1973 CESSNA A185F

1973 Amphibian

Specifications

Year

1973

Total time (TTAF)

650 hrs

Engine time (SMOH)

0 hrs

Annual due

Jul 2025

Damage history

None reported

Avionics & panel

• Garmin G500 TXi
• Garmin GTN 750 Xi
• GFC 500 autopilot
• Garmin GTX 345
• Garmin Flightstream 510

Equipment list extracted from the seller's description. Verify with logbooks before purchase.

How this stacks up

• Listed today

  Fresh to market — early in the listing cycle

• Annual may be overdue

  The listing states the annual was due Jul 2025 — confirm the aircraft has a current annual before you commit

• No damage reported

  The listing reports no prior damage — the seller's description, not the logbooks, so confirm it at a pre-buy

• Full IFR touring setup

  Glass panel, WAAS GPS, and autopilot — everything needed for instrument cross-country flying.

• 3/5 key specs

  Most key specs are provided; verify any missing details with the seller

This summary draws on signals shown in detail below — price comps, listing age, maintenance and engine status, and key specs. Read each section for full context. Not an appraisal.

Airframe time

Average over the aircraft's life — 650 hrs total time across ~53 years. A rule of thumb, not a guarantee.

Low-time for its age

This airframe has averaged about 12 hrs/year over ~53 years — light use for a personal aircraft. Fewer hours can mean lighter wear, but aircraft that sit also risk dried seals, corrosion, and stale fuel-system components. Ask how regularly it's flown and what the recent annual inspections found.

Annual inspection

Required every 12 calendar months. Read off the listing's stated annual-due date — confirm against the logbooks.

Annual inspection may be overdue

The listing states the annual was due Jul 2025, about 13 months ago — confirm the aircraft has a current annual, and budget ~$2,500 if it still needs one.

Damage history

Reported in the listing — confirm against the airframe and engine logbooks.

This listing reports no prior damage. That is a positive sign, but the flag reflects the seller’s description, not the logbooks — confirm it during a pre-buy. Undocumented or unrepaired damage is a classic red flag, so have an independent inspector review the airframe and engine records before you commit.

Cost to own

Rule-of-thumb estimates — insurance ≈ 1% of price, hangar $7,500/yr, annual inspection $2,500/yr, fuel + oil at your selected hrs/yr. Your actual costs will vary.

At 100 hrs/yr, renting at $150/hr would be $12,450 cheaper annually — fly more to see ownership savings.

Buy-in is the asking price split evenly across partners — what you'd each pay to acquire the aircraft (the real figure is negotiated). Fixed costs (insurance, hangar, inspection) split equally by number of partners; fuel/oil is per-pilot since each partner flies their own hours.