaches rule it out as a primary trainer.
• Aerobatics (1): Not certified aerobatic.

Most Navions still flying have been panel-updated at least once. Common configurations:

• Budget ($35-50K airframes): Round-gauge panels with a KX-155 or similar IFR nav/com, legacy ADF and transponder, often no autopilot or a tired Mitchell/Brittain wing leveler. ADS-B Out via a tail-beacon retrofit. Compliance with 91.225 present but minimal.
• Mid-tier ($50-75K): Garmin GNS-430W or GTN-650, second com, GTX-335/345 transponder, a single G5 replacing vacuum AI or DG. Older STEC-30 or STEC-50 autopilot.
• Premium ($75-90K+): Dual G5s or GI-275s, GTN-750Xi, GFC-500 autopilot (where STC'd), engine monitor (EDM-730/830), and LED lighting. Sierra Hotel Aero has supported several modernization packages.

See Avionics Pricing Reference for install cost benchmarks.

• Continental IO-470-H conversion: Replaces the original E-185 or GO-435 with a 260HP IO-470, a common value-adding upgrade on earlier canopy models. Supported by Sierra Hotel Aero. TCDS A-782 NOTE 6 requires a fuselage structural reinforcement (Navion Dwg. 143-31001-700) "with installation of Continental IO-470-H engine on all models through Navion F" -- a real, certificated structural requirement worth verifying in a pre-buy's logbooks, not merely a paperwork formality.
• Continental IO-520-B conversion: 285HP upgrade mirroring the Rangemaster H.
• Tip tanks: Standard on D/E/F/G/H per the certificate's own required-equipment items (110-series); retrofittable to A/B. The G and H's 108-gallon standard fuel already includes these.
• Gross weight increase (G model only, TCDS NOTE 7): early Navion G airframes (S/N 2351-2400) are certificated at 3,150 lb; S/N 2401-2497 may be increased to 3,315 lb with Navion Dwg. 161-00002-3; S/N 2498 and up are 3,315 lb from the factory, with correspondingly higher published airspeed limits (Vne 176 kt vs 172 kt). This page's frontmatter stores the LOWER, earlier-serial block per rule 23 -- see tcdsa782 for the reasoning and its limits.
• One-piece windshield: Replaces multi-panel original on canopy variants.
• Sierra Hotel Aero PM exhaust system: Approved for A, B, D, E, F, G, H, and L-17 with O-470, IO-470, IO-520, and IO-550 engines.
• Three-blade prop STC: The Rangemaster H shipped with a McCauley three-blade prop from the factory; earlier models can be converted.

See Maintenance Ecosystem for context.

• Parts availability: Fair. Sierra Hotel Aero (type certificate holder) stocks or can fabricate most airframe parts. The American Navion Society is an active owner community with parts leads and technical support. Some unique items (hydraulic actuators, old instruments) can take weeks.
• Mechanic familiarity: Specialist. Most general A&Ps have never seen a Navion. Hydraulic gear and flap systems, unusual fuel system, and Mustang-style construction require a mechanic who has read the manual or has Navion experience. Sierra Hotel Aero and a handful of Navion-specialist shops around the US (notably in the upper Midwest and Texas) handle most major work.
• Annual inspection: Routine annuals run in the low thousands; first annual after buying a neglected example can be far more as deferred items surface.
• Expensive items:
  • IO-470 overhaul: national specialty-shop pricing per reference/engine-overhaul-pricing.md, ~$48,000
  • IO-520 overhaul (Rangemaster H): comparable to or above the IO-470 band
  • Hydraulic actuator overhaul
  • Prop overhaul (McCauley three-blade on the H, Hartzell/McCauley two-blade on earlier variants)
  • Full corrosion repair, highly variable
• Annual operating cost (annual_cost_estimate: 14000 is carried forward from the previous page -- it is a cost-model output computed by the supervising session, not re-derived here).

See Aircraft Valuation Methodology for the framework. Navion-specific factors:

• This session's asking-price research was thin and is flagged low-confidence (see navionasking passage) -- Controller.com showed zero live listings under the Navion G/H/A model filters on 2026-09-11, and a broader search surfaced high asking prices that could not be confirmed as stock airframes rather than modified or twin-converted examples. The price_min/max/typical_usd fields are carried forward from the previous page rather than freshly verified.
• Engine: IO-470 or IO-520 conversions add value over an original E-185 or geared GO-435 Lycoming (the GO-435 is widely reported as costly to maintain with scarce parts). Mid-time IO-470 vs run-out is a real swing in value.
• Tip tanks and 3,315 lb gross (late-serial G, or any H): a premium over the 3,150 lb early-serial G or the D/E/F canopy models.
• Modern avionics: $10-25K premium for GTN + G5/GI-275 + GFC-500.
• Airframe condition: Corrosion-free, hangared examples with documented maintenance command a strong premium. Neglected ramp queens can be nearly unsellable.
• Rangemaster H: Generally commands a premium over G and canopy variants due to higher performance, higher gross weight, and greater standard fuel; exceptional restored examples have sold well above typical market as outliers.

• AD 2008-05-08 (Sierra Hotel Aero): One-time inspection of the entire fuel system and repetitive functional tests of fuel selector valves. Issued after accidents tied to leaking or improperly operating fuel selector valves. Compliance is a pre-buy must-verify item.
• Fuel system cross-feed hoses: Rubber hoses between the main tanks and header tank are buried, hard to inspect, and commonly overlooked. Replace on pre-buy.
• Corrosion: Common on 70+ year old airframes, particularly around the wing carry-through spar and the tail cone. Regularly correctable but expensive.
• Hydraulic system: Navions use hydraulics for gear, flaps, and brakes. Expect leaks, worn seals, and aging lines on neglected airplanes.
• Landing gear actuator and down-lock: Gear rigging is a specialist job; incorrect rigging leads to gear-up or partial-extension incidents.
• Electrical and mechanical fatigue: Many components are simply worn out or neglected over the decades -- the airframe's biggest challenge is not any single AD but cumulative wear.
• Wood components: Navions are metal aircraft and do NOT have wood wings (unlike the Bellanca Viking); the wood-rot concern does not apply here.
• Cabin-top and door seals (G/H): Unlike the sliding-canopy models, the G and H's car-style doors and fixed cabin-top can develop seal leaks and wind noise; check for water intrusion on pre-buy.

See GA Insurance Underwriting for category definitions. The Navion falls into the vintage retractable category (this session did not obtain a fresh quote -- see typical_hull_insurance_annual_usd's validator_exempt entry):

• Hull premiums: Roughly 2.5-4% of hull value for experienced pilots per general guidance; a $60K hull would fall in the $1,500-$2,400/year range for a qualified pilot with retractable and complex time.
• New-to-type or low-time: First-year premiums can run materially higher -- a penalty for pilots without retract/complex hours.
• Training requirement: Insurers typically require several hours dual with a Navion-experienced CFI before solo.
• Complex endorsement: Required (retractable gear, controllable prop, flaps).
• Benign underwriting record: The Navion has a comparatively clean claims history for a 1940s-60s retractable -- heavy, stable, forgiving handling works in its favor. Gear-up incidents are the dominant claim type.