Cessna 337 Skymaster

Twin Piston

The Cessna 337 Skymaster is one of aviation's most distinctive light twins, instantly recognizable by its push-pull centerline engine configuration: one tractor propeller on the nose, one pusher on the tail boom. Introduced in 1965, this unconventional layout solved the most dangerous problem facing conventional twin pilots: asymmetric thrust after an engine failure. With both engines mounted on the fuselage centerline, the Skymaster eliminates the yaw and roll forces that cause loss-of-control accidents in traditional twins, making single-engine handling straightforward enough that Cessna marketed it as "the twin-engine aircraft that flies like a single." The military adopted the design as the O-2 Skymaster for forward air control missions in Vietnam, where its excellent visibility, slow-speed handling, and engine redundancy proved ideal for low-altitude reconnaissance and target marking over hostile territory. Powered by a pair of Continental IO-360 engines producing 210 horsepower each, the civilian 337 cruises around 170 knots and carries up to six occupants with a useful load near 1,600 pounds. Its fixed landing gear and relatively simple systems made it popular with owner-pilots seeking twin-engine safety without the complexity and operating costs of retractable-gear twins like the Cessna 310 or Piper Aztec. The high-mounted wing and twin-boom empennage provide excellent downward visibility, a feature prized by pipeline patrol operators, fish spotters, and aerial surveyors who became the type's most loyal operators after production ended in 1980. Today the Skymaster occupies a unique niche in general aviation: too slow and thirsty for serious cross-country travel compared to modern singles, yet valued by pilots who appreciate its docile single-engine characteristics and those who need the mission flexibility of twin-engine redundancy for overwater or remote operations. SkyMeter has tracked 68 flights across 25 airframes and 24 operators, with JOEY OS LLC the largest observed operator.