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How to Buy a Cessna 180 Skywagon: Buyer's Guide
A rugged, roomy taildragger that hauls real loads into short, rough strips, rewarding buyers who shop carefully and fly it with respect.
Updated October 2026 · Market data from 9 live fyiAero listings, the FAA registry and NTSB records
Overview
The Cessna 180 is the airplane many backcountry pilots end up with after they outgrow a Cub or a 170. It was introduced for the 1953 model year and built into the early 1980s. It pairs a conventional-gear airframe with a six-cylinder Continental O-470 making 225 to 230 hp, a big flap system, and a cabin that swallows people, camping gear, or cargo. It shares much of its structure with the early 182, but the tailwheel, spring-steel main gear and lighter nose make it a very different airplane on the ground and on rough strips.
The market is small and personal. fyiAero listings currently show 9 aircraft for sale, from 1953 to 1977 model years, asking between $169,900 and $295,500 with a median of $202,369. The FAA registry counts 2,592 US-registered 180s. With a fleet that size and few airplanes listed at any one time, good examples sell on reputation and paperwork as much as on price.
Nearly every 180 you look at will be 45 to 70 years old. Most have been modified, many have worked hard on floats or in Alaska, and a fair number have been bent and repaired at some point. That is not a reason to walk away. It is a reason to buy the specific airplane, not the model, and to budget for a thorough pre-buy by someone who knows Cessna taildraggers.
Who it's for. The 180 suits a pilot who wants a true four-seat utility airplane for backcountry camping, hunting and fishing trips, float flying, or hauling gear to a remote cabin, with enough cruise speed to make cross-country trips practical. It is not a first airplane for a low-time pilot without tailwheel experience. The 180 is heavier and more powerful than a 170 or Cub, and it will ground loop if you get behind it on landing or in a crosswind. Insurers know this. Expect them to want a tailwheel endorsement plus meaningful tailwheel time, often with dual instruction in type before solo. Rates and deductibles are noticeably better once you have logged real 180 or 185 hours. Float ratings and seaplane time are needed if the airplane is on floats. Get insurance quotes before you make an offer, not after.
Generations and variants
| Version | Years | What changed |
|---|---|---|
| Early 180 (original straight-tail models) | 1953-1956 | These are the simplest and lightest 180s, with the O-470 rated around 225 hp, a narrower cabin and basic systems. On fyiAero they ask anywhere from $169,900 to $295,500, which shows that condition and modifications matter far more than year of manufacture. |
| 180A through 180D | 1957-1960 | Over these years Cessna made incremental changes to the engine, systems and interior, and output rose to 230 hp. Values track condition, engine time and mods rather than the letter suffix. |
| 180E through 180H | 1961-1972 | This era brought a refined cabin, more windows and visibility, and updated electrical and instrument layouts. These are often considered a sweet spot for a usable, modernized airframe without late-model pricing. A 1966 example on fyiAero asks $280,000 and a 1969 asks $199,900. |
| 180J and 180K (late models) | 1973-1981 | The late models gained Cessna's camber-lift wing changes, updated interiors and electrical systems, and generally lower total time. They tend to sit at the upper end of the market, and a 1977 on fyiAero is listed at $284,900. |
| Floatplane and amphibian conversions | 1953-1981 | Many 180s have spent time on straight floats or amphibs, and one current fyiAero listing is a floatplane. The floats add significant value, but water operations, especially salt water, call for much closer corrosion inspection. |
What a Cessna 180 Skywagon costs to buy
8 priced listings on fyiAero right now ask between $169,900 and $295,500, with a median of $202,369 and a median of 4,401 hours total time. Against fyiEstimate, 3 are priced below estimate, 0 within range and 2 above.
- Use the fyiAero range of $169,900 to $295,500, with a $202,369 median, as a starting frame. With only 9 aircraft listed, a single exceptional or tired airplane can move the averages, so judge each one on its own logs.
- Don't pay for model year. A 1954 is listed at $295,500 and a 1953 at $169,900. Engine time, prop, mods, avionics and damage history drive price far more than the date on the data plate.
- Airframe hours matter less than you'd think. On fyiAero, 3,000-5,000 hour airplanes have a median ask of $189,900, while 5,000+ hour airplanes come in at $224,950. Well-maintained, heavily modified working airplanes often command more.
- Expect higher times. The median listed airframe has about 4,401 hours, which is normal for this fleet, so focus on how those hours were flown and maintained.
- Price the engine separately. A fresh overhaul or a well-documented engine conversion is worth real money, while a run-out O-470 should come off the price at roughly the cost of an overhaul.
- Assume prior damage until proven otherwise. A clean, well-documented major repair is acceptable, but missing 337s, unexplained gaps in the logs, or a vague story are reasons to negotiate hard or walk.
Average asking price by model year
Median asking price by airframe time
| 3,000–5,000 hrs | $189,900 | 3 listings |
| 5,000+ hrs | $224,950 | 2 listings |
Pre-buy inspection checklist
Have a shop that knows the type do the pre-buy, and ask them to research every applicable AD and service bulletin. Pay particular attention to:
- Main gear attach structure and gear boxes. Hard landings and rough-strip use can crack or distort the structure where the spring-steel gear legs mount. Repairs here are invasive and expensive.
- Tailwheel assembly, spring and tailcone bulkhead. The aft fuselage absorbs constant pounding from the tailwheel. Look for cracked bulkheads, worn steering components and a tired spring, especially on airplanes with big tires or backcountry history.
- Corrosion survey, particularly on float or coastal airplanes. Water operations and salt air attack the belly skins, lower fuselage, wing attach areas, control cables and pulleys. Pull inspection panels and look underneath the floor.
- Seat rails, seat rollers and stops. Worn rails or seat locks on Cessna singles have caused seats to slide back on takeoff. Have the shop verify compliance with all applicable ADs and inspect for elongated holes.
- Damage history and logbook review. Given the ground-loop record of the type, verify every major repair with proper 337s or documentation, and check wings, firewall and gear for signs of undocumented repair.
- Engine condition, including cylinders, compressions, borescope and oil analysis. The O-470 is durable but expensive to overhaul. Check cylinders, look for cam and lifter wear on airplanes that sat, and review oil analysis trends if they are available.
- Exhaust system and muffler. Cracked exhaust components are a carbon monoxide and fire risk on any older Cessna. Ask the shop to research applicable ADs and inspect closely.
- Propeller and hub. Constant-speed props on these airframes have AD and service history to track, and float or gravel use causes erosion. Confirm the overhaul timing and inspection compliance.
- Flap tracks, rollers and control system. The large flaps work hard on short-field operations. Worn rollers, cracked tracks and sloppy cables are common findings.
- STC paperwork for all modifications. Most 180s carry STOL kits, larger tires, engine conversions or float fittings. Every mod needs matching STC and 337 documentation, plus updated weight and balance and flight manual supplements.
Popular upgrades
- STOL kits and wing modifications (leading edge cuffs, vortex generators, gap seals). Very common. They improve slow-speed handling and short-field performance, and they add value to buyers with backcountry plans.
- Engine conversions to larger Continental engines. Big-engine STCs add climb and load-hauling performance and can significantly raise value. They also raise fuel burn and future overhaul costs.
- Oversize tires and heavy-duty tailwheel. These are expected by backcountry buyers and help on rough strips. They cost a little cruise speed and should be matched with inspection of the gear structure.
- Floats or amphibious floats. A float package is a major value add and may be sold with or separate from the airplane. Corrosion history becomes a much bigger part of the inspection.
- Modern avionics (GPS navigator, ADS-B, digital engine monitor, autopilot). These help resale and usability, but buyers rarely recover the full installed cost. An engine monitor is a smart addition on an O-470.
- Interior and utility mods (extended baggage, cargo pod, rear seat options). These boost the utility mission and are attractive to hunters, campers and cabin owners.
Ownership costs
fyiAero's operating cost estimate puts variable costs around $126 per hour, driven largely by fuel at roughly 13.5 gallons per hour. That works out to about $0.92 per nautical mile at a 137-knot cruise, with a range of about 513 nm. An owner flying about 117 hours a year should budget roughly $27,897 annually all-in, including insurance, hangar or tiedown, annual inspection and reserves. The estimate assumes an average pre-owned value near $171,117. Treat those numbers as a baseline. Tailwheel insurance for low-time pilots, float operations, big-engine conversions, and the corrosion and structural repairs that old airframes eventually need can push actual costs well above it. Set aside a real maintenance reserve, and keep an engine overhaul fund growing every hour you fly.
Safety record
NTSB records show 158 accidents involving the Cessna 180 over the last 10 years, against a US fleet of 2,592. That works out to about 61 accidents per 1,000 registered aircraft. Only 4 of those accidents were fatal and 4 aircraft were destroyed, or about 1.5 fatal accidents per 1,000 aircraft. The pattern fits the airplane's mission. These are tailwheel airplanes flown into short, rough, sloped and remote strips, and most mishaps are loss-of-control events on landing or takeoff. Those events bend gear, props and wingtips but rarely hurt people. The main risk areas are ground loops in crosswinds, density altitude and short-field misjudgment, and overloading on hunting or fishing trips. Water operations add their own hazards. Thorough tailwheel and type-specific training, recurrent dual work, and honest go/no-go decisions on strip length and wind do far more for safety than any modification.
Alternatives to consider
- Cessna 185 Skywagon. Its bigger engine and higher gross weight carry more load, but it costs more to buy and run and is generally harder to handle on the ground.
- Cessna 182 Skylane. It offers similar cabin and performance with easier tricycle gear and cheaper insurance, but it is less capable on rough backcountry strips.
- Cessna 170. It is lighter and cheaper to buy and operate, and gentle as a taildragger, but it has far less power and payload for four people with gear.
- Maule M-5 / M-7. It has strong short-field performance and newer production years, but it comes with a smaller support network and a different cabin and handling character.
- Piper PA-18 Super Cub. It is unmatched for very short strips and low-and-slow flying, but it has only two seats, is slow, and offers little cross-country utility.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Cessna 180 cost?
fyiAero listings currently show asking prices from $169,900 to $295,500, with a median of $202,369. Condition, engine time, mods and damage history drive the spread much more than model year.
How many Cessna 180s are still flying?
The FAA registry lists 2,592 US-registered Cessna 180s. Only a handful are for sale at any given time, and fyiAero currently shows 9.
How much fuel does a Cessna 180 burn?
fyiAero's operating estimate uses about 13.5 gallons per hour at a 137-knot cruise, for roughly 513 nm of range. Big-engine conversions and how you lean will change those numbers.
Is a high-time Cessna 180 a bad buy?
Not necessarily. The median listed airframe has about 4,401 hours, and on fyiAero 5,000+ hour airplanes actually show a higher median ask than 3,000-5,000 hour ones, at $224,950 versus $189,900. What matters is the maintenance history, corrosion, damage records and engine condition.
Can I insure a Cessna 180 as a new tailwheel pilot?
Usually yes, but expect higher premiums and requirements such as dual instruction in type and a minimum number of tailwheel hours before solo. Get quotes from an aviation insurance broker before making an offer.
Should I buy a 180 or a 185?
The 180 is generally cheaper to buy and operate and a bit friendlier to fly. The 185 carries more and climbs better. If your missions rarely use a full cabin at high density altitude, a well-modified 180 often does the job for less money.
Cessna 180 Skywagon for sale
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Prices, fleet and safety figures update automatically from fyiAero listings, the FAA aircraft registry and NTSB data. The editorial was written by fyiAero with AI assistance from that data and general type knowledge. It is not a substitute for a pre-buy inspection, title search or professional advice.
