Two-seat backcountry utility aircraft · Single-engine piston aircraft · production 2007–present · See its reach on the 3D globe
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An Aviat Husky A-1C-180 costs approximately $417k (€386k) to $499k (€462k) to buy at 2025 market values, and about $33k (€30k) a year to own flying 80 hours, roughly $410 (€380) per flight hour all-in. It seats 2, cruises at 120 kt (138 mph) and has a published range of 700 nm (1,296 km), needing about 656 ft (200 m) of runway. Figures are indicative planning estimates compiled 2026-07, not a quote for any specific airframe.
The Husky is the modern answer to the Super Cub, built in Wyoming with 180 horsepower, big tyres, superb short-field manners and the visibility and slow flight that backcountry flying demands. Unlike the classic it copies, you can still buy a new one with a warranty. It is a two-seat specialist at a four-seat price. A new Husky costs more than many capable four-seat tourers, the tandem cabin carries very little beyond two people and camping kit, and insurance for a pilot without significant tailwheel time is expensive when it is available at all. Buy it because unimproved strips are the point of your flying, with the tailwheel training done before the aeroplane arrives.
First-party reference values for this model. They are shown separately from PlaneFit planning estimates and do not enter Finder or cross-model rankings until each field is normalised across the catalogue.
| Maximum takeoff weight | 998 kg |
|---|---|
| Useful load | 371 kg |
| Usable fuel | 189 L |
| Service ceiling | 20,000 ft |
| Maximum climb rate | 1,500 ft/min |
| Stall speed | 46 KCAS |
| Baggage weight | 23 kg |
| Engine | Lycoming O-360-A1P piston engine, 180 hp |
Indicative planning data, compiled 2026-07. Verify against the AFM and records.
| Seats | 2 |
| Realistic payload with mission fuel | 712 lb (323 kg) |
| Published planning range | 700 nm (1,296 km) |
| Practical planning radius (4 people) | 469 nm (869 km) |
| Cruise speed | 120 kt (138 mph) |
| Runway need | ~656 ft (200 m) |
| Landing gear | Fixed tailwheel (conventional) |
| Pressurised | No |
| Fuel | Avgas 100LL |
| Fixed annual base | $19k (€18k) |
| Direct cost per flight hour | $167 (€155) |
Superb short-field access and useful load, but tandem seating and long-trip comfort are compromises.
Indicative cash costs at 2025 market values, before financing, depreciation and tax. The fixed base is the same whether the aircraft flies or not, so the effective hourly cost falls as utilisation rises.
| Annual use | Annual cash cost | Effective cost / h | Five-year cash outlay |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40 h / year | $26k (€24k) | $653 (€605) | $584k (€541k) |
| 80 h / year | $33k (€30k) | $410 (€380) | $618k (€572k) |
| 120 h / year | $40k (€37k) | $329 (€305) | $651k (€603k) |
| 180 h / year | $50k (€46k) | $275 (€255) | $701k (€650k) |
Every figure above is built from a $19k (€18k) fixed annual base, covering hangarage, insurance, scheduled maintenance reserves and recurring airworthiness costs, plus $167 (€155) per hour flown for fuel, reserves and consumables. It is a planning model for comparing aircraft and testing utilisation, not a maintenance programme quote, insurance quote or pre-buy assessment.
Older examples add calendar-driven maintenance: a 2011-built airframe is estimated at $39k (€36k) per year at 80 hours. Airframe and engine time, maintenance and damage history, avionics, equipment, geography and tax treatment move a real transaction further than the model year does, so price the aircraft in front of you, not the model. A cheaper example carrying deferred maintenance can be the more expensive aircraft once the first annual inspection is complete.
Aviat Husky A-1C-180 cost guide answers the same figures as standalone purchase and ownership questions, and the ownership cost calculator lets you replace these assumptions with your own hours and fixed costs.
On top of a pilot certificate, this aircraft obliges the person flying it to hold the following. Each one is time and money before the first trip, and insurers usually attach their own minimums on top.
US requirements under 14 CFR 61.31, stated for orientation and not as advice. PlaneFit is not an aviation authority or a training organisation. Other authorities set different rules, and the current regulation and your instructor are what govern.
An indicative 2025 market price for an Aviat Husky A-1C-180 is $417k (€386k) to $499k (€462k). This is a planning estimate normalised across the market, not a quote for a specific airframe. Condition, engine time remaining, avionics and damage history move the real number more than the model year does.
Flying 80 hours a year, an Aviat Husky A-1C-180 works out at roughly $33k (€30k) annually, which is about $410 (€380) per flight hour all-in once fixed costs are spread across those hours. The direct cost per hour alone, covering fuel, reserves and consumables, is about $167 (€155).
Published range is 700 nm (1,296 km). With 2 people aboard and realistic reserves, plan on a practical radius of about 504 nm rather than the brochure figure.
Beyond a pilot certificate, an Aviat Husky A-1C-180 requires tailwheel endorsement. 14 CFR 61.31(i) requires an instructor endorsement covering normal and crosswind takeoffs and landings, wheel landings and go-around procedure, unless you logged tailwheel pilot-in-command time before 15 April 1991. Ground handling, not flying, is what the training is for, and it is where the claims are. These are US requirements and are stated for orientation; confirm them against the current regulation and an instructor.
Plan on approximately 656 ft (200 m) for take-off. Check this against the actual runway, surface, slope, temperature and loading, all of which extend the requirement.