Bargain Buys on AircraftForSale: 1979 Cessna Skylane 182RG

The Cessna 182RG gives pilots little extra speed over the straight-leg 182. [Courtesy of AircraftForSale]

We’ve kicked off a new feature for Plane&Pilot readers that gives you insight into the latest affordable aircraft posted on our sister site, AircraftForSale.com. Check back every day for a featured deal, and be sure to let us know what you think!

We've focused on deals under $100K for our Bargain Buys series so far, but we could not resist checking out the 1979 Cessna Skylane RG that popped up on the listings this week. You just don't see many 182s going for less that $150,000, so we thought we'd take a closer look.

The combination of utility and every-pilot-can-fly-this-ness of the 182 series makes it perennially popular, and this 182RG is no exception. The owner has had this model since 2005, and they have upgraded to a Cessna P210, which provides a little more speed and altitude capability. Nevertheless less, the 182RG for sale has 4,680 hours on the airframe, and a good IFR package in the panel.

So why is it on sale for $125,000? It's been flown well past TBO on the engine (3,256 hours!) so you will probably need to budget for a new one. That will add roughly $60K to $75K for a new Lycoming O-540 powerplant unless you go for a less expensive option. It also has a bit of damage history, a gear-up landing in 1984 that is accounted for in the airframe and engine logs.

But for the right buyer, this could be a reasonable way into Skylane ownership.

Interested in more deals like this? Check out AircraftForSale.com and our new PlanePrice feature that gives you a window into the opportunities that are out there.

Need help financing your dream? Visit our professional team at FLYING Finance for the best way to back your aircraft acquisition plan.