V-speeds, cruise performance, fuel, and weights, digitized from the POH for planning and study.
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Cessna 182P Skylane preflight numbers at a glance: max gross weight 2950 lb, typical useful load 1050 lb, 65 gal usable fuel, cruise up to about 145 KTAS (POH figure at 6000 ft, standard day). All figures below come from the FlightDecide curated aircraft library, digitized from the published POH/AFM. Use them for planning and study, and confirm against the POH for your specific serial number before flight.
| Engine | Continental O-470-S (230 HP) |
| Propeller | McCauley 2A34C203/90DHA-7 |
| Max gross weight | 2950 lb |
| Empty weight (typical) | 1900 lb |
| Useful load (typical) | 1050 lb |
| Usable fuel | 65 gal |
Knots indicated (KIAS) unless the POH states otherwise. Speeds vary by model year and serial; the placarded speeds and your POH govern.
| Speed | Value | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| VS0 | 48 kt | Stall, landing configuration |
| VS1 | 53 kt | Stall, clean configuration |
| VX | 65 kt | Best angle of climb |
| VY | 80 kt | Best rate of climb |
| VA | 110 kt | Design maneuvering speed (at max gross) |
| VFE | 140 kt | Max flaps extended |
| VNO | 141 kt | Max structural cruising |
| VNE | 176 kt | Never exceed |
| Best glide | 70 kt | Best glide speed |
Transcribed from the POH cruise tables. True airspeed and fuel flow depend on altitude, power setting, temperature, and leaning technique.
| Pressure alt (ft) | RPM | MP (inHg) | % power | TAS (kt) | Fuel (GPH) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 2200 | 17 | 43 | 104 | 8.4 |
| 2000 | 2450 | 20 | 64 | 130 | 11.8 |
| 2000 | 2450 | 23 | 76 | 139 | 14.1 |
| 4000 | 2200 | 17 | 44 | 107 | 8.6 |
| 4000 | 2450 | 20 | 65 | 133 | 11.9 |
| 4000 | 2450 | 23 | 77 | 142 | 14.2 |
| 6000 | 2200 | 17 | 45 | 110 | 8.8 |
| 6000 | 2450 | 20 | 65 | 136 | 12.1 |
| 6000 | 2450 | 23 | 77 | 145 | 14.3 |
| 8000 | 2200 | 16 | 43 | 106 | 8.4 |
| 8000 | 2400 | 19 | 61 | 134 | 11.4 |
| 8000 | 2450 | 21 | 70 | 142 | 13 |
| 10,000 | 2200 | 16 | 44 | 109 | 8.5 |
| 10,000 | 2400 | 18 | 58 | 132 | 10.9 |
| 10,000 | 2450 | 20 | 67 | 142 | 12.4 |
| 12,000 | 2200 | 15 | 41 | 102 | 8.1 |
| 12,000 | 2450 | 16 | 52 | 125 | 9.8 |
| 12,000 | 2450 | 18 | 60 | 137 | 11.2 |
Standard-day (ISA) rows shown, sampled across the POH table for readability; the FlightDecide app carries the full digitized table, including non-standard temperatures.
Book figures at 2950 lb, 0 ft pressure altitude, 15 °C. Real-world technique, wind, surface, and density altitude move these substantially, so apply your own margin (many pilots use 1.5× the book number) and run the numbers for the actual conditions.
| POH figure | Distance |
|---|---|
| Takeoff ground roll | 795 ft |
| Takeoff over a 50 ft obstacle | 1190 ft |
| Landing ground roll | 480 ft |
| Landing over a 50 ft obstacle | 815 ft |
| Rate of climb | 890 fpm |
See how density altitude stretches these distances on a hot day.
Common QuestionsPer the POH cruise table, up to about 145 KTAS at 6000 ft on a standard day, burning roughly 14.3 GPH at that setting. Typical everyday cruise settings run slower and leaner; see the table above.
65 gallons usable. At a high-cruise burn of 14.3 GPH that is roughly 4.5 hours to dry tanks. Plan with reserves, never to zero.
About 1050 lb for a typically equipped example (2950 lb max gross minus a typical empty weight of 1900 lb). Your aircraft's actual empty weight and CG come from its own weight-and-balance records. Always use those, not type averages.
VNE (never exceed) is 176 kt and VNO (max structural cruising) is 141 kt. Full V-speed table above; verify against the POH for your serial.
Check today's wind against your personal crosswind maximum.
See what heat and elevation do to these takeoff and climb numbers.
Fold these numbers into a structured preflight decision.
FlightDecide ships this aircraft as a built-in profile: it computes your fuel, weight and balance, and takeoff/landing performance for the actual conditions, scores 8 risk categories against your personal minimums, and explains the result in plain language.
Get FlightDecide on the App StoreReference data for planning and study: approximate, and not a substitute for the FAA-approved AFM/POH for your specific aircraft, an official weather briefing, or your judgment as pilot in command (14 CFR 91.3). Source: Cessna 182P Skylane Pilot's Operating Handbook (1976 model), Cessna Aircraft Company. Cruise performance rows transcribed verbatim from Section 5 Performance, Figure 5-7 Cruise Performance (Sheets 1 of 6 through 6 of 6, pages 5-17 / 5-18 / 5-19 / 5-20 / 5-21 / 5-22). Conditions: Recommended Lean Mixture, 2950 Pounds, Cowl Flaps Closed. Three ISA columns at every altitude (-20°C below standard / standard / +20°C above standard). Engine red line (Continental O-470-S 230 HP CSP) per POH Section 2 Limitations: 2600 RPM. Cruise envelope per POH Section 4 Normal Procedures (CRUISE checklist): 15-23 inHg, 2200-2450 RPM (no more than 75% power). Data synced from the FlightDecide aircraft library on 2026-07-17.