Photograph:
Cessna 182G Skylane floatplane VH-RBD (c/n 18255089) at Port Macquarie, NSW in August 2010 (David C Eyre)
Country of origin:
United States of America
Description:
Light touring monoplane
Power Plant:
One 172 kw (230 hp) Continental O-470-R six-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 10.92 m (35 ft 10 in)
- Length: 8.55 m (28 ft 0½ in)
- Height: 2.71 m (8 ft 10½ in)
- Wing area: 16.2 m² (174 sq ft)
- Max speed at sea level: 270 km/h (168 mph)
- Cruising speed at 1,981 m (6,500 ft): 257 km/h (160 mph)
- Service ceiling: 5,395 m (17,700 ft)
- Rate of climb at sea level: 271 m/min (890 ft/min)
- Max range at 185 km/h (115 mph) at 3,048 m (10,000 ft): 1,424 km (885 miles)
- Range at 257 km/h (160 mph) at 1,981 m (6,500 ft): 1,110 km (690 miles)
- Empty weight: 744 kg (1,640 lb)
- Loaded weight: 1,338 kg (2,950 lb)
History:
The Cessna Model 182, which was introduced into the Cessna range in 1956, initially used the same airframe and engine as the Model 180, but had four seats for executive use rather than for the utility role, and was fitted with a tricycle undercarriage. Like most aircraft in the Cessna range, it was developed extensively over the years. Letters have been added to the model number to indicate a new model with design improvements.
Minor modifications to the initial Model 182 led to the 182A, and 182B models. The 182C, in 1960, showed the first major change, a swept tail rather than the earlier versions’ vertical tail. The 1961 Model 182D had a shortened undercarriage; and the Model 182E the following year had a cut-down rear fuselage to enable windows to be fitted at the back of the cabin to permit rearward vision or 360 degree vision as it was then advertised. As each new model was released, a new model of the Skylane, which was a deluxe version with more comprehensive standard equipment, also appeared.
All Cessna 182s have been fitted with various models of the Continental O-470 engine. The 1979 Model 182Q had the O-470-U unit installed, which still gave 172 kw (230 hp). Ultimately development led to the Model 182RG in 1978, a version with a retractable undercarriage. By mid 1985 some 21,864 examples of the 182 series had been built, including 169 by Reims in France, but production was discontinued in 1985. At that time production model was the Model 182R with the 172 kw (230 hp) Continental O-470-U six-cylinder engine.
Licence production of the series was also undertaken by Reims in France. Eventually production resumed, the new variant being the Model 182S, the prototype of which flew on 15 July 1996, deliveries beginning in April 1997. This aircraft was fitted with a Textron Lycoming IO-540-AB1A5 engine, the first fixed undercarriage Model 182 fitted with a Lycoming engine. It became available with a Garmin G1000 glass cockpit providing primary flight, navigation, engine and sensor data on two active-matrix LCD screens.All told some 22,000 examples of the series have been completed.
Some 665 examples of the series have been registered in Australia, and 55 in New Zealand.
Following the revitalisation of the American general aviation industry after the introduction of the General Aviation Revitalisation Act in August 1994, the Cessna 182 series resumed production in 1997, some 332 being delivered by late September 1998, another 359 being delivered during 2005.