Cessna 182 Skylane

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • The Cessna 182 is an enhanced version of the 172, offering superior speed, load capacity, roominess, and ruggedness, making it a highly satisfying and versatile aircraft for pilots.
  • With over 23,237 units built since its first flight in 1956, the 182 Skylane is one of Cessna's most popular models and remains in production.
  • Its successful design also served as a foundational model for the development of other Cessna aircraft, such as the 206 and 210.
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The 182 is a beefier version of the 172, true, but by adding power and strength, Cessna took a product pretty good at most everything and created a step-up plane that was remarkably satisfying in just about every way. It is fast enough, it hauls a good load, it’s roomy, and it’s rugged enough for dirt and gravel. For many pilots, the 182 is an arrival, and its charms were no secret. Cessna has built more than 23,237 Skylanes. It is, indeed, one of the three models Cessna reintroduced when it restarted piston production in the mid-’90s. Cessna also used the 182 as the jumping-off point for the development, through a short intermediate step or two, into the 206 and the 210. First flight: 1956. Number built: More than 23,237. Status: In production.

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