Cessna 188

Model 188 AG series
Cessna A188B-300 AGtruck
Role	Light agricultural airplane
Manufacturer	Cessna Aircraft Company
First flight	19 February 1965
Introduction	1966
Produced	1966-1983
Number built	3967
Unit cost	base price USD$15,995 in 1966

The Cessna 188 is a family of light agricultural aircraft produced between 1966 and 1983 by the Cessna Aircraft Company.^[1][2]

The various versions of the 188 — the AGwagon, AGpickup, AGtruck and AGhusky, along with the AGcarryall variant of the 185, constituted Cessna's line of agricultural aircraft.^[1][2]

Development

In the early 1960s Cessna decided to expand their already wide line of light aircraft by entering the agricultural aircraft market. They surveyed pilots and operators of other brands of agricultural aircraft to see what features and capabilities these operators were looking for. The resulting aircraft was a conventional single-seat, piston-powered, strut-braced low-winged agricultural airplane.^[1]

The Cessna 188 borrowed heavily from the Cessna 180, the initial version using the same tail cone and fin structure as well as the same Continental O-470-R 230hp (170kW) powerplant. The 188’s airframe is predominantly built from 2024-T3 aluminum, with the chemical hopper constructed from fibreglass. The fuselage is of semi-monocoque construction and is pressurized on later models (using the dynamic pressure resulting from the aircraft's forward speed) to reduce induction of chemicals into the airframe.

The Cessna 188 was first flown on 19 February 1965. The aircraft was certified and entered production in February 1966, with 241 aircraft delivered the first year.^[2]

The initial design of the Cessna 188 was so successful that over its 17-year production run the basic airframe remained unchanged. Only the engines and the agricultural products dispensing systems were upgraded, other than some minor changes to the ventilation systems.^[1]

The main use for the Cessna 188 series was for agricultural purposes, but many examples were later acquired for use as glider and sailplane tugs.

A total of 3975 Cessna 188s of all four variants were built during its production run, made up of 53 AGpickups, 1589 AGwagons, 1949 AGtrucks and 385 AGhuskies.^[2]

Variants

188 AGwagon 230

Initial version powered by a Continental O-470-R 230 hp (172 kW) powerplant, a 200 US gallon (760 liter) chemical hopper, with a normal category gross weight of 3,300 lb (1,497 kg) and 3,800 lb (1,724 kg) in the restricted category. Certified on 14 February 1966.^[3][1]

1971-built Cessna A188A AGwagon in use at Minden, Nevada as a sailplane tug

188A AGwagon "A"

Powered by a Continental O-470-R 230 hp (172 kW) powerplant, a 200 US gallon (760 liter) chemical hopper, with a normal category gross weight of 3,300 lb (1,497 kg) and 3,800 lb (1,724 kg) in the restricted category. Certified on 26 September 1969.^[3][1]

188A AGwagon "B"

Powered by a Continental O-470-R 230 hp (172 kW) powerplant, a 200 US gallon (760 liter) chemical hopper, with a normal category gross weight of 3,300 lb (1,497 kg) and 3,800 lb (1,724 kg) in the restricted category. Certified on 26 September 1969.^[3][1]

Cessna 188 AGWagon spraying at Canterbury, New Zealand, 1979

188B AGpickup

Powered by a Continental O-470-R or O-470-S 230 hp (172 kW) powerplant, a 200 US gallon (760 liter) chemical hopper, with a normal category gross weight of 3,300 lb (1,497 kg) and 3,800 lb (1,724 kg) in the restricted category. Certified on 20 December 1971, production ended in 1976.^[3][1][2]

A188 AGwagon 300

Initial version powered by a Continental IO-520-D 300 hp (224 kW) powerplant, a 200 US gallon (760 liter) chemical hopper, with a normal category gross weight of 3,300 lb (1,497 kg) and 4,000 lb (1,814 kg) in the restricted category. Certified on 14 February 1966.^[3][1]

A188A AGwagon "A"

Powered by a Continental IO-520-D 300 hp (224 kW) powerplant, a 200 US gallon (760 liter) chemical hopper, with a normal category gross weight of 3,300 lb (1,497 kg) and 4,000 lb (1,814 kg) in the restricted category. Certified on 26 September 1969.^[3][1]

A188A AGwagon "B"

Powered by a Continental IO-520-D 300 hp (224 kW) powerplant, a 200 US gallon (760 liter) chemical hopper, with a normal category gross weight of 3,300 lb (1,497 kg) and 4,000 lb (1,814 kg) in the restricted category. Certified on 26 September 1969.^[3][1]

A Cessna A188B-300 AGtruck at Steinbach, Manitoba, May 1988

A188B, AGwagon "C" and AGtruck

Powered by a Continental IO-520-D 300 hp (224 kW) powerplant, a 280 US gallon (1060 liter) hopper, with a normal category gross weight of 3,300 lb (1,497 kg) and 4,000 lb (1,814 kg) in the restricted category. Certified on 20 December 1971, production of the AGwagon ended in 1981 and the AGwagon in 1985.^[3][1][2]

T188C AGhusky

Powered by a turbocharged Continental TSIO-520-T 310 hp (231 kW) powerplant, a 280 US gallon (1060 liter) hopper, with a normal category gross weight of 3,300 lb (1,497 kg) and 4,400 lb (1,996 kg) in the restricted category. Certified on 8 September 1978, production ended in 1985.^[3][1][2]

Aircraft on display

• Museum of Transport and Technology, Western Springs, Auckland, New Zealand - Cessna A188 Agwagon ZK-COO^[4]

• Aero Space Museum of Calgary, Alberta, Canada - Cessna AgWagon 1966 C-GXQM^[5]

Specifications (1973 Cessna A188B-300 AGtruck)

General characteristics

• Crew: one pilot
• Capacity: Hopper: 280 gal (1060 l)
• Length: 26 ft 3 inch (8 m)
• Wingspan: 41 ft 8 in (12.7 m)
• Height: 7 ft 9.5 in (2.4 m)
• Wing area: 205 ft² (19 m²)
• Airfoil: NACA 2412
• Empty weight:
  
  • With no dispersal equipment installed: 2,030 lb (921 kg)
  • With liquid dispersal system: 2,160 lb (980 kg)
• Loaded weight: 3,300 lb (1,497 kg)
• Useful load:
  
  • Normal category, with no dispersal equipment installed: 1,270 lb (576 kg)
  • Restricted category, with liquid dispersal system: 1,840 lb (835 kg)
• Max takeoff weight:
  
  • Normal category: 3,300 lb (1,497 kg)
  • Restricted category: 4,000 lb (1,814 kg)
• Powerplant: 1 × Continental IO-520-D, 300 hp (223.7 kW) 5 minutes, 285 hp (212.5 kW) continuous

Performance

• Maximum speed: 121 mph (195 km/h)
• Cruise speed: 114 mph (183 km/h) (at 75% power)
• Stall speed:
  
  • Clean: 61 mph (98 km/h)
    
  • With full flaps: 57 mph (92 km/h)
• Range: 390 mi (628 km)
• Service ceiling: 11,100 ft (3,383 m)
• Rate of climb: 690 ft/min (3.5 m/s)
• Wing loading: 16.1 lb/ft² (78.8 kg/m²)
• Power/mass: 11 lb/hp (6.7 kg/kW)

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

• Ayres Thrush
• CallAir A-9
• Embraer EMB 202 Ipanema
• Grumman G-164 Ag Cat
• Hongdu N-5
• Piper PA-25 Pawnee
• Piper PA-36 Pawnee Brave
  

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k l m} Christy, Joe The Complete Guide to the Single-Engine Cessnas 3rd ed, TAB Books, Blue Ridge Summit PA USA, 1979, pp 119-128
2. ^ ^{a b c d e f g} Demand Media (undated). "The Cessna 188 Agwagon series". http://www.airliners.net/aircraft-data/stats.main?id=146. Retrieved 15 March 2010. 
3. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i} Federal Aviation Administration (March 2003). "TYPE CERTIFICATE DATA SHEET NO. A9CE Revision 27". http://www.airweb.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgMakeModel.nsf/0/723ff5d994d022e4862572430067d8eb/$FILE/A9CE.pdf. Retrieved 2010-03-14. 
4. ^ Museum of Transport and Technology: Cessna A188 On Display
5. ^ Aero Space Museum of Calgary: Cessna 188 AgWagon On Display

Bibliography

• Cessna Aircraft Company (1973). 1973 Cessna Agricultural Aircraft. Wichita, Kansas: Cessna Aircraft Company. 

External links

• Photo of Cessna A188-300 AGwagon
• Photo of Cessna T188C AGhusky
• Photos of the Cessna 188 family of aircraft