Cessna 180 Skywagon

Cessna 180 Skywagon
Role	Light utility aircraft
Manufacturer	Cessna
First flight	May 26, 1952
Introduction	1953
Produced	1953–1981
Number built	6,193
Variants	St-Just Cyclone; St-Just Super-Cyclone
Developed into	Cessna 182 Skylane; Cessna 185 Skywagon

The Cessna 180 Skywagon is a four- or six-seat, fixed conventional gear general aviation airplane which was produced between 1953 and 1981. Though the design is no longer in production, many of these aircraft are still in use as personal aircraft and in utility roles such as bush flying.^[1]

Development

Cessna introduced the heavier and more powerful 180 as a complement to the Cessna 170. It eventually came to be known as the Skywagon.^[1]

The prototype Cessna 180, N41697, first flew on May 26, 1952. Cessna engineering test pilot William D. Thompson was at the controls.^[2]

In all its versions, 6,193 Cessna 180s were manufactured. In 1956, a tricycle gear version of this design was introduced as the Cessna 182, which came to bear the name Skylane. Additionally, in 1960, Cessna introduced a heavier, more powerful sibling to the 180, the conventional gear Cessna 185. For a time, all three versions of the design were in production.^[1]

Design

The airframe of the 180 is all-metal, constructed of aluminum alloy. The fuselage is a semi-monocoque structure, with exterior skin sheets riveted to formers and longerons. The strut-braced wings, likewise, are constructed of exterior skin sheets riveted to spars and ribs. The landing gear of the 180 is in a conventional arrangement, with main gear legs made of spring steel, and a steerable tailwheel mounted on a hollow tapered steel tube.^[1]

Cessna 180s produced between 1953 and 1963 have two side windows, while 1964 to 1981 models feature three side windows, as they use the same fuselage as the Cessna 185. 180s can be equipped with floats and skis.^[1]

Operational history

Record flight

The Cessna 180 gained recognition as the aircraft chosen by Geraldine Mock, the first woman pilot to successfully fly around the world. The flight was made in 1964 in her 1953 model, the Spirit of Columbus (N1538C), as chronicled in her book Three-Eight Charlie.^[3] The Cessna factory obtained the aircraft and kept it at the Pawnee (Wichita, Kansas) manufacturing plant after the epic flight, suspended from the ceiling over one of the manufacturing lines. It is currently on display at the National Air and Space Museum.

Variants

180: Four seat high wing light aircraft powered by a 225 hp (168 kW) Continental O-470-A, O-470-J, or a 230 hp (172 kW) O-470-K engine, landplane gross weight 2,550 lb (1,157 kg) and first certified on 23 December 1952.^[4]

A 1957 Cessna on display at Hullavington Airfield, England.

180A: Four seat high wing light aircraft powered by a 230 hp (172 kW) Continental O-470-K, landplane gross weight 2,650 lb (1,202 kg) and first certified on 17 December 1956.^[4]

180B: Four seat high wing light aircraft powered by a 230 hp (172 kW) Continental O-470-K, landplane gross weight 2,650 lb (1,202 kg) and first certified on 22 August 1958.^[4]
180C: Four seat high wing light aircraft powered by a 230 hp (172 kW) Continental O-470-L or O-470-R, landplane gross weight 2,650 lb (1,202 kg) and first certified on 8 July 1959.^[4]
180D: Four seat high wing light aircraft powered by a 230 hp (172 kW) Continental O-470-L or O-470-R, landplane gross weight 2,650 lb (1,202 kg) and first certified on 14 June 1960.^[4]
180E: Four seat high wing light aircraft powered by a 230 hp (172 kW) Continental O-470-L or O-470-R, landplane gross weight 2,650 lb (1,202 kg) and first certified on 21 September 1961.^[4]
180F: Four seat high wing light aircraft powered by a 230 hp (172 kW) Continental O-470-L or O-470-R, landplane gross weight 2,650 lb (1,202 kg) and first certified on 25 June 1962.^[4]

Cessna 180G with belly cargo pod and tundra tires

180G: Six seat high wing light aircraft powered by a 230 hp (172 kW) Continental O-470-L or O-470-R, landplane gross weight 2,800 lb (1,270 kg) and first certified on 19 July 1963.^[4]
180H: Six seat high wing light aircraft powered by a 230 hp (172 kW) Continental O-470-L or O-470-R, landplane gross weight 2,800 lb (1,270 kg) and first certified on 17 June 1964.^[4]
180I: There was no "I" model Cessna 180.^[4]
180J: Six seat high wing light aircraft powered by a 230 hp (172 kW) Continental O-470-R or O-470-S, landplane gross weight 2,800 lb (1,270 kg) and first certified on 13 October 1972.^[4]
180K: Six seat high wing light aircraft powered by a 230 hp (172 kW) Continental O-470-U for which AVGAS 100 or 100LL is specified; previous engines were designed for AVGAS 80 (formerly called 80/87), landplane gross weight 2,800 lb (1,270 kg) and first certified on 19 August 1976.^[4]

Operators

Civil

The Cessna 180 is popular with air charter companies and is operated by private individuals and companies.

Military

Operators

Civil

The Cessna 180 is popular with air charter companies and is operated by private individuals and companies.

Military

Australia

Burkina Faso

Union of Burma Air Force^[7]

Costa Rica

Public Force of Costa Rica^[8]

El Salvador

Salvadoran Air Force^[9]

Guatemala

Guatemalan Air Force^[10]

Honduras

Honduran Air Force^[11]

Indonesia

Indonesian Air Force^[12]

Israel

Israeli Air Force^[13]

Khmer Republic

Khmer Air Force^[14]

Nicaragua

Nicaraguan Air Force^[15]

Philippines

Philippine Air Force^[16]

Specifications (1978 Cessna 180 II landplane)

Data from Cessna^[17]

General characteristics

Crew: one
Capacity: five passengers
Length: 25 ft 9 in (7.85 m)
Wingspan: 35 ft 10 in (10.92 m)
Height: 7 ft 9 in (2.36 m)
Wing area: 174 sq ft (16.2 m²)
Empty weight: 1,700 lb (771 kg)
Gross weight: 2,800 lb (1,270 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Continental O-470-U , 230 hp (170 kW)
Propellers: 2-bladed constant speed, 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) diameter

Performance

Maximum speed: 148 kn (170 mph, 274 km/h)
Cruise speed: 142 kn (163 mph, 263 km/h)
Stall speed: 48 kn (55 mph, 89 km/h)
Range: 890 nmi (1,020 mi, 1,650 km)
Service ceiling: 17,700 ft (5,400 m)
Rate of climb: 1,100 ft/min (5.6 m/s)
Wing loading: 16.1 lb/sq ft (79 kg/m²)

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Christy, Joe The Complete Guide to the Single-Engine Cessnas 3rd ed, TAB Books, Blue Ridge Summit PA USA, 1979, pp 29–39
^ Thompson, William D. "The C-180 Story". International 180–185 Club. Archived from the original on May 29, 2009. Retrieved April 15, 2009.
^ Mock, Jerrie: Three-Eight Charlie, First Edition, 1970. OCLC 97976
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l Federal Aviation Administration (March 2003). "TYPE CERTIFICATE DATA SHEET NO. 5A6 Revision 66" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 7, 2010. Retrieved March 10, 2010.
^ RAAF Museum website Cessna 180 page retrieved on 9 January 2009.
^ "Unit History". 161 Possums of Vietnam. Retrieved September 18, 2006.
^ Gaines 1982, p. 1379
^ "Arms Transfers Database". Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. Retrieved November 2, 2023.
^ Hatch 1988, p. 40
^ Hatch 1988, p. 47
^ Hatch 1988, p. 48
^ "Peace Research Institute". Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. 1955. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
^ Jewish Virtual Library – Israeli Air Force Cessna 180 page retrieved on 9 January 2009.
^ Grandolini 1988, p. 39
^ Gaines 1982, p. 1387
^ Hatch 1988, p. 67
^ Cessna Aircraft Company: 1978 Cessna Skywagons 180 & 185, page 10. Cessna Aircraft, Wichita, Kansas 1978. SPA 78009-15

Bibliography

Gaines, Mike (November 6, 1982). "World Air Forces 1982". Flight International. Vol. 122, no. 3835. pp. 1327–1388. ISSN 0015-3710. Retrieved March 18, 2019.
Hagedorn, Daniel P. (1993). Central American and Caribbean Air Forces. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 0-85130-210-6.
Hatch, Paul F. (December 3, 1988). "World Air Forces 1988". Flight International. Vol. 134, no. 4142. pp. 22–87. ISSN 0015-3710. Archived from the original on May 19, 2019. Retrieved March 18, 2019.
Grandolini, Albert (September–December 1988). "L'Aviation Royale Khmere: The first 15 years of Cambodian military aviation". Air Enthusiast. No. Thirty–seven. pp. 39–47. ISSN 0143-5450.
"Pentagon Over the Islands: The Thirty-Year History of Indonesian Military Aviation". Air Enthusiast Quarterly (2): 154–162. n.d. ISSN 0143-5450.

External links

[Christy-1] Christy, Joe The Complete Guide to the Single-Engine Cessnas 3rd ed, TAB Books, Blue Ridge Summit PA USA, 1979, pp 29–39

[Thompson-2] Thompson, William D. "The C-180 Story". International 180–185 Club. Archived from the original on May 29, 2009. Retrieved April 15, 2009.

[Mock-3] Mock, Jerrie: Three-Eight Charlie, First Edition, 1970. OCLC 97976

[5A6-4] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l Federal Aviation Administration (March 2003). "TYPE CERTIFICATE DATA SHEET NO. 5A6 Revision 66" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 7, 2010. Retrieved March 10, 2010.

[5] RAAF Museum website Cessna 180 page retrieved on 9 January 2009.

[Aust-6] "Unit History". 161 Possums of Vietnam. Retrieved September 18, 2006.

[fiwaf82p1379-7] Gaines 1982, p. 1379

[sipri-8] "Arms Transfers Database". Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. Retrieved November 2, 2023.

[fiwaf96p40-9] Hatch 1988, p. 40

[fiwaf96p47-10] Hatch 1988, p. 47

[fiwaf96p48-11] Hatch 1988, p. 48

[12] "Peace Research Institute". Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. 1955. Retrieved February 11, 2021.

[13] Jewish Virtual Library – Israeli Air Force Cessna 180 page retrieved on 9 January 2009.

[14] Grandolini 1988, p. 39

[fiwaf82p1387-15] Gaines 1982, p. 1387

[fiwaf96p67-16] Hatch 1988, p. 67

[Cessna1978-17] Cessna Aircraft Company: 1978 Cessna Skywagons 180 & 185, page 10. Cessna Aircraft, Wichita, Kansas 1978. SPA 78009-15

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v t e Australian Defence Force aircraft serial-number prefixes
Italics indicate prefixes not used.
RAAF Series One 1921–34	A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 A6 A7 A8 A9 A10 A11 A12
RAAF Series Two 1935–63	A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 A6 A7 A8 A9 A10 A11 A12 A13 A14 A15 A16 A17 A18 A19 A20 A21 A22 A23 A24 A25 A26 A27 A28 A29 A30 A30 A31 A32 A33 A34 A35 A36 A37 A37 A37 A38 A39 A40 A41 A42 A43 A44 A44 A45 A46 A47 A48 A49 A50 A51 A52 A53 A54 A55 A56 A57 A58 A59 A60 A61 A62 A63 A64 A65 A66 A67 A68 (I) A68 (II) A69 A70 A71 A72 A73 A74 A75 A76 A77 A78 A79 A80 A81 A82 A83 A84 A85 A86 A87 A88 A89 A90 A91 A92 A93 A94 A95 A96 A97 A98 A99 A100
RAN Series¹	N1 N2 N3 N4 N5 N6 N7 N8 N9 N10 N11 N12 N13 N14 N15 N16
RAAF Series Three Tri-Service series 1964–present	A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 A6 A7 A8 A9 A10 A11 A12 A13 A14 A15 A16 A17/N17 A18 A19 A20 A21 A22/N22 A23 N24 A25 A26 A27 N28 N29 A30 A31 A32 A33 A34 A35 A36 A37 A38 A39 A40/N40 A41 N42 A43 A44 A45 A46 A47 N48 N49 A51 N52 A53 A54 A55 A56 A69
Lists	Aircraft of the RAAF Aircraft of the RAN Aircraft of the Australian Army
¹ Prior to adoption of Tri-Service prefixes.

v t e Brazilian Air Force aircraft designations
Attack (A)	A-1 A-10 A-16 A-29
Cargo (C)	C-1 C-2 C-8 C-9 C-10 C-26 C-28 C-35 (I) C-35 (II) C-41 C-42 C-55 C-90 C-91 C-92 C-93 C-95 C-96 C-97 C-98 C-99 C-105 C-115
Electronic (E)	E-99
Fighter (F)	F-7 F-8 F-33 F-39 F-103 F-2000
Helicopter (H)	H-4 H-33 H-34 VH-34 H-50 H-55
Liaison (L)	L-3 L-6 L-7 L-8 L-19 A/E L-20 L-42
Maritime (M)	M-16
Observation (O)	O-3 O-6
Patrol (P)	P-15 P-16 P-95 P-99
Reconnaissance (R)	R-35 R-95 R-99
Search & rescue (S)	S-16
Trainer (T)	T-7 T-8 T-17 T-21 T-22 T-23 B T-24 T-25 T-26 T-27 T-29
Utility (U)	U-3 U-7 U-8 U-9 U-19 U-35 U-37 U-42 U-45 U-55 U-93
Glider (Z)	Z-3 Z-13 Z-15 Z-16 Z-20 Z-23
Designations carried over from American designation systems are not included unless the designations were modified.

Development

Design

Operational history

Record flight

Variants

Operators

Civil

Military

Operators

Civil

Military

Specifications (1978 Cessna 180 II landplane)

See also

References

Bibliography

External links