CESSNA 180

The Skywagon, in production from 1953 to 1981, and the aeroplane that defined the American backcountry and bush market. It is a tailwheel four-seater with a six-cylinder Continental, a constant-speed propeller and a structure built to be loaded and landed on gravel. Bush operators, float operators, ranchers and Alaskan pilots have used them for seventy years and still do, which is why they cost more now than they did new in real terms. The suffix letter tells you what you are getting. The plain 180 of 1953 to 1956 has 225 hp and a 2,550 lb gross weight; the 230 hp O-470-K arrived in 1956 and the 180A of 1957 raised gross weight to 2,650 lb. The 180E of 1962 brought larger 65-gallon tanks with an 84-gallon option. The big change is the 180G of 1964, which took the longer fuselage, wings and gear of the 185, added a rear window and seats for six, and went to 2,800 lb — everything from then on is the roomier six-place aeroplane. The 180J of 1973 has the cambered-leading-edge wing, and the 180K of 1977 the O-470-U engine and a strengthened tailwheel. The Skywagon name itself only dates from 1969.

This is a capable aeroplane and a demanding one. It climbs well over 1,000 fpm, cruises at 143 knots and carries a real load, but it is a taildragger with substantial power and it will punish a sloppy landing — insurance companies require meaningful tailwheel time and usually dual in type before they will cover a new owner. Running costs are higher than a 172's in every category: more fuel, a more expensive engine and propeller, and a market in which every airworthy example is fought over. Check the spar carry-through, the gear box and the tailcone for damage history, because a lot of these aeroplanes have worked hard. Float and skis versions, and gross-weight-increase STCs, are common.