Is the Cessna 182 a high-performance aircraft?

Yes. The current 182S and 182T airframes have a 230 hp Lycoming IO-540-AB1A5, above the 200 hp FAR 61.31 high-performance threshold. Pilots transitioning into the type need a high-performance endorsement before acting as PIC.

Is the Cessna 182 a complex aircraft?

The current 182T is not — it has fixed gear and a fixed-pitch propeller. The legacy 182R Skylane RG (1978–1986) had retractable gear and a constant-speed propeller and qualifies as a complex aircraft under FAR 61.31.

How much does a Cessna 182 cost to operate?

Hourly direct operating cost typically lands between $195 and $280 per hour for a 182T burning 100LL at 13 gph, including fuel and engine and propeller overhaul reserves but excluding hangar, insurance, capital, and instructor. Wet rental rates at US schools generally fall between $230 and $380 per hour, roughly 1.4x the equivalent 172 rate.

Why do mountain-state schools use the Cessna 182?

The 182's 18,100 ft service ceiling and 924 fpm sea-level climb give it the headroom to operate from high-density-altitude airports that overwhelm a 172. The turbocharged T182T extends that envelope further and is a common choice at flight schools in Colorado, Utah, Idaho, Montana, and the Canadian western provinces.

Cessna (Textron Aviation)

182 Skylane

Single-engine piston · Trainer and personal aircraft · Pre-1980 classic

Photo: Adrian Pingstone (Arpingstone) via Wikimedia Commons · Public domain

Power: 230 hp
Cruise: 145 kt
MTOW: 3,100 lb
Range: 915 nm
Fuel: 100LL avgas

🇺🇸Specs shown in Imperial.

Performance

Cruise speed (Vc)145 kt
Never-exceed speed (Vne)175 kt
Stall (landing config) (Vs0)49 kt
Climb rate924 fpm
Service ceiling18,100 ft
Range915 nm
Endurance6 h
Takeoff roll1,515 ft
Landing roll1,350 ft

Weights

MTOW3,100 lb
Empty weight1,990 lb
Useful load1,110 lb
Baggage capacity200 lb

Dimensions

Wingspan36 ft
Length29 ft
Height9.4 ft
Cabin width42 in

Powerplant

EngineLycoming IO-540-AB1A5 — 230 hp · 100LL · 13 gph
Total horsepower230 hp
Primary fuel100LL avgas
Unleaded pathG100UL eligible (STC available)

Cockpit & avionics

Cockpit typeglass
Autopilot commonly availableYes
Typical packages
- Garmin G1000 NXi— modern (current new-build)
- Garmin G1000 (original)— 2005–2017 new-build
- Six-pack analog— pre-2005 airframes

Certification

RegulatoryFAR Part 23 · EASA CS-23
Certified rolesNormal category · Utility category
IFRYes
Spin approvedNo
Aerobatic-categoryNo
TailwheelNo
Complex (FAR 61.31)No
High-performance (FAR 61.31)Yes

Why is the 182 Skylane popular?

Structured popularity-driver evidence. Each axis below carries one factual statement; we don't grade, the facts speak.

Production volume

Approximately 23,000 Cessna 182 Skylanes have been built since 1956 — the third-most-produced civil aircraft after the 172 and 150 / 152.

Pedagogy and handling

230 hp Lycoming IO-540-AB1A5 places the 182 above the FAR 61.31 high-performance threshold, making it the canonical airframe for the high-performance endorsement at schools that operate the type.

Operating economics

1,130 lb useful load and a four-seat cabin make the 182 the typical airframe at schools that need both training utility and personal cross-country use; 18,100 ft service ceiling and 924 fpm sea-level climb open the type to high-density-altitude operations.

Parts and MRO ecosystem

Textron Aviation continues factory production and rebuild support; Cessna Owner Organization and Cessna Pilots Association provide independent type-club coverage.

Fuel future-proofing

Lycoming IO-540 series is on Lycoming's list of engines compatible with G100UL once supply is regional, giving the 182 fleet a path off 100LL without engine swap.

Before you buy more aircraft

The next airframe is rarely the highest-leverage move.

Flight school revenue is a function of three things — utilization, dispatch reliability, and student progression — that multiply rather than add. Most schools running below 850 hours per aircraft per year have hidden capacity worth more than the next purchase, already paid for and sitting on the ramp.

Read: Why buying more aircraft probably won't grow your school

Operations

Record hours, no profit

Where margin actually leaks when the schedule looks full.

Strategy

The three hurdles to profitability

The structural barriers most expansion plans miss.

How flight schools track this aircraft in Aviatize

Schools typically configure 182s as the high-performance / mountain / cross-country airframe paired with a 172 ab-initio fleet. Engine reserves track against the IO-540-AB1A5 2,000-hour TBO. The high-performance endorsement requirement is commonly modelled as a per-pilot validation that gates booking creation if the endorsement is missing.

Smart Planning & Booking Training Management Maintenance Control Billing & Payments

Weighing up the numbers? Model the operating economics of a 182 Skylane fleet with our free profitability calculator — no signup required.

Editorial confidence

High confidenceLast reviewed 2026-05-26

3 primary sources cited (POH / TCDS / type-club). Spec data and regulatory positioning are well-attributed; narrative synthesis is editorial.

Sources

Primary sources are POH / TCDS / manufacturer pages; derived sources record where Aviatize editorial synthesis is layered on top.

Primary sourcePOH·Retrieved 2026-05-26
Textron Aviation (Cessna)
https://cessna.txtav.com/en/piston/cessna-skylane
Cessna Skylane product page. Facts verified on this page on 2026-05-26: Lycoming IO-540-AB1A5, 230 hp; McCauley 3-blade constant-speed propeller; Max Range 915 nm; Max Cruise Speed 145 ktas; Useful Load 1,110 lb (entry updated from 1,130 to match factory page); MTOW 3,100 lb; Max Landing Weight 2,950 lb; Empty Weight ~1,990 lb (updated from 1,970); usable fuel 87 gal / 522 lb; Garmin G1000 NXi avionics with GI 275 electronic standby.
Primary sourceFAA TCDS·Retrieved 2026-05-26
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
https://drs.faa.gov/browse/TCDS
FAA TCDS 3A13.
Primary sourceEASA TCDS·Retrieved 2026-05-26
European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA)
https://www.easa.europa.eu/en/document-library/type-certificates
EASA TCDS A.066.
Editorial synthesisAviatize-internal·Retrieved 2026-05-05
Aviatize editorial
Entry authored by Aviatize from accumulated industry knowledge cross-referenced against the primary sources cited above. Specific fleet figures, fleet wins, and recent production status changes are research-backlog candidates and should be verified against primary sources before flipping verified: true.

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Photos & credits: each thumbnail opens that aircraft’s page, where the photographer and licence are credited under the hero image.

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