182 or Dakota?

[aeronautic1]

Cessna

Yeah, and let's not forget that you have egress the airplane, two doors are better than one!!

 

[Heavy Set]

How about a used Cirrus SR20? Perhaps there is a good deal on a used version.... Otherwise, I'd pick the 182 for the power and reliability. Go with the Cirrus if you have a little more cash to play with - nice sidesticks...

 

[fokkers&beer]

Cessna 182s are great. I own a 1961 model, it still has manual flaps, fast back, yet it has a swept tail. Its fairly fast and hauls a bunch. We have flown it up to Alaska and all over the west. You can find older (pre '62 models) fairly cheap and they are simple, tough, nice airplanes. The engines seem fairly maintenence free on one that has been well maintained and there are not alot of AD's on the aircraft.
As for shock cooling, my fathers a 200 hour private pilot who flies it more than me and our cylinders seem just fine. All of the compressions are in the mid 70's wich is great for those airplanes.
One more nice thing if you decide to do some flying thats not like work and take them off paved strips into something short and in the mountains, they are a solid performer and lots of fun.

 

[DenverDude2002]

My vote is for the Piper, low wings rule

 

[Steveair]

Flying Magazine's Pick - The C182 is #1

I've flown both the Dakota and the 182 and found the 182 to be quite sturdier and more comfortable. There are two doors and two windows in the 182. It's also a little bit wider than the 172 whereas the Dakota is nothing more than a Warrior with a big engine. The 182 cruises a little bit faster and I find it still does well on the climb even with a full load. Nonetheless, I've also loaded up a Dakota to max and it's done fine too. If anything, you can put a 182 on floats!

Flying Magazine did a report on the ten best aircraft to buy and the 182 was #1. That article is ten years old though but then again most 182s and Dakotas are twenty or more years old!

 

[RightPedal]

real airplanes have tailwheels.

Amen Bro!

Buy a Maule.

 

[flyer172r]

I'd go for the 182. I find high wings to be better for sightseeing, and I like having my own door.

 

[skid]

Why just limit this to these 2 primary kinds? Sure both are good, but you can save $$ and still go about as fast with an early Arrow 1 or 2, or even something like a Grumman Tiger. Sounds like for that mission you could even go as cheap as a 180 hp style piper like an Archer or something equal to that. Try looking at an early model Beech like a debonair. 225HP...can burn auto gas...carries as much and will out run the fixed gears.