Country of origin:

United States of America

Description:

Light training and touring monoplane

Power Plant:

(172G Skyhawk)

One 108 kw (145 hp) Continental O-300-C six-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine

Specifications:

History:

Derived from the Model 170, the Cessna 172 Skyhawk differed initially mainly in that it had a tricycle undercarriage. The Model 172 has been the most successful and most produced of any aircraft type, with more than 45,000 examples delivered in a variety of models over its production life, it still being in production.

First flown in November 1955, the prototype was powered by a Continental O-300 six-cylinder engine. Production of the initial model took place between 1955 and 1967. 1,400 were delivered in 1956, the first full year of production. In 1967 the engine installed was changed to the Lycoming O-320, a four-cylinder unit. By 1980 the model numbers had reached 172P, this model remaining in production until 1985 when production ceased due to American product liability laws. In 1999 production re-commenced following new legislation being passed. The variant in 2006 in production was the Model 172S. Differences from year to year have usually been minor, but on a few occasions major external changes have been made.

The Model 172A, which was introduced in 1960, was the first to have the swept vertical tail surfaces; the Model 172B in the following year had a revised undercarriage and the addition of an external baggage door, the Model 172C in 1962 had re-designed wingtip fairings; and the Model 172D in 1963 introduced the first major external change to the design, a stepped-down rear fuselage to permit windows to be fitted in the rear of the cabin, thus allowing all-round vision.

As well as the numbered models, there were variants of each model, each of which differed slightly in the standard of equipment installed.

In 1964 the Model 172F appeared. It did not differ greatly from its predecessor. This model was obtained for the USAF as the T-41 Mescalero for primary training duties. In 1966 the Model 172G was released with only slight modifications; and the 1967 model varied in having a shorter nosewheel strut, re-styled wheel fairings and new plastic wingtips.

As with other Cessnas, letters were added to the model number as development took place and a new model was released. In 1968 the Model 172I was introduced, the next model in 1969 being the Model 172K with a re-designed fin, modified rear windows and an optional increase in fuel capacity. The Model 172L in 1971 introduced an enlarged dorsal fin fillet. The Model 172M in 1973 had a droop-wing leading-edge for improved low-speed handling.

In 1976 the 172 series became known as the Skyhawk. The Model 172N had a 119 kw (160 hp) O-320-H engine but, due to problems with this engine, it was replaced by the O-320-D in the Model 172P introduced in 1981. The Cessna 172 was also built under licence in France by Reims Aviation.

More than 1,100 Model 172s have been registered in Australia over the years, and more than 200 in New Zealand. A number have been operated on floats. Examples imported have included a few French-built machines, known as the FR-172. In Australasia and the south Pacific the type has been used by private pilots, for cattle mustering, as air taxis, etc, as well as being the main training type of a number of aero clubs over the years.

The Model 172P Skyhawk introduced new optional equipment in 1985 and was powered by the 119 kw (160 hp) Avco Lycoming O-320-D2J engine. However, in that year Cessna stopped production of light aircraft.

The Model 172Q was introduced in 1983 and was similar to the Model 172P but had a Lycoming O-360-A4N engine. The Model 172S has been operated in the training role by air forces.

One aircraft (N9172B) flown by Robert Timm and John Cook took off from McCarran Airfield, Las Vegas, Nevada on 4 December 1958 and flew non stop for 6 days 22 hours 19 mins and 5 secs, landing at the same airfield on 4 February 1959. Food, water and fuel were transferred to the aircraft from a car on a stretch of road in the desert.

Continuous development to meet customer requirements over the years led to more powerful variants, these including the XP Hawk II fitted with a 145 kw (195 hp) Continental IO-360-K engine, which gave it much enhanced performance; and in 1979 the Model 172RG Cutlass which was fitted with a retractable undercarriage.

Production of the series resumed in 1996 after the signing of the General Aviation Revitalisation Act by the US President in 1994, with first deliveries of the Model 172R taking place in 1997. By September 1998 some 579 had been delivered and production began in 1998 of the Model 172SP with an IO-360-L2A engine rated at 135 kw (180 hp), this being a higher performance variant. Production of the Models 172R and 172SP continued, with 351 examples being delivered during 2005. By 2009 only the Model 172S was in production.

The Model 172R had a new interior with contoured front seats which adjusted vertically and reclined, an all new multi-level ventilation system, standard four-point intercom, interior soundproofing and energy absorbing seats with inertia-reel seatbelts. It was corrosion proofed and had stainless steel control cables, a dual vacuum pump system, tinted windows and long-range fuel tanks, It had, like the Cessna 182, become available with the Garmin G1000 glass cockpit, described as “the most advanced, most intelligent flight deck package ever to fly on a single-engine aircraft”, giving details of all primary flight, navigation, engine and sensor data onto two 25.4 cm (10 in) active matrix LCDs.

In 2007 Cessna announced that a new variant, the Model 172TD would be released powered by a 116 kw (155 hp) Thielert two-litre diesel engine, this carrying a payload of 249 kg (550 lb) a distance of 1,278 km (794 miles). A number were sold to flight schools. However, Thielert ran into problems and closed but Cessna continued with the certification of the Model 172TD, moving to another diesel engine.

In late 2014 the Cessna Aircraft Company announced that since the type was introduced to the market some 48,000 examples of various models had been completed, making the 172 series the most manufactured aircraft of all time.

In New Zealand Oceania Aviation in the 21st century has been obtaining second-hand Cessna 172s and Piper PA-28s, refurbishing them and installing a Continental CD-155 two-litre dual overhead camshaft diesel engine with liquid-cooling with full dual-channel FADEC and selling them to private operators and flight schools.