All three contenders, the Ovation (top), ûLancair (middle), and SR22 (bottom), score ûbig on ramp appeal. Compared to late- ûmodel Cessnas and Pipers, they set the tone ûfor modern personal traveling machines.

People who buy airplanes can be fickle but those who buy new airplanes are capable of turning on a dime and giving you nine cents change. We know this because we’ve had experience with the buyer who lists all the attributes of a particular model on a yellow legal pad, decides to buy and then promptly reverses himself after a good night’s sleep.

This drives aircraft sales people nuts, of course, but they know the game. Aircraft buying is not rational; emotions often drive the deal. It may help if the models are closely matched in capability and price, since the vacillating owner can then fall back on bloodless statistics when…