Significant Info About Cessna 180

One of the most popular old aircrafts many of which are still in circulation is the Cessna 180 model. Cessna 180s either have four seats or eight seats. Unlike the Cessna 170, the 180 is designed with the fixed and traditional landing gear and it is considered a general aviation plane. The production of the Cessna 180 began in 1953 and the Cessna Aircraft Company ceased the production of this specific model only in 1981. You would be surprised to know that a great number of these aircrafts that were produced in its early years are still being used extensively today as personal aircrafts and utility planes like for instance bush flying.

The Cessna 170 has been one of the most commercially successful planes that the Cessna Aircraft Company ever released and as a complement to that particular model, the Cessna 180 was produced. The 1960 Cessna 180 was eventually known as the Skywagon and it was heavier and was equipped with a more powerful engine. The very first Cessna 180 that ever saw the heavens was a prototype that was tagged as N41697 and it made its maiden flight on May 26, 1952 manned by Cessna’s own test pilot William D. Thompson.

All in all, there are a little over six thousand Cessna 180s produced. A few years later, the signature Cessna tricycle landing gear was installed on the Cessna 180 and that version was called the Cessna 182 which became more popularly known as the Skylane. And four years later, Cessna came out with another buffed, heavier, and more powerful version of the Cessna 180 but this time using the conventional gear and it was called the Cessna 185 and for quite a period of time all three Cessna 180 editions were being manufactured simultaneously. What is noticeable to the Cessna 180 models is that it is that the entire plane is made of metal specifically aluminum alloy to give it that durable but sturdy personality. Skin sheets were used on the strut-braced wings and the semi-monocoque fuselage. Of course, the Cessna 180 landing gear as was mentioned was the conventional arrangement with the main gear legs manufactured using spring steel. During a ten year span between the years 1953 and 1963, the Cessna 180s that were produced had two side windows but in 1964, the newer 180 versions were designed to have three side windows. You may seen 180s that were built to have skis and floats.

Just a bit of trivia, the very first woman who successfully flew around the world, Geraldine Mock, used the Cessna 180 as her aircraft of choice.

By: A. James David

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James David teaches people how to buy single engine airplanes & has a passion for the Piper Saratoga For Sale