Put both engines on the centerline and an engine failure stops being a handling emergency. That was the premise behind the Skymaster, a push-pull twin with a tractor engine in the nose, a pusher behind the cabin and twin booms carrying the tail.

Cessna and Reims Aviation built 2,993 of them between 1963 and 1982, including 513 O-2s for the US Air Force. The retractable-gear 337 runs 18×5.5 8-ply main tires and a 15×6.00-6 6-ply nose tire, both still in current production.

Cessna 337 Skymaster Specifications

Figures below are for the Model 337G of 1973 to 1977, the highest-production civil variant. Dimensions are common across the retractable-gear series.

Manufacturer	Cessna Aircraft Company, Wichita, Kansas; license production by Reims Aviation, France
Type	Six-seat centerline-thrust twin piston utility aircraft
First flight	28 February 1961 (Model 336)
Certification	FAA type certificate A2CE (336, 337, T337); A6CE (P337 pressurized); A23EU (Reims F337)
Production status	Out of production. US production ended 1982
Units built	2,993 all variants, including 513 military O-2s
Engines	2 x Continental IO-360-G, 210 hp each (337G). TSIO-360 turbocharged variants on T337 and P337
Propellers	2-blade McCauley constant speed, fully feathering, 6ft 4in diameter
Max range	Approximately 1,140nm (2,110km) at long-range cruise on 90 US gal usable
Cruise speed	169 kt (194 mph / 313 km/h) at 75 percent power
Max speed	172 kt (198 mph / 320 km/h)
Service ceiling	18,000ft. Single-engine ceiling approximately 6,900ft
Rate of climb	1,100 ft/min twin. 300 ft/min single engine at gross weight
Takeoff distance	1,000ft ground roll, 1,675ft over a 50ft obstacle
Landing distance	700ft ground roll, 1,650ft over a 50ft obstacle
Max takeoff weight (MTOW)	4,630 lb (2,100 kg) for 337F onward. 3,900 lb for the 336
Empty weight	Approximately 2,925 lb (1,327 kg)
Fuel capacity	90 to 93 US gal usable standard. 148 US gal with the optional auxiliary system from 1975
Wingspan	38ft 9in (11.81m)
Length	29ft 9in (9.07m)
Wing area	201 sq ft (18.7 sq m)
Seating	1 pilot plus 5 passengers
Used market (2026)	Approximately $60,000 to $235,000. Typical asking prices $99,000 to $165,000
Operating cost	Approximately $200 to $265 per hour variable at 100 hours a year

Cessna 337 Skymaster – History and Overview

Development and Background

The Model 336 first flew on 28 February 1961 and reached production in May 1963. Cessna wanted a twin that took asymmetric thrust out of the engine-out problem entirely, and the fixed-gear 336 did exactly that at a cost of roughly 15 knots in cruise. Production ran to 195 aircraft plus two prototypes before it stopped in mid-1964.

February 1965 brought the Model 337 Super Skymaster, and the changes were substantial enough to justify a new type number. Retractable gear adapted from the Cessna 210 sat the airframe four inches lower, the engines went from 195 hp to 210 hp, and the wing gained angle of incidence. Gross weight rose from 3,900 lb to 4,200 lb.

Turbocharging arrived with the T337B for the 1967 model year. Pressurization followed for 1973 in the P337G, which used 225 hp TSIO-360-C engines and carries its own type certificate, A6CE. Wichita production ended in 1982.

Design and Performance

Centerline thrust removes the yaw and the critical-engine problem, so the 337 has no published minimum control speed. What it does not remove is the loss of half the available power. Single-engine climb sits near 300 ft/min at gross weight, which is honest rather than impressive.

The rear engine is the type’s best-known trap. It sits in disturbed air behind the cabin, runs hot on the ground, and can quit during a long taxi without the crew noticing. FAA Airworthiness Directive 77-08-05 prohibits single-engine takeoffs on the type and requires a placard saying so.

Against that, the high wing and pod fuselage give the downward visibility that made the Skymaster attractive for patrol, survey and observation work. Cruise is 169 knots on about 21 gph, which is competitive with conventional light twins of the same power. The 1976 model year introduced the Camber-Lift wing and a reworked fuel system with the tail boom sump tanks deleted.

Variants

336 Skymaster: 1963 and 1964 model years. Fixed gear, two 195 hp Continental IO-360-A engines, 3,900 lb gross. 197 built including two prototypes.
337 Super Skymaster: 1965 model year. Retractable gear, 210 hp IO-360-C or IO-360-D engines, 4,200 lb gross. 239 built.
337A to 337D: 1966 to 1969 model years, with gross weight climbing to 4,440 lb. The T337B of 1967 introduced turbocharged TSIO-360-A engines. 953 built across the four years, plus 479 M337Bs for the USAF as the O-2A.
337E and 337F: 1970 to 1972. Conical cambered wingtips and a 4,630 lb gross weight. 270 built at Wichita, with 55 more from Reims as the F337E and F337F.
337G: 1973 to 1977 and the watershed airplane. Split airstair door, hydraulic powerpack in place of engine-driven pumps, aileron gap seals. 354 built, plus 29 Reims F337Gs.
P337G Pressurized Skymaster: 1973 to 1977, certified under TCDS A6CE with two 225 hp TSIO-360-C engines. 292 built, plus 22 Reims FT337GPs.
337H and P337H: 1978 to 1980 and the final US production. The turbocharged T337H returned after a six-year gap, and the T337H-SP followed for 1980. 140 and 64 built respectively.
FTB337G Lynx: Reims-built military version with Robertson STOL modifications and underwing hardpoints. 61 built.
O-2A and O-2B: USAF forward air control and psychological operations aircraft derived from the 337B and 337A. 513 military airframes in total.

Operators

The US Air Force was by far the largest single operator, taking 513 O-2s for forward air control and leaflet work. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection flew ex-military O-2s as tactical firefighting aircraft from 1976 until OV-10 Broncos replaced them from 1993. Portugal bought 32 FTB337Gs in 1973 and retired its last example in July 2007.

Armed Reims FTB337Gs served as the Rhodesian Air Force Lynx through the Bush War, and Summit Aviation remanufactured used 337 airframes into the militarized O2-337 for Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, Senegal and the Thai Navy. Civil use ran to air taxi, pipeline and powerline patrol, aerial survey and multi-engine training. Brothers to the Rescue flew Skymasters on seven-hour search missions over the Florida Straits through the 1990s, choosing the type for its visibility and its centerline-thrust margin.

Current Status

Production ended in 1982 and nobody has restarted it. Several hundred remain on the US register, supported by an unusually active owner community through the

The used market is thin but steady. Asking prices in 2026 run from around $60,000 for tired early airframes to roughly $165,000 for clean late 337Gs and 337Hs, with low-time pressurized examples reaching $230,000 and above. Valuation guides put a typical 337G near $135,000, and a meaningful share of listings at any time are refurbishment projects rather than ready-to-fly aircraft.

Cessna 337 Skymaster Landing Gear and Tires

Landing Gear Configuration

The 337 uses a hydraulically actuated retractable tricycle undercarriage closely related to the Cessna 210 system. The nose gear retracts forward and rotates 90 degrees as it travels, while the main legs pivot aft and inboard into the fuselage beneath the rear engine behind sequenced doors. All three legs carry a single wheel.

Early aircraft ran the system from engine-driven hydraulic pumps, with a second pump on the rear engine that cut retraction time by around 40 percent. The 337G of 1973 replaced that with an electrically driven powerpack, and a gear accumulator followed for 1974. An emergency hand pump sits to the right of the pilot seat, and it is the only way to extend the gear on the older aircraft with the front propeller feathered.

Fixed-gear 336s are a separate case for tyre purposes, running 6.00-6 6-ply mains behind wheel fairings rather than the 18×5.5 fitted to the retractables. Main gear downlock actuators and the three gear position limit switches are the recurring maintenance items on the retractable airplanes. Powerpack reservoir level is worth checking carefully, since fluid exhaustion mid-cycle has featured in gear extension incidents on the type.

Cessna 337 Skymaster Tire Specifications

Nose wheel tire size	15×6.00-6
Main gear tire size	18×5.5 (337 series, retractable gear)
Main gear tire size, Model 336	6.00-6 (fixed gear)
Ply rating	6PR nose / 8PR main
Construction	Bias ply. Tube type and tubeless options depending on brand and part number
Tire pressure	Refer to the aircraft maintenance manual
Compatible brands	Goodyear, Michelin, Condor
Part numbers	Main: Goodyear 185F81-1; Michelin 028-630-0, 025-630-0. Nose: Goodyear 156E61-3, 156E66-4; Michelin 070-449-0, 025-501-0

Always verify tire size, ply rating and part number against the aircraft’s maintenance manual, illustrated parts catalog and applicable airworthiness directives before ordering. Serial number, variant and installed modifications can affect tire requirements.

Main Gear Tires

The 18×5.5 8-ply main tire is the fitment listed against the 337 Super Skymaster in the standard tire and tube application charts, and it is shared with nose positions on the King Air, Citation 500 and Dash 8. Goodyear covers the size with the tube-type Flight Special II 185F81-1, rated to 120 mph. Michelin offers two tubeless options, the Aviator 028-630-0 at 190 mph and the Pilot 025-630-0 at 160 mph, both confirmed against published application data.

Per-wheel load is modest, with a 4,630 lb airframe sitting on two main tires. Flat spotting is the more common complaint on a type with low average annual utilization, so check for it on any aircraft that has been parked. The 10-ply 18×5.5 tires listed for Challenger and other business jet applications should not be substituted without IPC approval.

Nose Wheel Tire

The nose carries a 15×6.00-6 6-ply tire, which is physically larger than the mains. That is unusual, and it reflects the weight of the front engine sitting ahead of the nose gear. The same size appears on the 336, the Cessna 172RG and the Beechcraft Duke, so availability is good across all four brands.

Because the nose gear rotates 90 degrees during retraction, inspect the sidewalls as carefully as the tread. Scuffing and uneven shoulder wear show up here more often than on a conventional nose leg.

Approved and Compatible Brands

The following tires are listed for the Cessna 337 Skymaster and the Model 336:

Goodyear Flight Special II 185F81-1: 18×5.5, 8PR, 120 mph, tube type, main gear
Michelin Aviator 028-630-0: 18×5.5, 8PR, 190 mph, tubeless, main gear
Michelin Pilot 025-630-0: 18×5.5, 8PR, 160 mph, tubeless, main gear
Goodyear Flight Special II 156E61-3: 15×6.0-6, 6PR, 160 mph, tube type, nose gear
Goodyear Flight Custom III 156E66-4: 15×6.0-6, 6PR, 160 mph, tube type, nose gear
Goodyear 156E66B1: 15×6.0-6, 6PR, 160 mph, nose gear; alternate listing within the 156E66 series
Michelin Air 070-449-0: 15×6.0-6, 6PR, 160 mph, nose gear
Michelin Pilot 025-501-0: 15×6.0-6, 6PR, 160 mph, nose gear
Condor 072-449-0: 15×6.0-6, 6PR, 120 mph, nose gear
Goodyear Flight Special II 606C61-6: 6.00-6, 6PR, 120 mph, tube type, Model 336 main gear
Michelin Air 070-314-0: 6.00-6, 6PR, 120 mph, Model 336 main gear
Condor 072-314-0: 6.00-6, 6PR, 120 mph, Model 336 main gear

Frequently Asked Questions: Cessna 337 Skymaster

Is the Cessna 337 Skymaster still in production?

No. US production ended in 1982 and Reims stopped building the type in France shortly afterwards. Tires, brakes, engines and standard hardware remain readily available, since the fitments are shared with aircraft that are still flying in volume.

What are the Cessna 337 Skymaster specifications?

A 337G carries six people behind two 210 hp Continental IO-360-G engines, with a 4,630 lb gross weight, 169 kt cruise, an 18,000ft ceiling and 90 US gal usable fuel. Turbocharged and pressurized variants use TSIO-360 engines. The full table above lists dimensions and field performance.

What is the range of the Cessna 337 Skymaster?

Around 1,140nm (2,110km) at long-range cruise on 90 US gal usable. Economy cruise figures for the earlier 337 with standard fuel come out closer to 840nm. The optional 148 US gal auxiliary system offered from 1975 extends that considerably.

What is the Cessna 337 Skymaster price?

Used prices in 2026 run from roughly $60,000 for high-time early airframes to about $235,000 for low-time late models. Typical asking prices sit between $99,000 and $165,000, with a median near $130,000. Pressurized P337s and turbocharged aircraft command a premium.

What does the Cessna 337 Skymaster cost to operate per hour?

Variable costs run approximately $200 to $265 per hour at 100 hours a year, driven mainly by around 21 gph of fuel and reserves against two engine overhauls. All-in costs including insurance, hangarage and annual inspection come closer to $400 per hour at that utilization. Figures vary widely by region and condition.

Where can I find a Cessna 337 Skymaster for sale?

Listings appear on Controller, Trade-A-Plane, GlobalAir and Aircraft Shopper Online, and specialist brokers handle a steady share of the market. Inventory is usually in the low dozens worldwide. A pre-purchase inspection focused on the gear system and the rear engine installation is worth the money on this type.

Do you need a multi-engine rating to fly a Cessna 337 Skymaster?

Yes, though many authorities issue a centerline thrust limitation that restricts the holder to aircraft of this configuration. The absence of asymmetric thrust means there is no published minimum control speed, which is why the type has long been used as a lower-risk route into twin flying.

What is the Cessna 337 Skymaster landing distance?

Approximately 700ft of ground roll and 1,650ft over a 50ft obstacle at sea level in standard conditions. Takeoff over the same obstacle needs 1,675ft. Gear and door drag during the retraction cycle is noticeable, which is one reason single-engine takeoff is prohibited.

What tire size does the Cessna 337 Skymaster use?

Retractable-gear 337s use 18×5.5 8-ply main tires and a 15×6.00-6 6-ply nose tire. The fixed-gear Model 336 uses 6.00-6 6-ply mains with the same 15×6.00-6 nose tire. Verify the size against the maintenance manual and parts catalog for your serial number before ordering.

Which tire brands are approved for the Cessna 337 Skymaster?

Goodyear, Michelin and Condor all produce tires in the correct sizes and ply ratings. Goodyear lists the Flight Special II 185F81-1 for the mains, with Michelin covering the same size in tubeless form. The nose position has the widest choice, with six listed options across the three brands.

How much do Cessna 337 Skymaster tires cost?

Pricing varies by brand, construction and speed rating. Nose tires in 15×6.0-6 are the cheaper of the two positions; 18×5.5 main tires carry a meaningful premium over them. Current pricing is shown on the product listings linked in the brands section above.

What is the tire pressure for the Cessna 337 Skymaster?

Inflation pressures are published in the aircraft maintenance manual and should be checked cold. Pressures differ between the nose and main positions on this type, and between variants, so working from a general figure is not safe. Low-utilization aircraft lose pressure between flights more often than owners expect.

How long do Cessna 337 Skymaster tires last?

Several hundred landings is typical for light twin main tires, but calendar life often decides the matter first on an aircraft flying 100 hours a year. Ultraviolet exposure, sidewall cracking and flat spots from standing retire more Skymaster tires than tread wear does. Paved runway operations and heavy braking shorten tread life considerably.

How often should Cessna 337 Skymaster tires be changed?

Replace at the tread wear limit, or earlier for cuts, bulges, flat spots, sidewall cracking or exposed cord. Check the nose tire sidewalls specifically, given the 90 degree rotation during retraction. A licensed engineer and the maintenance manual govern the final call.