Cessna 195

Single Piston· 433 globally registered

The Cessna 195 Businessliner represents the pinnacle of Cessna's postwar radial-engine designs, produced from 1947 to 1954 as the company's premium cabin-class aircraft before the jet age. Powered by a seven-cylinder Jacobs R-755 radial engine producing 300 horsepower, the 195 was the largest and most luxurious single-engine aircraft Cessna built during the piston era, seating five in a spacious cabin with executive appointments that justified its Businessliner marketing name. Its distinctive round cowling, conventional tailwheel landing gear, and fabric-covered steel-tube fuselage made it instantly recognizable on the ramp, and its rugged construction earned it a reputation for reliability in bush operations and corporate transport alike. The type found favor with small airlines, air taxi operators, and wealthy owner-pilots who valued its 170-mph cruise speed and 700-mile range, capabilities that made it competitive with early Beech Bonanzas while offering more cabin room. Though only 1,180 examples were built before Cessna shifted focus to tricycle-gear designs like the 310, the 195 remains prized by warbird and classic aircraft enthusiasts for its radial-engine sound and tailwheel handling characteristics. Today the type serves in roles ranging from personal transportation to remote cargo operations in northern Canada, where its rugged airframe and short-field performance continue to prove useful three-quarters of a century after first flight. SkyMeter has tracked 91 flights across 41 airframes and 41 operators over routes, with BOSWELL KURT R the most frequently observed operator.