Cessna 182P Skylane: Specs, Performance & Price

The classic fixed-gear Skylane — a 230-hp Continental hauler built from 1972 to 1976, and still one of the easiest airplanes in general aviation to finance and fly.

Figures are factory numbers for the 1976 182P. "Skylane II" was a fancier avionics/interior package on the same airframe, hence the two useful-load figures. The 182P predates G1000 entirely — nearly every survivor today carries some panel upgrade. For the current-production 182T, see our Cessna 182 Skylane hub.

Why the O-470 Skylane still holds value

Aviation Consumer's used-aircraft guide to the Cessna 182 traces the Skylane back to the 180 taildragger, with tricycle gear and a reworked fuel system bolted on in 1956. The tradeoff was a nose-heavy tendency Cessna "never did sort out" — even new ones reward a firm hand on landing. But that's the price of a design that, in Aviation Consumer's words, "will haul about anything you can throw at it," with good dispatch reliability and hardly any handling issues otherwise. That reputation is durable: in 2008 Cessna sold as many new Skylanes as new Skyhawks, and used 182 values have stayed comparatively firm through recessions that hammered flashier singles.

The 2026 context: the Skylane name is still in production

The 182P itself hasn't been built since 1976, but Textron Aviation still builds the modern 182T Skylane today, and it isn't standing still: in April 2026 Textron announced the Skylane is moving to Garmin G1000 NXi System Release 7 alongside the Skyhawk, adding Smart Glide engine-out assistance and Remote Wake, plus Lycoming's dual electronic ignition system fleet-wide. Textron showcased the updated piston lineup at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2026. None of that touches a 1976 182P directly — but it's the reason the type continues to have factory support, a healthy parts supply chain, and a resale market that includes buyers trading up from exactly this airframe.

What it costs to own — and to finance

A 230-hp O-470 burns more fuel than a Skyhawk but hauls a lot more airplane and cabin for it, and decades of production mean parts and shops are everywhere. As a classic certified single, it finances on the same terms as newer piston aircraft — up to 20 years, as little as 15%–20% down — with the loan amount driven mostly by engine time remaining to overhaul and panel upgrades already installed.

How it stacks up

Against a Cessna 206 Stationair it gives up payload and cargo-door versatility for a meaningfully lower purchase price and simpler systems. Against retractable-gear singles like the Saratoga or a Bonanza it gives up 20–25 knots of cruise, but fixed gear means far less maintenance risk — a big reason lenders and mechanics both like financing and servicing the 182 line.

Sources: Aviation Consumer, Cessna 182 used-aircraft guide; Cessna 1976 Model 182P Skylane Pilot's Operating Handbook, factory performance specifications; Textron Aviation, Cessna Piston Fleet flight-deck upgrade announcement (April 2026).