Just finishing up the purchase of a 1972 182P with a IO-520D. It's got a good prop but looking for what modifications might be fun to put on it (don't worry about avionics - I will handle that). I'm would like to do a little back country with it - but nothing crazy.

It will be a good training plane and for using in the mountains.

You have the engine.
Air glass front fork which allows 8:50s. (Go one size smaller on nose....)
I have sportsman stol and VGs but you don’t really need them.
Atlee Dodge or similar jump seats
Extended baggage is nice.

But I’ll tell you, a 182 is pretty good out of the box.

1.) Airglas nose fork.(8.00 on the mains and a 6.00 nose will be plenty good)
2.) Replacement removable rear seats
3.) Selkirk extended baggage
4.) If the horizontal stab is dinged get the rubber leading edge
5.) Remove the wheel pants and put them in the attic
6.) Get a wooden dowel and make a fuel dipstick. Cessna tanks can be reliably dipped down to 5 gallons.

I flew a 182K for 1500 hours. It never left me down. O470, long range Fuel. Overgross at times. No one ever said “ I never should have bought that 182”! I’ve “upgraded” to a
T-210, Its not as simple for $100 hamburgers as the 182, but I do like it better.
I’d leave it alone and fly it.

Pictures?

Don't recall when Cessna started installing shoulder harnesses as standard, but if your bird does not have them, that would be first on the list. If it does, never mind, enjoy your machine!

Here’s an idea: collect all of the recommendations you can and learn exactly how they benefit you. For instance, how much shorter and slower can you get down and up with a given STOL kit?

Once you’ve collected a list, don’t spend a dime for a year. During that year, pay close attention to the shortcomings of the airplane (there are some) and which mods would address them. That way, you’re buying the mods that’ll help you do what you want. e.g., How many strips have you skipped over that you would’ve landed at with a STOL kit? [Spoiler: the answer will probably be zero]

I predict you’ll wind up with extended baggage, somewhat larger tires, and abrasion boots on the horizontals. Go ahead and take the pants off now and make a dipstick.

Wheel pants off, but what about fenders on the mains?

I flew with a friend in a 185 the other day (after we’ve been on several long trips in my 210], he said, “Man, this is tight”.

Jason

I recently sold my 182. I had it all over the back country and the one thing that made the biggest difference was VG’s. I flew it without them for a while first so I have real knowledge of the difference. It’s night and day on slow speed handling.

Good luck

And I'm just the opposite. On my 67 182 I installed the VG's. Couldn't tell the difference. On the current 58 182A I own the previous owner put them on. I would not put them on otherwise.

Jason, we all love the gear and mods.

Yes, shoulder harnesses first.

Then ... spend some real money on training. It’s great fun, and will make you a much better pilot, to do 2 or 3 full days of backcountry flying with a really experienced instructor.

Budget $2000 to $5000 for training. The payoff will exceed money spent on hardware.

At least, that’s my opinion.

Thanks for all the good tips. I’ll get some pictures up here after I get it into my hangar later this coming week. It needs a little cosmetic love, but that will be a fun project with my boys.

I am putting a whole new panel in (g3x touch, gfc500, etc) when I can get into the avionics shop (procrastinators on ADS-B - thanks a lot), but these comments are exactly what I want to hear. I do have the extended baggage kit already.

I’ve got a pair of 26 inch Goodyear blimp tires that I took off the Citabria - wonder if those can be used on the 182 and use the new air fork for a larger nose wheel.

Funny comments about the wheel pants - I already had them coming off after the inspection!

I was vacillating on the Sportsman STOL kit or VGs. Would be nice to do some of this stuff when it is in for the new panel.

Jason

Jason,

Where is your hangar? I have a Petersen canard STC, 1977 182Q. Have many of the mods discussed like the retractable BAS seat harnesses and BAS/Lakevue folding rear seats. Love ‘em... Currently have wheel pants off and am considering larger wheels/tires if compatible with my STCs. I would say that between my 182 and Larry Larrabure’s, you can see the whole gamut of mods. Larry does the Backcountry 182 videos on YouTube. I flew with him in Costa Rica. He is based near Seattle and I am at Camarillo.

Best,

Tom

Additionally... there is a wealth of info at backcountrypilot.org , particularly in the forums.

As for piloting, I found this book to be valuable for different insights..

https://www.amazon.com/Contact-Flying-J ... g=btalk-20

Best,

Tom