Cessna 4-Seat / All-Rounder
Cessna 182 Skylane: Specs, Performance & Price
The step-up from a 172 and, for a lot of pilots, a destination airplane. Full specs, an honest review, and what it takes to finance one.
Aviation Consumer's own summary of the 182 reads like a shopping list of what most owners actually want: an airplane that carries your stuff at a speed that doesn't require timing trips with a calendar, goes in and out of backcountry strips, has two big doors, and burns fuel you can afford. For a huge number of pilots, it's the only airplane they'll ever need.
Cessna 182T Skylane — current production (naturally aspirated)| Engine | Lycoming IO-540-AB1A5 |
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| Horsepower | 230 hp |
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| Seats | 4 |
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| Max cruise speed | ~145 ktas |
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| Max range | ~915 nm |
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| Useful load | ~1,100 lb |
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| Max takeoff weight | 3,100 lb |
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| Usable fuel | 87 gal |
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| Service ceiling | 18,100 ft |
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| Fuel burn | ~13 gph |
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| Dimensions (span / length / height) | 36 ft / 29 ft / 9 ft 4 in |
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| Typical price | Used ~$150k–$450k · New ~$600k+ |
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Turbocharged T182T (Lycoming TIO-540, ~20,000-ft ceiling) trades a little useful load for high-altitude power. Heavily optioned examples carry less; a loaded 2023 T182T tested at ~920 lb useful. Figures are manufacturer/type data.
Who it's actually for
The 182 is the classic first serious airplane — the step up from a 172 that finally lets you fill the seats. FLYING's AircraftForSale desk describes it plainly as the go-to utility single that
carries four adults and full fuel while lighter airplanes strain. It's also a crossover platform — backcountry, floats, first-time ownership — which is exactly why it's one of the most-financed singles there is.
How it actually flies
Aviation Consumer flew the first new T182T off the 2023 line and put it well: the control forces are heavy, but apply the pressure and it's
responsive, with a fast roll rate and rock-solid positive stability — trim is your friend, and the airplane stays where you put it in slow flight, which is exactly what you want going into a short field. That stability is the whole reason for the type's decades of popularity.
The honest tradeoffs
It is not fast — plan around 145 knots and enjoy the view. And the useful load is a menu, not a buffet: base airplanes carry a genuine four-adults-plus-fuel load, but pile on air conditioning, a glass panel, and a nice interior and you'll give some of it back. Its cousin, Aviation Consumer notes, is unforgiving of sloppy speed control around the runway — the 182 rewards a pilot who flies the numbers.
Why it anchors a purchase — and how it finances
Mechanically it's about as friendly as ownership gets: every shop knows the airframe, parts support is deep, and the engine is a known quantity. It finances cleanly as a certified single — terms up to 20 years, as little as 15% down — and its crossover appeal (it shows up in
backcountry,
float, and
first-time-buyer conversations alike) is a big part of why it's such a common first purchase.
Financing a Skylane?
See your rate in four questions.
The most-financed single we see. Whether it's a 1970s classic or a glass-panel 182T, get a real number before you shop.
How it stacks up
182 and its natural cross-shop| | 182 Skylane | 172 Skyhawk | 206 Stationair | SR22 |
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| Seats | 4 | 4 | 6 | 5 |
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| Cruise | ~145 kt | ~124 kt | ~150 kt | 183 kt |
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| Useful load | ~1,100 lb | ~870 lb | ~1,450 lb | ~1,100 lb |
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| Four adults + full fuel? | Usually yes | Usually no | Yes | Yes |
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| Best for | All-round step-up | Training | Hauling | Speed |
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Against the 172 it carries the load and fills the seats the Skyhawk can't; against the 206 it gives up two seats and payload but costs less to buy and feed; against an SR22 it trades speed and glass for simplicity and half the price. It's the sensible middle of general aviation — which is exactly why it sells.
Cessna 182 Skylane FAQ
How much does a Cessna 182 cost?
Used Skylanes span roughly $150,000 for older 1960s–70s airframes to $450,000+ for glass-panel 182T models; a new Skylane lists north of $600,000. Estimate a payment.
How fast is a Cessna 182?
About 145 knots true at 75% power in the naturally aspirated 182T — not fast, but stable and efficient at roughly 13 gph.
172 or 182?
The 182 carries more, cruises faster, and can usually lift four adults with full fuel where a 172 can't — at the cost of higher fuel burn, price, and insurance. It's the classic step-up.
Can a 182 carry four adults and full fuel?
A base 182 typically can; heavily optioned examples (air conditioning, full glass, premium interior) give back some useful load, so check the specific airplane's weight and balance.
Can you finance a Cessna 182?
Yes — it finances as a certified single with terms up to 20 years and as little as 15% down, and it's among the most common single-engine purchases lenders see. See your rate.
Sources: Aviation Consumer, Cessna Turbo Skylane flight trial; Flying / AircraftForSale Skylane features; Plane & Pilot, "Why the Cessna 182 Is a Top Used Plane." Specifications from manufacturer/type data.
