Cessna N4966E
Sunglass Flyers is dedicated to documenting and preserving the history and renovation of N4966E, the very first Cessna 182.
Introduced in 1956, Cessna promotions touted such accolades as: Presenting for the First Time... Small Talk Suddenly Pauses... Heads Turn... Excitement Swells! All of which are equally true today among the flying community, especially when this gleaming restored classic is in view. First off the assembly line, serial number 33,000 led a production of 843 such planes and began one of the most successful aircraft designs in the history of general aviation.
"The Airplane You Can Drive" was promoted through the patented "Land-O-Matic" gear, "Paralift" flaps, new Continental O-470-L 230 hp ...
History
Owning the first Cessna 182 has created a bond among families. They all hold fond affection for N4966E, eagerly sharing information and family memories of their time together and delight in the restoration of this family member. Another commonality, all the owners kept to flying in fair weather, truly making them "Sunglass Flyers". So, please meet the owners who have given N4966E such impeccable care:
John Casalegno chartered Ed Croymans' plane for a business flight in August of 2001, during which he caught the flying bug. He soon began taking lessons from renowned instructor Bill Werner, going on to earn his private pilot certificate. In ...
Restoration
The restoration of the first Cessna 182 started out as an idealistic notion, as we held a romantic vision of N4966E restored with its original interior and paint scheme. The idea was explored with inquiries to aviation mechanics, ramp personnel and FBO owners at the local Glacier Park International Airport. Dave Cano and Reed Lamb were two names consistently recommended. Dave owns Cano's Custom Specialties and has been restoring airplanes for many years. Reed is the head mechanic for a local company operating a fleet of prop and jet powered airplanes. An interview affirmed they were the clear choice to lead our restoration team.
As we began outlining the scope of work, it quickly became apparent that the level of ...