Dornier Do-27 B1 for Sale

€95,000

Available now: 2001 Citation Bravo — $2,300,000

Aircraft Specifications

Asking Price
€95,000
Model
Do-27 B1
Airframe
4,030 hrs
Engines
1 × Lycoming GO-480-B1A6
Engine time
25 hrs since overhaul (overhauled 22 May 2023)
Inspections
ARC valid until 19 November 2026

Avionics

Description

This Dornier Do-27 B1 is offered at €95,000. The airframe has 4,030 hours total time. Power comes from a single Lycoming GO-480-B1A6 geared six-cylinder engine, which was overhauled on 22 May 2023 and has 25 hours since that overhaul. The propeller is a Hartzell HC82V20-1B, overhauled in March 2004, with 846 hours since overhaul. The aircraft holds an Airworthiness Review Certificate (ARC) valid until 19 November 2026.

The avionics fit is simple and VFR-oriented: a Garmin GTR 225 COM radio and a Trig Mode S transponder. No navigation equipment, autopilot or GPS is listed.

The Do-27 is a high-wing, all-metal, tailwheel utility aircraft developed by Dornier in the 1950s and known for its short take-off and landing performance. It was built in large numbers for military and civil use and remains popular with classic-aircraft owners, glider-towing and parachuting operators.

Year of manufacture, serial number, registration, seating configuration, interior and paint details, damage history and the aircraft's location are not published and are available on request. A full set of logbooks and the overhaul paperwork for the engine and propeller should be reviewed as part of any offer.

Consultant's Notes

The short version

This Dornier Do-27 B1 for sale is a classic German short take-off and landing utility aircraft offered at €95,000. The airframe shows 4,030 hours total time. Its Lycoming GO-480-B1A6 geared six-cylinder engine has 25 hours since an overhaul completed on 22 May 2023. The Hartzell HC82V20-1B propeller was overhauled in March 2004 and has 846 hours since. The published Airworthiness Review Certificate (ARC) is valid until 19 November 2026. Avionics are deliberately basic: a Garmin GTR 225 COM and a Trig Mode S transponder. Year of manufacture, serial number, registration and location are not published and are available on request.

What the Do-27 is, and why people still buy them

The Do-27 was Dornier's answer to a simple brief in the 1950s: a rugged, high-wing utility aircraft that could carry people and equipment in and out of short, rough strips. It was built in large numbers, mostly for the West German armed forces, and was also produced under licence in Spain. After military service, many airframes moved into civil hands, where they found work towing gliders, dropping parachutists and flying from fields that most touring aircraft would avoid.

The design is all-metal, with a large wing, generous flaps and conventional (tailwheel) landing gear. The engine is a geared Lycoming six-cylinder, which gives the Do-27 its distinctive sound and its strong low-speed pull. It is not a fast aircraft and it was never meant to be. People buy a Do-27 today for three reasons: short-field capability, the pleasure of flying a genuine piece of post-war aviation history, and a cabin that is large for a single-engine piston of its era.

If that is what you are looking for, a Do-27 B1 at this price deserves a serious look. If you want a modern, economical touring aircraft, this is not that airplane, and it is better said here than discovered on a viewing.

The numbers on this Dornier Do-27 B1

Airframe: 4,030 hours. For a utility type of this generation, that is a moderate total. It tells you little on its own; what matters is how those hours were flown (military, glider towing, private), how the aircraft was stored, and whether the structural inspections and corrosion checks have been kept up. The logbooks will answer this, and they should be complete.

Engine: Lycoming GO-480-B1A6, 25 hours since overhaul on 22 May 2023. This is the strongest point of the listing. A fresh overhaul on a geared six-cylinder is a significant cost already absorbed by the seller. Two things are worth confirming. First, who carried out the overhaul and what release paperwork came with it. Second, how the engine has been looked after since: 25 hours over the period since May 2023 is low utilisation, and an engine that sits needs proper preservation and regular runs. Ask for the engine log entries since the overhaul.

Propeller: Hartzell HC82V20-1B, overhauled March 2004, 846 hours since. This is the item we would look at first. The hours are moderate, but the overhaul is more than twenty years old. Hartzell publishes both hour and calendar overhaul limits, and in Europe the aircraft's maintenance programme determines how the calendar limit is applied. Depending on that programme, the propeller may be due, or may soon be due, for overhaul. Budget for it until the paperwork proves otherwise, and treat it as a legitimate negotiation point rather than a surprise.

ARC valid until 19 November 2026. An ARC is the European airworthiness review that confirms the aircraft's records and condition are in order. Depending on when you read this, the current ARC may be close to expiry or already due for renewal. That is normal in a sale, but agree in writing who arranges and pays for the next review, and make the sale conditional on a valid ARC at delivery if that matters to you.

Avionics: simple by design

The panel listing is short: a Garmin GTR 225 COM and a Trig Mode S transponder. Both are modern, reliable units and they cover what most Do-27 owners actually need: talking to air traffic control and being visible to it. No GPS, navigation receiver or autopilot is listed. This is a visual-flight aircraft, and buyers should plan on that basis. If you want a moving map, a portable unit is the usual answer in this kind of aircraft. Ask whether the transponder transmits ADS-B Out, as that is not stated.

Who this aircraft suits

- Classic-aircraft owners who want something with real history and a strong club following. - Glider-towing and parachuting operators, two roles the Do-27 has filled for decades, subject to the aircraft's equipment and approvals. - Short-field and grass-strip pilots who value low-speed handling and a big wing more than cruise speed. - Pilots with tailwheel experience, or who are prepared to get it. Insurers will ask.

Who it does not suit

- Pilots who need instrument capability or modern avionics. - Owners looking for low fuel burn. A 270 hp-class geared six-cylinder is thirsty compared with a modern four-cylinder trainer. - Buyers who want factory-backed parts support. The Do-27 has been out of production for decades; parts and expertise come from specialists and the owner community.

Ownership realities

Owning a Do-27 is less about the purchase price and more about access to the right people. The GO-480 is a geared engine and benefits from a shop that knows it. Airframe parts for an out-of-production type are sourced through specialists, type clubs and existing stocks. None of this is unusual for a classic aircraft, but it is worth mapping out before you buy: which maintenance organisation will look after the aircraft, where it will be based, and how long a typical parts lead time is.

Insurance for a tailwheel classic depends heavily on the pilot's experience. Get a quote with your own hours before committing. Hangarage is strongly recommended for an aircraft of this age.

What to check before you buy

1. Year, serial number and registration. None is published. Confirm all three and check that they match the data plate and the registration documents. 2. Complete logbooks for airframe, engine and propeller, including the military-to-civil transition if applicable. 3. Engine overhaul documentation from May 2023: who did it, what was replaced, and the release certificate. 4. Propeller calendar status against Hartzell's limits and the approved maintenance programme. 5. ARC renewal: timing, who arranges it and who pays. 6. Airworthiness directives for airframe, engine and propeller, with compliance records. 7. Damage history: not stated in the listing. Ask directly and look for repairs in the records. 8. Corrosion and structure: an all-metal airframe of this age needs a careful inspection of the wing attachments, fuselage structure and control surfaces. 9. Weight and balance and the current equipment list. 10. A pre-purchase inspection by a maintenance organisation with Do-27 and geared-Lycoming experience.

Price in context

At €95,000, the asking price reflects a classic utility aircraft with a recently overhauled engine. The fresh engine is real value. The propeller calendar question and the ARC timing are where a sensible conversation about price sits. We would not try to argue the airframe down for its age; that is what you are buying. We would make sure the documents support the condition, and adjust only for items that are genuinely due.

Frequently asked questions

What year is this Dornier Do-27 B1? The year of manufacture is not published. It is available on request, together with the serial number and registration.

How many hours does it have? The airframe has 4,030 hours total time. The engine has 25 hours since its overhaul on 22 May 2023, and the propeller has 846 hours since its March 2004 overhaul.

What engine does the Do-27 B1 use? This aircraft has a Lycoming GO-480-B1A6, a geared six-cylinder piston engine.

Is the aircraft airworthy? The published ARC is valid until 19 November 2026. Its renewal and current status should be confirmed at the time of purchase.

Can it fly in instrument conditions? No navigation or instrument-flight equipment is listed. The published avionics are a Garmin GTR 225 COM and a Trig Mode S transponder, which suit visual flying.

What is the asking price? The asking price is €95,000.

Where is the aircraft located? The location is not published. Contact us and we will confirm it along with viewing arrangements.