Cessna Skylane RG

Overview

The Cessna R182 Skylane RG is the retractable-gear development of the Cessna 182 Skylane, built from 1978 to 1986 around a 235-horsepower Lycoming O-540 turning a constant-speed propeller. Folding the gear and adding a controllable prop buys roughly 15 to 20 knots over the fixed-gear Skylane, for about 156 knots true at 75 percent power, while keeping the 182’s honest four-seat cabin and high-wing visibility.

It sits in the middle of Cessna’s single-engine line: faster and more capable than the fixed-gear 182, simpler and cheaper to feed than the six-seat 210 Centurion. Most of the roughly 2,000 built came in the first three years, and 1979-and-later airplanes carry 88 usable gallons and the long legs that go with them. The normally aspirated R182 should not be confused with the turbocharged TR182, which reaches higher cruise speeds and ceilings at the cost of turbocharger maintenance.

Key Features for GA Buyers

• Retractable-gear speed on a proven airframe. About 156 knots true at 75 percent power, 15 to 20 knots faster than the fixed-gear Skylane on the same family structure.
• Strong useful load. A standard useful load near 1,378 pounds carries four adults, full 88-gallon fuel, and meaningful baggage without much juggling.
• Long-TBO engine. The naturally aspirated, carbureted Lycoming O-540-J3C5D carries a 2,000-hour TBO and avoids the heat and complexity of a turbocharger.
• High-wing touring comfort. Shade on the ramp, easy cabin loading, and the over-the-nose visibility that makes the Skylane a relaxed cross-country platform.
• MOSAIC sport-pilot eligible airframe. A clean stall near 55 KCAS sits under the 59 KCAS sport-pilot gate, so the airframe qualifies under MOSAIC, subject to the endorsements noted below.

Trade-offs

• Complex and high-performance endorsements required. The retractable gear and 235-horsepower engine put the R182 above both thresholds, so a pilot needs complex and high-performance sign-offs before acting as pilot in command, MOSAIC airframe eligibility notwithstanding.
• The gear system needs discipline. The electro-hydraulic retractable gear has a documented history of actuator and downlock service issues; owners who maintain it on schedule report few problems, but it is not a system to defer.
• Aging fleet, parts attention. Production ended in 1986, so a small fleet and a discontinued gear system mean some parts and type-specific expertise take effort to source.
• Heavy elevator feel. Owners describe substantial pitch forces in the flare, a handling trait worth dedicated dual instruction during transition.
• First-year differences. Early 1978 airplanes carry smaller fuel tanks (56 or 75 gallons) and a lower maximum structural cruising speed than 1979-and-later examples.

See Also

• Cessna Skylane 182 – the fixed-gear Skylane the RG is built from, simpler to own and about 15 to 20 knots slower. Compare
• Cessna 172RG Cutlass RG – the smaller, lower-powered retractable in the same Cessna family. Compare
• Cessna 177 Cardinal RG – Cessna’s other contemporary retractable single, with a cantilever wing and wide cabin doors. Compare
• Cessna 210 Centurion – the larger, faster six-seat step up in the retractable Cessna line. Compare
• Piper Cherokee Arrow – the canonical low-wing retractable-complex single from Piper. Compare
• Mooney M20C – a low-wing retractable rival that trades cabin room for cruise efficiency. Compare