My Other Plane is a Cessna 185 Amphibian

CESSNA A185F AMPHIBIAN · Performance Data

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Overview

This document provides insights into the Cessna 185 Amphibian, detailing its history, modifications, and flying characteristics. It features the experiences of Bill Workman, a pilot who owns a Cessna 185 and has made significant upgrades to the aircraft. The text discusses the evolution of the Cessna 185 from its predecessor, the Cessna 180, highlighting its design improvements and versatility as a bush plane. The author shares personal anecdotes about flying the 185, including takeoff and landing techniques, and the unique challenges of operating an amphibious aircraft. This document is aimed at pilots and aviation enthusiasts interested in the Cessna 185 and its capabilities.

Cessna 185 was introduced in 1960 with a focus on versatility as a bush plane.
The aircraft can be equipped with wheels, floats, or skis for various operations.
Bill Workman upgraded his 185 to a 310 hp engine and added composite floats.
Flying the 185 requires careful coordination and trim adjustments due to its weight.
The aircraft's performance data shows significant improvements in climb rates and stall speeds.

Document

Source

Originally published by progaviation.com. Sprinkle hosts a reference copy with an added summary, specifications and searchable full text.

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Document details

Type: Performance Data
Year: 2009
Pages: 5
File size: 760 KB
Publisher: progaviation.com

Specifications & performance

Extracted from this document.

Specifications

Engine (hp): 310
Height (ft): 12.5
Length (ft): 27.5
Propeller: Hartzell 3-blade
Wingspan (ft): 38.83
Engine model: Continental IO-550
Max speed (kt): 130
Cruise speed (kt): 115
Fuel capacity (gal): 74
Rate of climb (fpm): 80
Max takeoff weight (lb): 3,525

Performance

Stall speed clean (kt): 60
Stall speed landing (kt): 51

V-speeds

VA: 118
VR: 55
VX: 63
VY: 74
VFE: 93
VNE: 182
VNO: 146
VS1: 60
VSO: 51
VREF: 70

Weight & balance

Baggage allowance (lb): 270
Max takeoff weight (lb): 3,525

Documentation completeness

2/7

Most owners only have the POH. Here's the essential set for the CESSNA A185F AMPHIBIAN.

Pilot's Operating Handbook / AFM
Checklist
Maintenance Manual
Parts Catalog (IPC)
Systems & Wiring
Service Bulletins
Type Certificate (TCDS)

More CESSNA A185F AMPHIBIANmanuals & documents

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In this document

Background of the 185

The Cessna 185 was introduced in 1960 as a purpose-built bush plane, featuring a strengthened fuselage and increased useful load compared to the Cessna 180. It initially flew with 260 hp, later increasing to 300 hp in production models. The 185 became known for its versatility and ability to operate on various terrains, including wheels, floats, and skis.

Modifications and Upgrades

Bill Workman upgraded his 185 with Aerocet composite amphibious floats, a Robertson STOL kit, and an IO-550 engine, boosting power to 310 hp. The aircraft's panel was enhanced with Garmin avionics, improving navigation and safety features.

Flying the 185

The document describes the experience of flying the Cessna 185, noting its handling characteristics, particularly with amphibious floats. The author emphasizes the importance of coordination during turns and the need for trim adjustments due to the aircraft's weight.

Performance Data

The document includes a comparison of original and current configurations of the Cessna 185, detailing changes in engine power, propeller type, dimensions, and performance metrics such as stall speeds and climb rates.

Full document text

My Other Plane is a Cessna 185 Amphibian by Matthew McDaniel  Workman’s “Blue Bird” standing tall and ready to taxi from his hangar at CXO. What do a Cirrus, a pair of Aerocet amphibious floats and a Smart™ Car have in common? If you said composites, you’d be correct. However, you could also say Bill Workman. Of course, for a guy like Mr. Workman, it is because of the composite com- monality that he’s a fan of those three products. Such a fan, in fact, that the first airplane he bought was a 2003 SR22. The second was a Cessna 185, which he soon had mounted atop composite amphibious floats. And, he and his wife each drive a zippy little Smart fortwo high-economy car, which sports composite body panels that can be changed in a matter of minutes, in case of damage or if the owner is just itching for a new color. Bill likes his transportation to fit into three categories: modern, fun, and attention-getting. It would appear he’s fulfilling all criteria with each vehicle. Workman is a medical device sales specialist, living in Houston, Texas. His first memories of aviation are not unusual – Goodyear® Blimp sightings and seeing the Blue Angles perform at age 12. But, it was a ride with a freshly minted 172 pilot (a high-school buddy) off a grass strip that set the hook for Bill. For years after that, he considered learning to fly. When he asked a friend why he was taking flying lessons, the reply was, “Because what you get with your pilot certificate is FREEDOM.” Bill signed up the next day, at age 40. Within a month of completing his private training, he bought the Cirrus and a year later he’d earned his instrument rating. Ever since, he’s flown about 180 hours a year, mainly for business. Owning a seaplane or amphibian was a dream Bill suppressed until the opportunity was right. In 2008, he and a partner purchased a 1978 Cessna 185 (on wheels). It was the partner, Greg (a CFII and float instructor), who gave Bill the comfort to leap into the world of tailwheel and floatplane flying. Background of the 185 The Cessna 180 Skywagon first flew in 1952 with 225 hp, and filled a niche between Cessna’s 170 and their 190/195. By the late 50s the nose-wheel-equipped 182 was far outselling the tail-dragging 180. Cessna recog- nized the need for a purpose-built, heavy-hauling, bush plane, which could easily adapt to wheels, floats or skis. In 1960, the 185 was born and first flew with 260 hp. The primary differences from the 180 were its strengthened fuselage, extended baggage compartment, larger vertical tail and generally “beefed up” design. The 185 also boasted a 6.5% increase in useful load over the 180 (a number which eventually rose to 9% in later production 185s). In 1966, production 185s received a boost to 300 hp for takeoff (285 hp continuous). The airplane quickly devel oped a reputation as a strong and versatile bush plane, operated by many with an attitude of “if it’ll fit through the door, the 185 will carry it.” CIRRUS PILOT • 23 Workman’s composite vehicles all in a row. Each aircraft engine boasts twice the cylinders and more than nine times the cubic-inch displacement of the Smart car. But the Smart boasts five to 10 times the average fuel economy per mile (depending upon the phase of flight for the aircraft). July/August 2009 24 • CIRRUS PILOT C-185 production eventually exceeded 4,400 units and ended in 1985, just slightly ahead of Cessna’s total piston aircraft production shutdown. When Cessna did not reintroduce the 180/185 after resuming piston pro- duction a decade later, the value of the existing 180/185s soared. They became an irreplaceable commodity. Now the 180/185s are highly prized and among the most-modified aircraft flying. All manner of STCs exist for the planes, but the primary ones involve enhancing their already impressive capabilities. STOL kits, bigger engines, gross-weight increases and a wide variety of tundra tires, floats and skis are the modifications owners most desire. Workman is no exception. Initially, Greg introduced Bill to tailwheel operations in their 185-F. Then, it was time to find and install floats. For Bill, there was only one choice – the only amphibious floats made entirely of composites. Aerocet floats are as unique as the Cirrus was upon its introduction. They are clean, strong, light and low-maintenance. Bill’s experi- ence with the Cirrus told him there was absolutely no reason to buy an old-school set of aluminum floats. He and Greg were so impressed by Aerocet, in fact, that they not only purchased a set for the 185, they also became the Aerocet dealers for their region. Soon Workman’s 185 was taken down for modifications. They added a Robertson STOL kit, upgraded the engine to an IO-550, boasting 310 hp (continuous) with a JPI digital engine monitor, and a new Hartzell 3-blade-Scimitar prop. The panel was upgraded with a slew of new Garmin equip- ment, including a WAAS-equipped 530W, an SL-30 Nav/ Comm and a panel-mounted 496 with weather. After a few paint touchups, the airplane was hoisted up and its sturdy undercarriage was replaced by the Aerocet am- phibious floats, placing the belly of the aircraft more than six feet off the ground. Wingtip extensions increased MGW several hundred pounds and helped to offset much of the weight of the Aerocets. The SkyWagon’s updated panel, including WAAS, engine monitoring, XM WX, radar altimeter and a slick gear position warning system that supplements the lights with audible advisories on whether the gear is safe for a water landing or a runway landing. Bill Workman and his 185 nipping at the tail of his SR22, at his home base of Lone Star Airport (CXO), in Houston. Volume 4, Number 4 CIRRUS PILOT • 25 Flying the 185 I showed up in Houston in early April to a beautiful spring day and immediately met with the 185’s co-owner and seaplane instructor, Greg Smith. In 20 years and over 10,000 hours of flying, I’d never even been in a seaplane, much less actually flown one.

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I asked Greg a lot of questions until I felt comfortable climbing in. Greg offered the left seat and I accepted. Taxiing the tall amphibian feels like you’re driving a shopping cart. It’s got four wheels instead of three and the front set are free swiveling. Turning is a dif- ferential braking affair, similar to the Cirrus, and getting her rolling takes a fair amount of break-away power. I focused on the sight picture while taxiing the beast so that I would remember to flair high enough when it came time to land it later! Takeoff from land seemed fairly normal other than using 20-degree flaps as the “normal” T/O setting. The gear comes up immediately (in the event of an early engine failure, landing on the floats is just as good an option as the wheels under most emergency conditions). It was immediately apparent to me that there was an awful lot of weight and drag hanging below this airplane. The need to coordinate turns to overcome the powerful keel-effect was very obvious. The 185 is a hefty airplane, especially with floats attached. The aileron forces stayed as light as any 180 or 182 I’d ever flown, but the airplane is heavy in pitch, requiring a lot of trim (via a rather inconvenient trim wheel located on the floor, below the panel). While heavy, yaw and pitch are well harmonized. Within minutes we were approaching Lake Conroe, a huge reservoir on Houston’s northwest side. I set up my approach and Greg recommended I ex- tend the touchdown point a bit further ahead to avoid an area of glassy water. I started extending flaps via the big Johnson bar control. The final notch (40 degrees) takes a powerful pull on the handle. Greg was being very easygoing and just allowing me to feel it out. The 185 docked at a lakeside restaurant area on Lake Conroe, near Houston, Texas.  July/August 2009 26 • CIRRUS PILOT His one piece of advice was to use a full- stall landing. I set up a constant descent rate, flared at what I perceived to be a little high and just let it settle in, stall horn blaring. With no reference for comparison, it seemed like a decent splashdown to me. Greg then demonstrated some fast taxiing using the air-rudder only and some slow taxiing using the water-rudders. I was impressed with the maneuverability. Water takeoffs seemed very straight- forward, requiring a technique very similar to a short/soft-field combination takeoff in a nosewheel landplane. On the first water takeoff, I allowed the nose to yaw left, not considering the ease with which the 310 hp would induce yaw while in the water (no tire friction to resist the yaw). But, once I knew what to expect, the 185’s huge rudder made yaw control easy work. We then toured around Lake Conroe, doing splashdowns everywhere it was safe to do so. Eventually, we docked at a lakeside restaurant area. With a lot of coaching from Greg, I guided the 185 into a standard boat slip, while Greg jumped out and secured the aircraft. I could see how that maneuver would be very chal- lenging in a strong wind and/or when solo. Without a doubt, we captured the attention of the whole restaurant crowd. On the way back to the 185’s base at Lone Star Airport (CXO), we did a splash-n-go at David Wayne Hooks Airport (DWH), a land airport with a single seaplane landing lane (aka: “The Ditch”). The calm water of the ditch and the many visual clues to improve depth perception made that my best water landing of the day. Back at CXO, I made Original Configuration Current Configuration Engine Continental IO-520-D, Continental IO-550, 300 hp for Takeoff, 285 hp 310 hp Continuous Continuous Propeller 80-inch McCauley 2-blade 82-inch Hartzell 3-blade Constant Speed Constant Speed (Super Scimitar) Seats 4 4 Wingspan 35 feet, 10 inches 38 feet, 10 inches Length 25 feet, 7 inches 27 feet, 6 inches Height 7 feet, 9 inches 12 feet, 6 inches Wing Area 174 sq. ft. 186.4 sq. ft. Max Gross Weight 3,350 lbs. 3,525 lbs. Wing Loading (1g) 19.25 lbs./sq. ft. 18.91 lbs./sq. ft. Power Loading at T/O (MGW) 11.17 lbs./hp 11.37 lbs./hp Baggage Capacity 70 lbs. 70 lbs. in baggage area 100 lbs. in each float 270 lbs. total Fuel Capacity (usable) 74 gal. 74 gal. Landing Gear Conventional Fixed Gear Amphibious floats (4-wheel retractable gear) Cockpit Flight Controls Dual Yokes Dual Yokes Stall in Landing Config (Vso) 48 51 Stall – Clean (Vs) 55 60 Rotation (Vr) 55 55 Best Angle of Climb (Vx) 65 63 Best Rate of Climb (Vy) 70 74 Typical Climb 70 80 Cruise Climb 80 90 Economy Cruise 120 115 Max Cruise 139 130 Max Normal Operating (Vno) 146 146 Never Exceed (Vne) 182 182 Flaps Extended (Vfe) 90 93 Landing Gear Operating (Vlo) N/A 120 Maneuvering Speed @ MGW (Va) 118 118 Final Approach (Vref)-Clean 75 70 Vref for Wheel (or Float) Landing 65 60 Vref for 3-Point Landing 50 N/A All Speeds in KIAS. Major Differences between original and current configurations shown in blue. Data Chart – 1978 Cessna 185-F SkyWagon Volume 4, Number 4 CIRRUS PILOT • 27 an acceptable pavement landing (if not exactly a squeaker). All in all, flying the 185 was a real hoot and easy enough to give me the desire to maybe pursue a seaplane rating someday. Later that evening, Bill offered his Smart car, and I zipped off to dinner. It was like an exer- cise in contrasts – one minute I am guzzling fuel in a burley seaplane, the next I am sipping 40 mpg in the Smart. And both were equally memorable. Workman jokes that between the Cirrus and the 185, his carbon footprint is huge. So, the least he can do is help offset it by driving “smart.” To that, I say; “Climb in the Smart, Bill. Let’s go to the airport!” COPA Author’s Note: With this fourth installment of the series, we continue to introduce Cirrus Pilot readers to some of the many COPA members who own and fly multiple aircraft. If you know a COPA member who owns/ flies multiple aircraft types and wish them to be considered for inclusion, please drop me an email at: matt@progaviation.com. About The Author: Matthew McDaniel is a Master & Gold Seal CFII, ATP, MEI, AGI, IGI and CSIP. In 19 years of flying, he has logged over 10,000 hours total time and over 4,000 hours of instruction- given. As owner of Progressive Aviation Services, LLC (www.progaviation.com), he has specialized in Cirrus instruction since 2001 and has held the CSIP credential since the first day it was available in late 2003. Currently, he’s teaching Cirrus clients nation- wide, via personal flight training and seminars. He’s also been an airline and corporate pilot, having flown a wide variety of airliners and corporate jets and holds five turbine aircraft type-ratings. Matt can be reached at matt@progaviation.com or (414) 339-4990. Workman’s 185 Amphibian departs Lake Conroe, heading west into the setting sun. Bill Workman PERSONAL DATA: Age: 46 Born: Houston, Texas Living: Houston and Montgomery, Texas Status: Married 21 years – no kids, but awesome nieces/nephews and two dogs. Education: BA Psychology, University of Houston (1987). One day of graduate school at SUNY Albany for a PhD in Clinical Psychology. It was at that moment I realized I needed a psychologist more than I needed to be one. I sold my books that day and went straight into medical device sales. Occupation: Medical device distribution and sales; commercial real estate investment and development. Employer: Self-employed Hobbies: Flying, motorcycling, camping, boating, naps, swimming, and acting younger than I am as often as possible. AVIATION DATA: Earliest Aviation Memory: When I was 7 or 8, watching the Goodyear Blimp cruise low over our Houston neighborhood at night. It was all lit up and so low you could hear the engines from inside the house. We would all run out and ooh and aah. I also vividly recall seeing the Blue Angels perform at Ellington Field in Houston, with my older brother Dan, when I was about 12. I was blown away by the precision, speed and sound. First Flight: Houston to Denver at age 10 (family ski trip). I don’t remember being scared but amazed that everyone on board was smoking! It was a flying ashtray. My first GA flight was off a grass strip with a high school buddy who had just received his ticket in a Cessna 172. I was too young to be scared and too dumb to know that I should have been. I loved it. Aviation Mentors: My private instructor, Jim Hombs. My instrument instructor, Rick Jordan. My good friend and partner in the 185, Greg Smith. Dr. Mark McDonnell who told me what you get with your private certificate is FREEDOM! We did our training together. First solo: February 8, 2003 in a Cessna 172, David Wayne Hooks Airport (DWH), Houston area. Private Certificate: September 15, 2003. Instrument Training: Throughout 2004, in my SR22. Instrument Rating: Nov. 8, 2004. Aircraft Owned: Cirrus SR22 (October 2003 to Present) and 1978 Cessna 185 with one co-owner (March 2008 to Present). Proudest Accomplishments in Aviation: My instrument rating for utility and my Sea Plane rating to fulfill a dream; all my Angel Flights, the patients are remarkable people. All-time Favorite Flight: My first flight to Oshkosh in my own plane (SR22) and landing on a dirt strip in Muluege, Baja Mexico to see the whales calve in the Pacific. Total Time: 1200 hours - roughly 1,000 in the SR22 and 200 in the C-185.

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