A little over 2 years ago I parted with both an A36 (partnership) and a D55 as I was moving, changing jobs, old mission also changed when our daughter married and moved, etc., etc. I have not been flying but now see a light at the end of the earthbound tunnel.

I won't be flying like I was, I suspect 50-75 hours a year and have been considering a 182 for all the same reasons people buy 182s.

Couple of questions as I've flown them but not much and only to rent before I bought the Bo's.

1. Is there a good aftermarket A/C option as that is a must?
2. Is there a performance/payload sweet spot in the various models?

I'm probably going to spend the fall (after some business travel and one awesome vacation in September) getting current and comfortable flying again and look to but late this year or early next.

Any help is appreciated!

MM

Mark - I didn't take much time off, but I'm not flying nearly as much as I was.

I'd had two 182's several years ago - a D and an S. But the last 1k hours were in the Bonanza and SR22TN.

So, many will say 50-75 hours is plenty for a Bo; I would've been one of them. And it may be. I don't know how much age has to do with it, but I'm 54, and after a couple months off, I felt a little behind the plane - especially in IFR environments, and Bravo.

I underestimated the benefit of flying a slower, more stable plane. It is SO much easier to stay ahead of the plane when not flying a lot.

I'm really enjoying the 182. Do I miss the Bo? Yep. Do I miss the SR? Yep. Did I miss the 182 when I was flying the Bo? Yep. It's my nature to always wonder if another plane I had, or think about, would fit what I want/need. I've noticed I'm not alone.

But it's what suits me for this period.

A/C - Kelly makes a very good unit - the same one the new 182's have. It's about $25k installed, if I remember correctly. It was going to be a very quick purchase for me. BUT, I'd forgotten how much cooler a high wing is. In the Bo and SR, 60 deg.s at altitude still felt like 95. In the 182, it feels like 60 degrees. There is still the ground, but you have big windows on both doors that open. So far, I haven't felt the need to buy it. That may change - this isn't an especially hot summer, but in the mid 90's, it's still been nice.

Congratulations on getting back up. Good luck with the hunt!

Mark/Nate:

The Kelly a/c is only installable on restart 182 models, not on "classics".
http://aircareav.com/maintenance_KellyAC.htm

One great thing about it is that it adds weight aft, always a good thing in a 182, and is all electric so it can run at any time of flight. One bad thing about it is that all the restarts are a bit short on UL compared to most "classics", the A/C would only make that worse to the tune of 55lbs.

RAS

The good news is that the 182 will help you fly more hours for the same missions per year.

In terms of useful load, here's a good breakdown of the model changes over the years, including gross weight changes over time. Bear in mind that most of those changes are paperwork/certification changes, not wing/engine changes, so you're still going to have the same wing and engine trying to carry a heavier load in a lot of (but not all the) cases.

I flew a 182K for many years and it's a great, honest airplane, just slow. If I were buying new, I'd look into an engine upgrade over the stock O-470. I had a PPonk conversion done on mine at a rebuild and it transformed the plane in terms of ground roll and climb (way more than I'd have expected from just 50 more cubic inches). PPonk will add a bit to the purchase price, but it's worth it IMO. (Peterson, Texas Skyways, Katmai, and some others have engine conversions as well.)

Thanks for the input, still very much in the tire kicking stage...have to start flying again first.

Like you, I went from Bonanza to Baron and then went without for a time. My wife wanted a high-wing plane, so the options for replacement were limited. For my mission, frequent trips from AZ to southern CO, the 182 fit the bill. Last September, I was lucky to find a P model with PPonk engine and a great panel. I have loved it. Useful load of 1350 means we can pack it full and fly for 4 hours. And if you need A/C, add a B-Kool.

I think you are describing a KA 90 with a pro pilot riding along for a couple years.