Pristine Cessna 185 Skywagon is equipped with Wipline amphibious floats. Second owner; No damage history

Manufacturer year

1977

Serial Number

1853424

Registration Number

N85AJ

Make/Model

Cessna 185 Skywagon

Airframe

Total Time: 2465.0

Engine Details (e.g. Total Engine Time; Suggested TBO; Hours Remaining)

• Engine IO520D factory reman • TSO: 832.6 • Prop TSO: 0.0 • Hartzell prop

Avionics

• Garmin G500 TXi PFD​/​MFD with engine indications • Garmin GTX750Xi NAV​/​COM​/​GPS • Garmin GTN650 NAV​/​COM​/​GPS • Garmin GTX345 transponder ADS-B In & Out • Garmin GFC500 Autopilot • Garmin GI275 standby instrument • Garmin GMA345 audio panel • Garmin GDL69 XM weather • Mid Continent MD302 standby • King KR87 ADF • Stratus USB port • Bose headphone jacks • Avidyne TAS 610 traffic • 406 ELT

Aircraft Model Overview (Reference only)

The Cessna 185 Skywagon is a four- to six-seat, single-engine conventional-gear (taildragger) utility aircraft produced by Cessna Aircraft Company in Wichita, Kansas, from 1961 through 1985. One of the most capable and versatile light utility aircraft ever certified by the FAA, the 185 occupies an essentially uncontested position in the backcountry, bush, and float aircraft market — combining a 300 HP Continental IO-520 engine, high wing configuration, generous useful load, and broad STC ecosystem for floats, skis, and oversized tires into a platform that has defined Alaska bush flying, Canadian outpost operations, and serious backcountry utility for more than six decades. No currently certified piston aircraft in production can match the 185's combination of payload, power, and multi-configuration versatility. Power is provided by a Continental IO-520-D fuel-injected horizontally-opposed six-cylinder engine producing 300 horsepower at 2,850 RPM, driving a three-blade McCauley constant-speed propeller. The IO-520-D's fuel injection eliminates carb ice as an operational concern — a meaningful reliability attribute in the cold, humid, and remote operating environments where the 185 typically operates — and the 300 HP output provides the thrust margin that makes the 185 genuinely capable on short, soft, or unimproved surfaces with useful loads that lighter alternatives cannot match. Continental IO-520 overhaul and parts support is universally available, and the engine's operating characteristics are well-documented across decades of 185 fleet experience. Fuel burn at cruise is approximately 14 to 16 USG per hour at 75% power. The 185 airframe is Cessna's all-metal semi-monocoque high-wing design built specifically for utility operations — a fixed spring-steel main gear in the conventional tailwheel configuration that has proven its durability across decades of rough-field, float, and backcountry operations without the retractable system complexity that would add cost and failure modes to an aircraft designed to operate far from maintenance infrastructure. The strut-braced high-wing provides outstanding downward visibility for terrain avoidance, spot landing approaches, and low-level navigation — all critical in the backcountry environment. The wide stance main gear, robust airframe construction, and generous ground clearance make the 185 genuinely capable on surfaces that would damage lighter aircraft. The four- to six-seat cabin is practical rather than luxurious — wide enough for the 185's utility mission, with large doors on both sides, an optional cargo pack behind the rear seats that significantly expands the useful volume for gear and supplies, and a flat floor that simplifies loading of awkward cargo. The 300 HP engine's useful load advantage over the 182 is most meaningfully expressed in real-world backcountry operations: full fuel with two adults and substantial gear is achievable where a 230 HP Skylane would be close to or over gross. The instrument panel varies widely by aircraft vintage and avionics upgrade history, and most actively operated 185s have received modern avionics including GPS, ADS-B Out, and in many cases glass primary flight displays. The 185 handles with the authoritative, purposeful character appropriate to a 300 HP utility taildragger — responsive on the controls, stable in cruise, and demanding in ground handling relative to tricycle-gear alternatives. The high-wing configuration and generous flap area produce a well-controlled approach and landing environment, and the 185's approach power characteristics are well-suited to the steep, short approaches of backcountry strips. On floats the 185 is one of the most capable single-engine float aircraft available at any price, and the combination of 300 HP, high useful load, and Wipaire or Aerocet amphibious float options makes the float-equipped A185F the definitive light utility floatplane in the North American market. In the current used market the Cessna 185 Skywagon — particularly the later A185E and A185F variants from the 1972–1985 production run — commands consistently strong prices that have appreciated steadily for more than a decade, driven by the type's irreplaceable utility in float, backcountry, and remote operations and the absence of any certified aircraft in current production that can match its combination of attributes. Float-equipped examples command a premium above wheeled aircraft, and the most sought-after configurations — amphibious floats, cargo pack, modern glass avionics, and low engine time — can approach and exceed the acquisition cost of new certified aircraft with far less capability for the intended mission. The Cessna Pilots Association (CPA) and a deep community of 185-experienced A&Ps and float shops provide the support infrastructure that makes 185 ownership practical anywhere the aircraft operates.

Additional Notes

Modifications & Upgrades: • Wipline 3000A floats • Brackett air filter • GAMI injectors • WING X STOL wing extensions • Pponk landing gear blocks • Snider speed kit • Cleveland wheels and brakes • BAS shoulder harnesses • Rosen sun visors • Seaplanes West engine mount • Door stewards • Knots 2 U HID landing and taxi lights