Cessna 188

Single Piston· 364 globally registered

The Cessna 188 is a purpose-built agricultural aircraft that dominated American crop-dusting operations from the late 1960s through the 1980s. Introduced in 1966 as the AgWagon, Cessna designed the 188 from the ground up for aerial application work rather than adapting an existing airframe, featuring a robust steel-tube fuselage, a hopper ahead of the cockpit for chemicals or seed, and a 230 to 300 horsepower Continental engine depending on variant. The cockpit sits high and aft to give the pilot excellent forward visibility over the spray booms and to position the crew as far as possible from chemical loads in the event of a forced landing. With a maximum takeoff weight of 3,800 pounds and a useful load exceeding 1,400 pounds in later models, the 188 could carry substantial payloads into and out of short, unprepared strips adjacent to fields. Cessna produced the type in several configurations—the AgWagon, AgTruck, AgPickup, and AgCarryall—through 1983, building more than 3,900 airframes and establishing the 188 as one of the most successful agricultural aircraft in general aviation history. Though production ended four decades ago, many 188s remain in service today with aerial application operators and patrol services. SkyMeter has tracked 50 flights across 7 airframes and 7 operators, with Jonair (1988) Ltd the largest observed operator.