In my opinion, the 182 represents a significant increase in complexity from the 172- much more so than from the 152 to the 172. The plane is significantly heavier, and has a lower landing weight than takeoff weight, so it requires more discipline in flight planning. It’s got cowl flaps, so you can easily push engine temperatures into red zones by failing to read your checklist. And you’re likely to find a prop knob next to the throttle and mixture knobs. Still, as long as you don’t fly like a jackass and put the nose wheel down before the mains, you’re going to have a hard time breaking this thing. If you’re a fan of the 182, I would encourage you to join the world’s largest 182 flying club- the Civil Air Patrol. They’ll even let you wear a flight suit.
