After multiple negotiations, pre buys, and tangents, I finally landed a Wagon in the form of a 185F. I originally got on this path after meeting Big Renna. As some of you know, he does a decent job at predicting the future for a white guy with no tarot cards. Within our first 15 minutes hanging, he already told me that one day I’d sell my 182 and get a Skywagon. Then I’d most likely lose control of my accounting sense, completely detach from dollars, and order every mod available. I fought back pretty hard over the last three months. Almost bought an experimental Cub at one point, then went on another tangent for a Rans S7… hell, I got so tired of looking that I convinced myself I could stuff my 90 lb dog, lady, and all my sports gear in a Scout with belly pod. I think some of you can relate and maybe you too have done the mind dance between models, years, cert vs experimental and on and on and on…. The loop is just that, a never ending loop of possibilities. However, I eventually realized that the best airplane I could have, (if I could only own 1), would be a wagon. The loop always returned to a pponk 180 or 185. Big tanks, big power, big baggage, lands in the Bush, and it can still fly some distance.

I found this bird in NC a month ago. After much courting, I finally flew up from Costa Rica to have a look. IO520, 96 gallons useable, 2800TT, and most importantly good bones. There was some damage like most of them, but Beegles did the repair and replaced everything with new parts. BigRenna did his usually routine by measuring wing twist, symmetry, and meticulously examined the finger prints left by 46 years of random mechanics. As always, it was worth every penny. From the very beginning, things were on track and she eventually passed the test. It might be a little heavy on the controls but she makes up for it in tons of other aspects. No float kit (little weight savings), 12V so firewall battery and flat floor baggage, and Gami injectors. A Sportsman, VGs, ABW, and MT are on the way and we are off to the next chapter in this crazy aviation journey.

Big thanks to Big R. If you don’t know, you should. Always take him for any Cessna pre-buy. http://bushwagoneast.com/

And thank you to everyone on this board for all the knowledge passed along over the years. I undoubtedly have been a ‘taker’ from this board, always asking questions and without the proper knowledge to confidently contribute. I’m aware of this. Hopefully in the future I’ll be able to pass along a few truths to the next guy or girl from my journey.

Congrats, great looking bird

Looks very nice. You’ll really like the Sportsman addition too.

But……how do you get 96 gallons useable? Just curious.

Get a great checkout, and enjoy it!

MTV

More or less. 97 gallons? Flint tanks. Thought it was 74 plus 11.5 per side on the Flints.

Very nice. Did you order a new MT or buy BRs old one?

Nope. Ordered a 2 blade from FR. I’m going to take the 3% increase on the top end and better CG vs the three blade MT.

Nice looking plane. Guess I'll keep being happy with my two blade MT and not think the grass is greener on the other side.

ington6 wrote:More or less. 97 gallons? Flint tanks. Thought it was 74 plus 11.5 per side on the Flints.

Ah, so……short range main tanks, gotcha, thanks! There are some benefits to that setup.

MTV

Haha. Yup. I actually have a three blade I took off my 182 and am consciously making the decision to go two blade because I’m not working at max gross off gravel bars and would enjoy a little extra top end. I definitely felt the 4 to 5 knot reduction on the 182. It’s all a balancing act.

For this year the useable looks something like that. Not sure why the reduction in useable.

Here’s the info on the Flint’s. Looks like you should have almost 15 gallons useable per side.

Ross4289 wrote:Here’s the info on the Flint’s. Looks like you should have almost 15 gallons useable per side.

So, these are the Flint wing tip extensions, correct? As opposed to the internal Flint tanks.

MTV

mtv wrote:

ington6 wrote:More or less. 97 gallons? Flint tanks. Thought it was 74 plus 11.5 per side on the Flints.

Ah, so……short range main tanks, gotcha, thanks! There are some benefits to that setup.

MTV

Still LR mains though. Short are 65 Gallons. In his picture it does not appear to have the extended tips, just the in wing mounted ones, so I think he's right on his capacity then.

A1Skinner wrote:

mtv wrote:

ington6 wrote:More or less. 97 gallons? Flint tanks. Thought it was 74 plus 11.5 per side on the Flints.

Ah, so……short range main tanks, gotcha, thanks! There are some benefits to that setup.

MTV

Still LR mains though. Short are 65 Gallons. In his picture it does not appear to have the extended tips, just the in wing mounted ones, so I think he's right on his capacity then.

If that's the case, how'd it get legal at 3600 pounds all up?? Look at the Flint data.....

Guess I'm too used to later model 185s with 84 plus useable.

MTV

mtv wrote:

Ross4289 wrote:Here’s the info on the Flint’s. Looks like you should have almost 15 gallons useable per side.

So, these are the Flint wing tip extensions, correct? As opposed to the internal Flint tanks.

MTV

Yes I put the data for the tip extensions, didn’t realize they made internal tanks too.

mtv wrote:

A1Skinner wrote:

mtv wrote:

ington6 wrote:More or less. 97 gallons? Flint tanks. Thought it was 74 plus 11.5 per side on the Flints.

Ah, so……short range main tanks, gotcha, thanks! There are some benefits to that setup.

MTV

Still LR mains though. Short are 65 Gallons. In his picture it does not appear to have the extended tips, just the in wing mounted ones, so I think he's right on his capacity then.

If that's the case, how'd it get legal at 3600 pounds all up?? Look at the Flint data.....

Guess I'm too used to later model 185s with 84 plus useable.

MTV

Good question. I didn't see in any posts that it has 3600lb GW. Just looking at the picture and it appears that the aileron goes right to the wing tip. I'm sure Ington will chime in a correct us all.

Yup. No increased gross weight or extended wings. Just outboards tanks that are 12 gal, 11.5 useable with transfer pumps. Wing X is enticing but I’m staying away for now since I’m on wheels. I want to get a handle of this thing in cross winds before adding more curveballs. Plus my current hangar is 39’.

Nice bird! Without looking up the registration was that RUQ? I live about 20 miles west and that looks familiar...

ington6 wrote:Yup. No increased gross weight or extended wings. Just outboards tanks that are 12 gal, 11.5 useable with transfer pumps. Wing X is enticing but I’m staying away for now since I’m on wheels. I want to get a handle of this thing in cross winds before adding more curveballs. Plus my current hangar is 39’.

Whew, I couldn’t figure out how that Flint data for wing extensions came from.

The Flint tanks that slide in are indeed 12 gallons a side. I had them in my 170. They work well though the plane wallows a bit on ground with much fuel in tips. Although it’s approved, I tried not to land with fuel in tips. Generally easy to accomplish.

Thanks for clarifying, anyway. And, yes, with a 39 foot door, you do not want wing extensions.

MTV

I love wing extensions on floats but I don't know if I'd bother with them for wheel ops. Nice looking 185.