Aircraft model
CESSNA 185B
Everything here is true of every aircraft of the type, not of any one aircraft.
What it is
| Seats | 6 |
|---|---|
| Landing gear | taildragger |
| Engines | 1 |
| Engine | Continental IO-470-F |
| Horsepower | 260 hp |
| Fuel | 100LL |
| Certification basis | CAR3 |
| Production start | 1963 |
| Production end | 1963 |
| Endorsements required | high-performance;tailwheel |
Performance
| Cruise speed | 145 KTAS |
|---|---|
| Range | 561 nm |
| Service ceiling | 17,300 ft |
| Climb rate | 1,000 ft/min |
| Stall speed (Vso) | 54 KCAS |
| Takeoff over 50 ft | 1,510 ft |
| Landing over 50 ft | 1,265 ft |
Load and fuel
| Seats | 6 |
|---|---|
| Useful load | 1,680 lb |
| Full-fuel payload | 1,290 lb |
| Max takeoff weight | 3,200 lb |
| Empty weight | 1,520 lb |
| Usable fuel | 65 gal |
| Fuel burn at cruise | 14.6 gal/h |
Cost of ownership
| Price, low | $145,000 |
|---|---|
| Price, high | $250,000 |
| Prices as of | 2026 |
| Engine TBO | 1,500 h |
| Overhaul cost, low | $42,000 |
| Overhaul cost, high | $58,000 |
The fleet and its record
| Registered, all time | 47 |
|---|---|
| Active fleet | 14 |
| Median year built | 1963.0 |
| NTSB events, last 10 years | 1 |
| Fatal events, last 10 years | 0 |
| Events per 1,000 active, last 10 years | — |
| Personal-flying events per 1,000 active | — |
| Ownership transfers, last 24 months | 2 |
| Transfers per 100 active | — |
| Airworthiness directives | 7 |
| Directives, last 5 years | 0 |
| Rate confidence | none |
Peer scores
A score runs from 0 to 10 within the model's peer class: a position, not a grade, and the six are never added together.
| Peer class | Fixed wing single-engine, piston, 1 engine, 5-6 seats |
|---|---|
| Accident record | — · class median 51.28 · 73 models in class |
| Severity | — · class median 16.67 |
| Access | — · class median 1,771.5 |
| Support | 2 of 10 · class median 81 |
| Liquidity | — · class median 17.96 |