Cessna 185 Skywagon


The Cessna 185 Skywagon is a six-seat, single-engined, general aviation light aircraft manufactured by Cessna. It first flew as a prototype in July 1960, with the first production model completed in March 1961. The Cessna 185 is a high-winged aircraft with non-retractable conventional landing gear and a tailwheel.
Over 4,400 were built with production ceasing in 1985. When Cessna re-introduced some of its most popular models in the 1990s, the tailwheel equipped Cessna 180 and 185 were not put back into production.

Design and development

The aircraft is basically a Cessna 180 with a strengthened fuselage. The main difference between the two aircraft is the larger vertical fin on the 185 and the 300 hp Continental IO-520-D engine as opposed to the 230 hp Continental O-470-S fitted to the Cessna 180. The exception was that a Continental Motors IO-470-F engine of 260 hp was initially fitted until midway through the 1966 production year. The later model Skywagon II has a factory fitted avionics package.
File:C-FFXO Cessna Skywagon II 185 03.JPG|thumb|Cessna 185 Skywagon II at Cambridge Bay Airport, Nunavut, Canada
The Skywagon can also be fitted with floats, amphibious floats, or skis. The AgCarryall variant of the 185 adds a 151-gallon belly chemical tank and removable spray booms for aerial application. It is also possible to fit a cargo pod under the fuselage that can carry an extra 300 lb.

Operational history

The 180 and 185 are widely used in bush flying, the commercial transport of passengers and freight to rudimentary, remote airstrips, lakes and snowfields, primarily in Canada and Alaska.

Variants

Civil variants

Cessna has historically used model years similar to U.S. auto manufacturers, with sales of new models typically starting a few months prior to the actual calendar year.
;185 Skywagon
;185A Skywagon
;185B Skywagon
;185C Skywagon
;185D Skywagon

Military variants

;U-17A: 63 185Bs, 34 185Cs, 83 185Ds, 72 185Es, and 13 A185Es acquired by the USAF to supply to a number of countries under the Military Assistance Program.
;U-17B: 201 A185Es and 10 A185Fs acquired by the USAF to supply to a number of countries under the Military Assistance Program.
;U-37: Brazilian Air Force designation for the 185.

Operators

Civil operators

The Cessna 185 is popular with air charter companies and is operated by private individuals and companies.

Military operators

As part of the United States Military Assistance Program, Cessna received a contract to supply the United States Air Force with the Skywagon. These were intended for delivery overseas and were designated U-17A and U-17B.
  • Argentine Army Aviation
  • Bolivian Air Force 7 x A185E, 8 x A185F * 5 x U-17A
  • Guardia Civil 3 x U-17A
  • Ecuadorian Army 2 x 185D
  • Hellenic Army 9+ x U-17A
  • Honduran Air Force received a Cessna 185B in 1962, a U-17A in 1963 and a 185D in 1965.
  • Indonesian Air Force
  • Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force 185A – no longer in service
  • Islamic Revolutionary Army Aviation 185A – no longer in service
  • Israel Air Force 185
  • Jamaica Defence Force – 4 x 185 from 1963 to 1985
; Laos
  • Royal Lao Air Force – U-17s used as reconnaissance and observation aircraft for Nokateng Forward Air Controllers during the Laotian Civil War
  • Nicaraguan Air Force 3 x U-17B
  • Panamanian Public Forces 3 x U-17A
  • Paraguayan Air Force 5 x U-17A
  • Peruvian Air Force 9 x 185
  • Philippine Air Force 8 x U-17A, 9 x U-17B
  • Portuguese Air Force 5 x 185A operated 1968 to 1974.
  • Rhodesian Air Force – Two civil aircraft impressed into service, about 17 aircraft on loan from the South African Air Force, in service during the 1970s.
  • Salvadoran Air Force 1 x 185
  • South African Air Force 24 x 185A, 12 x 185D, 9 x 185E
  • Republic of Vietnam Air Force – About 100 U-17As and U-17Bs were used by the VNAF. No longer in service.
  • Royal Thai Army Aviation U-17B
  • Royal Thai Navy
  • Turkish Army Aviation U-17B
  • Uruguayan Air Force 12 x U-17A

    Accidents and incidents

  • On August 14, 1989, a Cessna A185E Skywagon registered N95KW crashed shortly after a balked landing at Coastal Airport, located near Myrtle Grove, Florida. The pilot's seat latch slipped on the railing, causing the pilot to unintentionally stall the aircraft. The pilot and the two passengers on board were all severely injured. The resulting product liability trial, concluding twelve years later, resulted in a $480 million judgment against Cessna. The case was later settled out-of-court for an undisclosed sum. This accident also brought about a series of airworthiness directives that affected all small Cessnas ever built.
  • 2001 Peru Cessna 185 shootdown, the aircraft was shot down by a Cessna A-37 Dragonfly of the Peruvian Air Force after being misidentified as a drug plane killing 2 of the 5 occupants on board, this incident lead to the Federal government of the United States temporarily suspending advisement of the governments of Peru and Columbia on shooting down aircraft.
  • On August 22, 2025, a Cessna A185F Skywagon with registration number N714HE crashed during an attempted landing at Bangor International Airport in Bangor, Maine. While landing during gusty crosswinds, the plane veered left and into a precision approach path indicator light. The plane then went airborne again before striking the airport's permitter fence. The pilot and only person on board, died in the crash.

    Specifications (1978 Cessna 185 II landplane)

Specification for differing configurations