Cessna 185 Skywagon
Cessna · United States · first flew 1960 · light aircraft
The Cessna 185 Skywagon is America's muscular single-engine bush hauler, a six-seat taildragger development of the 180 built for heavy loads from remote strips on wheels, floats or skis.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 7.85 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Classic Cessna braced high wing with a single nose engine
- Tailwheel undercarriage, unlike the nosewheel Cessna 206
- Often fitted with floats, skis or a belly cargo pod
A trim single-engine high-wing taildragger with strut-braced wings and a purposeful stance, the 185 reads as a heavier-duty Cessna 180. Its tailwheel gear, six-seat cabin and frequent float or cargo-pod fit signal a rugged utility hauler rather than a basic trainer.
Specifications
- The Cessna 185 Skywagon has a length of 7.85 m (26 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 10.92 m (36 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 287 km/h (178 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Introduced in 1960 as a more powerful, six-seat development of the Cessna 180, the 185 Skywagon became a favourite backcountry and float workhorse. Roughly 4,000 were built before production ended in 1985, prized for hauling heavy loads from short, rough strips.
Variants
The line ran from the 185 and 185A through to the A185E and A185F with uprated engines, while the AgCarryall added a belly chemical tank for agricultural work. Military versions served as the U-17A and U-17B under US assistance programmes worldwide.
Where you'll see it
The 185 was overwhelmingly a North American bush-flying and export utility type, in Canada, Alaska and Africa, with no notable UK military service; honestly a type with limited British footprint. Some examples appear on the UK civil register as privately owned floatplanes and utility aircraft.
Related aircraft
- Cessna 336 Skymaster
- Cessna 337 Skymaster
- Cessna 175 Skylark
- Cessna 205 / 206 Stationair
- Aero Commander 100
- Beechcraft Baron
- Beechcraft Baron 55
- Beechcraft Baron B55
AircraftIQ — the aircraft field guide: 4,893 recognition guides, live overhead identification, works offline.