Do they handle differently? I wouldn't think so except for the extra weight.

If you wanna haul heavy loads all the time get a 185. If you want as close to a cub as you can get and still haul a load and still go somewhere. Get an old 180. They do handle different. Don't get an old 180 and try and turn it into a 185 as many have said over and over. Staying light as possible on an older 180 is what makes the plane special. I think you'll find a pretty similar consensus w most everyone that has time in both and used both for what they do best. Had a buddy w a 550 185. He could def legally haul more but could not come close to my takeoff and landing distances. 180 is more enjoyable to fly in my opinion. Both great planes. One just shines more than the other on different missions.

blackrock wrote:Do they handle differently? I wouldn't think so except for the extra weight.

Totally different animals. They look alike, but they do not fly alike.

Gump

I've flown a relatively lightly loaded 185 on floats a few times... How would you compare a light, early 180's handling? I'd assume lighter and more responsive - am I thinking in the right direction?

How about a later 180? Same sort of thing or much closer to the 185?

In my experience the difference between a light, early 180 (have flown 55, 56, 57, 59 & 64) and a later 185 (76) is pretty vast from a pilot's perspective. That is - they are completely different machines - as many have already mentioned. They simply don't look, feel or fly the same inside the cockpit. The 185 feels like a much larger aircraft with heavier controls and a more ponderous feel - much like the difference between a 182 and 206. However, unlike the 182 and 206, they are in fact essentially the same aircraft with slightly different features. Personally, I attribute the differences to weight, years and engines. (Early 180s generally seem to be in the 16-1700lb range assuming they are not decked out to be a 185: the 185 I work is 2100lbs empty on wheels.) I would imagine as the years and equipment lists get closer, so does the feel in the cockpit. Many of the controls change as well as the years go by; such as updated breakers and switches, fuel injection, and a more instrument-friendly panel. Many of the older 180's have gauges, switches and controls seemingly randomly scattered across the mostly empty dash - kinda feels like an old Ford. But what a honey to fly....

If you need range and load hauling ability the 185 is hands down better. With Flint Tip Tanks the 2100lb beast still has a 1500lb useful, plus over 8hrs usable fuel and full IFR capability with most any gadget a pilot could wish for. Sure it could be lightened up some, but the empty weight includes a FULL arctic survival kit for 4 folks and all the instrumentation you could ever need. It comes in handy too sometimes... All-in-all a real workhorse for a specific mission. Sure a 206 will do the same job or better most of the time - but not when wheel-skis are required.

On the other hand, a good 180 can be a load hauling, traveling machine extraordinaire for as little as half the initial price. And for short, rough airstrips hauling moderately heavy loads - I'll take a light 180 with a large motor. Don't have any experience with early 185's - they may be the same. Nimble feeling and responsive when you need it and still cruises fast. Burns the same amount of fuel or more than a 185 without the range, but lightweight is lightweight on the same wing. Granted a similar horsepower, a lighter plane will have the advantage for hauling a heavy load out of a tight spot as the total weight will be less.

Excellent aircraft all - they just vary by degrees and as such can be tailored to a wide range of missions.

The main reasons for the difference in feel between the earlier and later models has to do with the return spring in the elevator on the later models and more lead on all the controll surfaces, presumably to negate any risk of flutter at the higher VNE. If it wasnt for those things they would essentially "feel" the same at any given weight. That is why the later model 180's also have a heavy feel similar to the 185's

Jamie G

I'm sure I''m gonna get hammered for this, but the reason the late models are heavier feeling and have higher empty weights is because Cessna learned through the years that they had to beef up the struture to hold up to the abuse of a "WORKING" airplane. More weight means more HP to carry the load. Day in and day out pounding and abuse. Minimal maintence in the bush until annual downtime back in town. I always love the guys that whine about how they go looking to buy a modded out early model 180 with a big engine, monster tires and complain that the airframe is all cracked out and are junk.-Ya, you think there's a reason why it's so common? Old lightweight airframe running over gross, big HP clamped on to a thin firewall with a large diameter prop inducing much greater gyroscopic processional loading. If you want a load carrying durable work horse, a 550 powered late model 185 is your answer. If you want an overgrown Super Cub, then maybe a early stripped down 180 is the answer as long as you accept the limitations that go with it.

As long as ya patch 'em up right.

Some of my old work airplanes had 30K + Arctic hours on them, and they were among the nicest flying airplanes I've ever been in. Now they might not exactly have been all shiny and pretty to look at, but...




Gump

GumpAir wrote:As long as ya patch 'em up right.

Some of my old work airplanes had 30K + Arctic hours on them, and they were among the nicest flying airplanes I've ever been in. Now they might not exactly have been all shiny and pretty to look at, but...




Gump

Nothing you can't fix with 50lbs of welding rod, 1000 rivets, and a bunch of aluminum sheet metal.

RockHopper wrote:I'm sure I''m gonna get hammered for this, If you want an overgrown Super Cub, then maybe a early stripped down 180 is the answer as long as you accept the limitations that go with it.

Over grown Super Cub...hahaha

I carry a full roll of duct tape...actually used it one year up in Idaho to duct tape a wing tip that hit a tree while taxiing.. Damn tree jumped right out in front of that right wing...

that said If I ever won the lottery I would research Maule's M9 with 260 HP vs 185's real thoroughly but since I don't have the money for either it's all a matter of speculation... I'll be reall happy with my M4 till I win the lottery...