V-speeds, cruise performance, fuel, and weights, digitized from the POH for planning and study.
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In the FlightDecide app since 2026-07-16. Not yet reviewed against the handbook. 0 of 6 tables from the handbook. Anything marked “Not yet verified against the handbook” comes from FlightDecide's earlier library and hasn't been checked against the printed page.
Cessna 185 Skywagon preflight numbers at a glance: max gross weight 3350 lb, typical useful load 1300 lb, 84 gal usable fuel, cruise up to about 147.3 KTAS (reference figure at 8000 ft, standard day). Figures below come from the FlightDecide curated aircraft library. The performance tables for this type have not yet been re-checked against the handbook, so treat them as estimates. Use them for planning and study, and confirm against the POH for your specific serial number before flight.
Not yet verified against the handbook
| Engine | Continental IO-520-D (300 HP) |
| Propeller | McCauley 3A32C91/93A-0 |
| Max gross weight | 3350 lb |
| Empty weight (typical) | 2050 lb |
| Useful load (typical) | 1300 lb |
| Usable fuel | 84 gal |
| Service ceiling | 17,150 ft |
Not yet verified against the handbook
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 | 47 kt | Stall, landing configuration |
| VS1 | 55 kt | Stall, clean configuration |
| VX | 75 kt | Best angle of climb |
| VY | 88 kt | Best rate of climb |
| VFE | 100 kt | Max flaps extended |
| VNO | 148 kt | Max structural cruising |
| VNE | 182 kt | Never exceed |
| Best glide | 72 kt | Best glide speed |
Not yet verified against the handbook
Source not verified: the library's record cites no handbook page for these rows. True airspeed and fuel flow depend on altitude, power setting, temperature, and leaning technique.
| Pressure alt (ft) | RPM | TAS (kt) | Fuel (GPH) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 2100 | 136.9 | 13 |
| 2000 | 2400 | 140.8 | 14.5 |
| 2000 | 2600 | 143.4 | 15.5 |
| 4000 | 2100 | 138.2 | 12.8 |
| 4000 | 2400 | 142.1 | 14.3 |
| 4000 | 2600 | 144.7 | 15.3 |
| 6000 | 2100 | 139.5 | 12.7 |
| 6000 | 2400 | 143.4 | 14.2 |
| 6000 | 2600 | 146 | 15.2 |
| 8000 | 2100 | 140.8 | 12.6 |
| 8000 | 2400 | 144.7 | 14.1 |
| 8000 | 2600 | 147.3 | 15.1 |
Standard-day (ISA) rows shown, sampled across the POH table for readability; the FlightDecide app carries the full digitized table, including non-standard temperatures.
Not yet verified against the handbook
Estimated figures at 3350 lb, 0 ft pressure altitude, 15 °C. These have not yet been re-checked against the handbook. 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.
| Estimated figure | Distance |
|---|---|
| Takeoff ground roll | 610 ft |
| Takeoff over a 50 ft obstacle | 885 ft |
| Landing ground roll | 450 ft |
| Landing over a 50 ft obstacle | 765 ft |
| Rate of climb | 1010 fpm |
See how density altitude stretches these distances on a hot day.
Common QuestionsPer the library's cruise table, not yet verified against the handbook, up to about 147.3 KTAS at 8000 ft on a standard day, burning roughly 15.1 GPH at that setting. Typical everyday cruise settings run slower and leaner; see the table above.
84 gallons usable. At a high-cruise burn of 15.1 GPH that is roughly 5.6 hours to dry tanks. Plan with reserves, never to zero.
About 1300 lb for a typically equipped example (3350 lb max gross minus a typical empty weight of 2050 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 182 kt and VNO (max structural cruising) is 148 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 185 Skywagon Pilot's Operating Handbook, Cessna Aircraft Company Data synced from the FlightDecide aircraft library on 2026-09-28.