Photograph:
Cessna R172K Hawk XP VH-UDW (c/n 1722630) floatplane at Port Macquarie, NSW (David C Eyre)
Country of origin:
United States of America
Description:
Four-seat cabin monoplane
Power Plant:
One 145 kw (195 hp) Teledyne Continental IO-360-K six-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 10.92 m (35 ft 10 in)
- Length: 8.28 m (27 ft 2 in)
- Height: 2.68 m (8 ft 9½ in)
- Wing area: 16.16 m² (174 sq ft)
- Max speed at sea level: 248 km/h (154 mph)
- Cruising speed at 80% power at 1,676 m (5,500 ft): 243 km/h (154 mph)
- Initial rate of climb: 275 m/min (870 ft/min)
- Service ceiling: 5,182 m (17,000 ft)
- Range at 243 km/h (151 mph) at 1,676 m (5,500 ft): 898 km (558 miles)
- Range at 3,050 m (10,000 ft) at economical cruising speed: 1,102 km (685 miles)
- Empty weight: 703 kg (1,549 lb)
- Loaded weight: 1,157 kg (2,550 lb)
History:
The Hawk XP was designed and developed to meet customer demand for a more powerful version of the Model 172 Skyhawk. Introduced into the Cessna range during 1977, the Hawk XP offered a higher performance with considerably more power, but still remained moderately priced on the market. The combination of the fuel-injected Teledyne Continental engine with a McCauley two-blade constant-speed propeller, which gave lower rpm allowed the Hawk XP to meet noise requirements in the USA, which came into operation during 1980.
The Hawk XP was introduced to capture some of the Cessna 182 market and be available at a cheaper price, and having the Model 172 airframe, the larger engine, and rudder trim to help absorb the extra power. Sound-proofing was one of the selling points, the Company engineering a 0.63 mm (¼ in) thick windshield, thick cabin doors and vinyl soundproofing at key locations in the cockpit. The aircraft had a useful load of 462 kg (1,019 lb). It was said to offer a new level of performance for a four-seater in the moderate price market. It was offered in VFR and IFR configuration, with the Cessna II avionics package or with the Nav Pac package.
Peter Norvill, a grazier from Murrurundi, NSW became the first native-born Australian to fly solo around the world in a single-engine Cessna, and at one stage he had the distinction of holding three other aeronautical records. In 1983 he flew across the Australian continent in 22 hours. In 1984 he set a record for the fastest time around Australia, 60 hrs 27.5 mins. In 1986 he became the first pilot of a single-engined aircraft to cross the Tasman Sea, crossing from Tasmania to New Zealand. On 7 May 1988 he left and flew his Hawk XP around the world, the longest leg being from Monterey, California to Hilo, Hawaii in 22.1 hours, eventually arriving at Eagle Farm, Brisbane, QLD on 9 June after covering 42,603 km (26,473 miles) in 35 days.
A number of examples have been registered in this region and two have been fitted with floats with and operated as seaplanes. One VH-UDW (c/n R172-2630 – ex N7WK, N738WK ntu, N736MG) was for a period fitted with Edo 248B-2440 floats, the empty weight being 803 kg (1,770 lb) and gross weight being 1,157 kg (2,550 lb), the useful load being 354 kg (780 lb). The floatplane had a range of 796 km (495 miles) at a cruising speed of 215 km/h (134 mph).
A second Hawk XP VH-HXP (c/n 2019 – ex ZK-EJI, N1948C, N4730K) was also operated as a floatplane on tourist operations.
In March 1981 production of the series ceased after 1,455 examples had been completed. Some eighty examples have been registered in this region.