Cessna 172 P Skyhawk, popular single engine light aeroplane. XAV 4142-392
The Cessna 172 Skyhawk is a four-seat, single-engine, high-wing airplane. More Cessna 172s have been built than any other aircraft. It is also probably the most popular flight training aircraft in the world. The Cessna 172 is without doubt the most successful mass produced light aircraft in history. The first production models were delivered in 1956 and it is still in production in 2006; more than 35,000 have been built. The Skyhawk's main competitors have been the popular Piper Cherokee, the Beechcraft Musketeer and Grumman Cheetah (both no longer in production), and, more recently, the Diamond DA40 Star. Early 172s looked almost identical to the 170, with the same straight aft fuselage and tall gear legs, but later versions incorporated revised landing gear, a lowered rear deck, and an aft window. Cessna advertised this added rear visibility as "Omni-Vision". The final structural development, in the mid-1960s, was the sweptback tail still used today. The airframe has remained almost unchanged since then, with updates to avionics and engines including most recently the optional Garmin G1000 glass cockpit. Production ended in the mid-1980s, but was resumed in 1996 with the 160 hp (120 kW) Cessna 172R Skyhawk and 180 hp (135 kW) Cessna 172S Skyhawk SP. The older Skyhawks were delivered with a 145 horsepower (110 kW) engine, while later versions were equipped with engines up to 180 horsepower (135 kW), though 150 or 160 hp (110 or 120 kW) is more common. A rare modification of engines allowed the installation of a 220 hp Franklin engine. The Cessna 172 started life as a relatively simple tricycle undercarriage development of the taildragger 170, with a fairly basic level of standard equipment. First flight was in November 1955. The 172 became an overnight sales success and over 1400 were built in 1956, its first full year of production. The basic 172 remained in production until replaced by the 172A of early 1960. The 172A introduced a swept back tail and rudder, whil
Size: 5550px × 3465px
Location: Inverness, Dalcross Airport. Highland Region. Scotland. United Kingdom.
Photo credit: © David Gowans / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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