Wholeheartedly agree the venerable 182 is a Swiss Army Knife in terms of versatile range of missions. Relatively straightforward to maintain, and insure. At cruise altitude of 8,000’ it also produces a decent TAS, before any STCs. 140-145 KTAS quite realistic.

Now that ANR headsets are ubiquitous noise levels are manageable. With passive headsets and front row crew near relatively thin side windows, noise levels are intrusive.

Handling in roll is ponderous, and heavy in pitch, but slow flight is solid. Have flown the early 180A, and with gap seals and the Sportsman cuff, these early versions are actually quite pleasant in handling!

Arguably the bulk of the models (84 USG) are looking at 65% power to fly 750nm with IFR reserves, and this is more like nearly a six hour slog. Six hours in a 182 is an effort.

It won’t be amiss to suggest the V35 can cover this distance with IFR reserves in under five hours.

750 nm is not a typical mission for these types, even the faster Bonanza, and I can see why the OP led with the Cessna TTx.

....

Title is Greatest SINGLE ENGINE

At my age, my bladder dictates the range.

I haven't flown every single out there, but I've flown a lot. My pick would be based on the mission, but in general the C182 would get the top spot. Easy enough to fly for a student, will operate out of a 1,000' dirt strip with ease, but can cross the country without making the occupants feel like they are being punished.

For off airport/floats, Cessna 185.

For simply having fun and turning gas into noise? North American T28.

Jeff

Depends on the airplane given the multitude of STC’s available. My 182Q has the 252hp O-470TS, and all of the Knots2U speed fairings. I do 153-155 KTAS all day at 12.5gph. It’s one great aspect of the aircraft- that you have tons of choices.

182 is a great plane, but at C182 speeds 750 nm is 5.5 hours in a noisy, vibrating, bumpy and pretty cramped environment. Not even counting headwind days. Would probably solve your problem with carrying three, because two of those three would never ride with you again

Chuck, Not everyone has 2 mil for half an Airplane You do Travel in Style, but the OP probably should have Put a Price Tag......on this Plane However he did say No Turbo Props......and his first Choice was a TTX

"Average Private Pilot's"

There is a Nice 2022 Cessna 182 for sale on BT right now for 714K

Before I had the Bonanza, my wife and I did several trips from Austin to Lincoln, NE and back in our C172. (about 650 miles) Took about 7 hrs with two stops, but it beat the heck out of driving 13 hrs.

Owned a Dakota for years. I thought it rode much better than a 182 w very similar performance (140kts).

Flew it all over the country and it was a great IFR platform. Payload at full fuel was 800lbs IIRC. It carried a lot.

That said, someone said earlier but it’s really tough to beat a Malibu on 750 mile trip. You just can’t compare that to a non pressurized plane. The comfort and ability to go above weather are such big deals. A Malibu is darn similar to flying around in a TBM. A 182 is not. Once you get used to pressurized comfort I think it’s tough to go back to anything else and in the Mtn west it’s required for true 4 season, reliable traveling.

The nice thing about our 182 partnership is that I bought into it for the cost of a used Miata and the running costs are a rounding error in our household finances. My wife loves flying in it (although I'd never subject her to a 5.5 hour leg). I'm sure she'd love riding in a M350/M600/TBM even more but I don't think she'd love me selling the house to make the downpayment.

that's a mistake I hade many years ago. I had a travelair and a hangar neighbor with a C414. I would borrow his plane for longer trips and he would use mine for shorter/grass strips. My wife came to perceive that the cabin class pressurized cessna was the minimum comfort a plane should. That is something I never recovered from, and my wife seldom travels in the plane with me now.

She is not wrong.

At least she wasn't exposed to a turboprop or jet.

Mike C.

I'm afraid some have missed the true value of a SE aircraft. It isn't one that can take you to places often served by the airlines, it's one that can take you to all the places they don't.

My P210N, has pressurization, air conditioning, Flint tip tanks, non-FIKI deice rubber boots, hot prop, six seats, and an intercooler. It has 1232 lbs useful load.

With no wind it would use 77 gal at 16,000 ft to fly 750 nm, including taxi, run up and climb, taking 4:19 from takeoff to touchdown, 72%, burning 16.3 gal per hr. 45 minutes reserve would be 12.5 gallons. Unusable fuel is 3 gallons. At the departure ramp total fuel would be 92.8 gallons. That performance is for a 20*C over standard day.

So payload would be 675 lbs. you could pick up another 15 pounds by taking out a middle row seat.

With the Flint tip tanks it holds 123 gallons, 120 gallons useable.

The luggage compartment behind the cabin is large and unpressurized. It is much larger than it looks from the outside and has a 200 pound limit.

The cabin only has one door. Entry and exit are a little awkward.

The third row seats are small. Larger than kid seats though.

The pressurization is supposed to go to 3.35 psi. I’m still working on the cabin leaks. I get about 2.6 psi. I like pressurization.

It is very, very stable in pitch and roll.

These are for 20*C over standard day.

16,000’ 57% 150 kts 12.5gph
16,000’ 72% 174 kts 16.3 gph
16,000’ 82% 186 kts, 19.0 gph

8,000’ 73% 164 kts, 16.7 gph

Good pick, but I'll bet a 3 place P51 would be too expensive.