- Cessna 185
-
Model 185 Skywagon 
Cessna 185 Skywagon II at Cambridge Bay Airport, Nunavut, Canada Role Light utility aircraft Manufacturer Cessna Aircraft Company First flight 1960 Introduction 1961 Produced 1961-1985 Number built over 4,400 Variants Cessna 180 The Cessna 185, also known as the Skywagon, is a six-seat, single-engined, general aviation light aircraft manufactured by Cessna. It first flew as a prototype in July 1960, with the first production model being completed in March 1961. The Cessna 185 is a high-winged aircraft with non-retractable conventional landing gear and a tailwheel. Over 4,400 were built with production ceasing in 1985. When Cessna re-introduced some of its most popular models in the 1990s, the tailwheel equipped Cessna 180 and 185 were left to the history books and not resurrected.
Contents
Design
The aircraft is basically a Cessna 180 with a strengthened fuselage. The main difference between the two aircraft is the larger vertical fin on the 185 and the 300 hp (224 kW) Continental Motors IO-520-D engine as opposed to the 230 hp (172 kW) Continental Motors O-470-S fitted in the Cessna 180. The exception was that a Continental Motors IO-470-F engine of 260 hp (194 kW) was initially fitted until midway through the 1966 production year. The later model Skywagon II has a factory fitted avionics package.
1976 Cessna A185F on floats
The Skywagon can also be fitted with floats, amphibious float, or skis. The AGcarryall variant of the 185 adds a 151-gallon belly chemical tank and removable spray booms for aerial application. It is also possible to fit a cargo pod under the fuselage that can carry an extra 300 lb (136 kg).
The 180 and 185 are widely used in bush flying, the commercial transport of passengers and freight to remote austere airstrips and floatplane and ski-plane accessible lakes and snowfields, primarily in Canada and Alaska.
The ICAO designator as used in flight plans for the Cessna 185 is C185.
Variants
Civil variants
- 185 Skywagon
- Six seat high wing light aircraft powered by a 260 hp (194 kW) Continental IO-470-F, landplane gross weight 3,200 lb (1,451 kg) and first certified on 31 January 1961.[1]
- 185A Skywagon
- Six seat high wing light aircraft powered by a 260 hp (194 kW) Continental IO-470-F, landplane gross weight 3,200 lb (1,451 kg) and first certified on 20 September 1961.[1]
- 185B Skywagon
- Six seat high wing light aircraft powered by a 260 hp (194 kW) Continental IO-470-F, landplane gross weight 3,200 lb (1,451 kg) and first certified on 25 June 1962.[1]
- 185C Skywagon
- Six seat high wing light aircraft powered by a 260 hp (194 kW) Continental IO-470-F, landplane gross weight 3,200 lb (1,451 kg) and first certified on 19 July 1963.[1]
- 185D Skywagon
- Six seat high wing light aircraft powered by a 260 hp (194 kW) Continental IO-470-F, landplane gross weight 3,200 lb (1,451 kg) and first certified on 17 June 1964.[1]
- 185E Skywagon
- Six seat high wing light aircraft powered by a 260 hp (194 kW) Continental IO-470-F, landplane gross weight 3,300 lb (1,497 kg) and first certified on 24 September 1965.[1]
- A185E Skywagon and AGcarryall
- Six seat high wing light aircraft and agricultural aircraft powered by a 300 hp (224 kW) Continental IO-520-D, landplane gross weight 3,350 lb (1,520 kg) and first certified on 24 September 1965.[1]
- A185F Skywagon and AGcarryall
- Six seat high wing light aircraft and agricultural aircraft powered by a 300 hp (224 kW) Continental IO-520-D, landplane gross weight 3,350 lb (1,520 kg) and first certified on 16 October 1973.[1]
Military variants
- U-17A
- Military version of the Cessna 185E, powered by a 260-hp (194-kW) Continental IO-470-F piston engine. Supplied by the USAF to a number of countries under the Military Assistance Programme.[citation needed]
- U-17B
- Military version of the Cessna A185E, powered by a 300-hp (224-kW) Continental IO-520-D piston engine. Supplied by the USAF to a number countries under the Military Assistance Programme.[citation needed]
- U-17C
- Four-seat light utility aircraft, powered by a Continental IO-470-L piston engine.[citation needed]
Operators
Civil operators
Military operators
A Cessna U-17A of the South Vietnamese Air Force (VNAF) at Nha Trang Air Base.As part of the United States Military Assistance Program, Cessna received a contract to supply the United States Air Force with the Skywagon. These were intended for delivery overseas and were designated U-17A and U-17B.
- Bolivian Air Force 7 x A185E, 8 x A185F * 5 x U-17A[2]
- Guardia Civil 3 x U-17A[3]
- Ecuadorian Army 2 x 185D[4]
- Hellenic Army 9+ x U-17A[5]
- Israel Air Force 185 [8]
- Jamaica Defence Force - 4 x 185 from 1963 to 1985[citation needed]
- Royal Laotian Air Force - U17s used as aircraft for Nokateng Forward Air Controllers during the Vietnam War[9]
- Nicaraguan Air Force 3 x U-17B[10]
- Panamanian Public Forces 3 x U-17A[11]
- Paraguayan Air Force 5 x U-17A[12]
- Peruvian Air Force 9 x 185[13]
- Philippine Air Force 8 x U-17A, 9 x U-17B[14]
- Rhodesian Air Force - Two civil aircraft impressed into service, about 17 aircraft on loan from the South African Air Force, in service during the 1970s.
- Air Force of El Salvador 1 x 185[15]
- South African Air Force 24 x 185A, 12 x 185D, 9 x 185E[16]
- Vietnam Air Force - About 100 U-17As and U-17Bs were used by the VNAF. No longer in service.
- Uruguayan Air Force 12 x U-17A[19]
Specifications (1978 Cessna 185 II landplane)
Cessna 185 on amphibious floatsData from Cessna[20]
General characteristics
- Crew: one
- Capacity: five passengers
- Length: 25 ft 9 in (7.85 m)
- Wingspan: 35 ft 10 in (10.92 m)
- Height: 7 ft 9 in (2.36 m)
- Wing area: 174 sq ft (16.2 m2)
- Empty weight: 1,748 lb (793 kg)
- Gross weight: 3,350 lb (1,520 kg)
- Powerplant: 1 × Continental IO-520-D , 300 hp (220 kW)
- Propellers: 2-bladed constant speed, 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) diameter
Performance
- Maximum speed: 155 kn (178 mph; 287 km/h)
- Cruise speed: 145 kn (167 mph; 269 km/h)
- Stall speed: 49 kn (56 mph; 91 km/h)
- Range: 720 nmi (830 mi; 1,330 km)
- Service ceiling: 17,150 ft (5,230 m)
- Rate of climb: 1,010 ft/min (5.1 m/s)
Specification for differing configurations
Landplane Floatplane Amphibian Length 27 ft 0 in (8.23 m) 27 ft 6 in (8.38 m) Height 12 ft 2 in (3.71 m) 12 ft 8 in (3.86 m) Empty weight 1,745 lb (792 kg) 1,910 lb (866 kg) 2,165 lb (982 kg) MTOW 3,320 lb (1,506 kg) 3,265 lb (1,481 kg) on land
3,100 lb (1,406 kg) on waterMax. speed 136 knots (252 km/h) 141 knots (261 km/h) 135 knots (251 km/h) Range 516 nm (957 km) 503 nm (933 km) 482 nm (893 km) Service ceiling 16,400 ft (5,000 m) 15,300 ft (4,700 m) Rate of climb 960 ft/min (293 m/min) 970 ft/min (296 m/min) Wing loading 19.1 lb/ft² (93.3 kg/m²) 18.8 lb/ft² (91.8 kg/m²) See also
- Related development
Notes
- ^ a b c d e f g h Federal Aviation Administration (February 2009). "TYPE CERTIFICATE DATA SHEET NO. 3A24 Revision 39". http://www.airweb.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgMakeModel.nsf/0/37377ef4b5f2ca218625756e006e0b64/$FILE/3A24%20Rev%2039.pdf. Retrieved 2010-03-10.
- ^ Andrade 1982, Page 27
- ^ Andrade 1982, Page 50
- ^ Andrade 1982, Page 58
- ^ Andrade 1982, Page 94
- ^ Andrade 1982, Page 107
- ^ Andrade 1982, Page 109
- ^ Andrade 1982, Page 113
- ^ Churchill 1997, Page 121
- ^ Andrade 1982, Page 166
- ^ Andrade 1982, Page 174
- ^ Andrade 1982, Page 176
- ^ Andrade 1982, Page 177
- ^ Andrade 1982, Page 181
- ^ Andrade 1982, Page 188
- ^ Andrade 1982, Page 195
- ^ Andrade 1982, Page 224
- ^ Andrade 1982, Page 229
- ^ Andrade 1982, Page 335
- ^ Cessna Aircraft Company: 1978 Cessna Skywagons 180 & 185, page 11. Cessna Aircraft, Wichita, Kansas 1978. SPA 78009-15
References
- Jan Churchill, Hit My Smoke: Forward Air Controllers in Southeast Asia, Sunflower University Press, Manhattan KS, ISBN 0-89745-215-1
- John Andrade, Militair 1982, Aviation Press Limited, London, 1982, ISBN 0-907898-01-7
External links
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