Give the gift of flying

Cessna 172

Cessna 172

Aircraft

The Cessna 172 is a single-engine propeller-driven aircraft. The aircraft has four seats. The Cessna 172 is the most widely sold aircraft in the world. More than 45,000 aircraft have been delivered. Almost every flying school has a Cessna in its hangar, and almost every pilot has flown some hours on a Cessna.

The aircraft is a high-decker. The wings are on the top. Because of this, the downward visibility is much better than with a low-decker. Characteristic of the Cessna 172 are the struts that support the wings.

The aircraft has been on the market since 1956 and is one of the most widely used training aircraft.

Brand Cessna
Type 172
Pilots 1
Passengers 3
Maximum Take Off Weight 1089 kg
Empty weight 691 kg
Payload 398 kg
Cruising speed 105 knots (194 km/h)
Maximum Speed 128 knots (237 km/h)
Stall speed 41 knots (76 km/h)
Maximum crosswind 15 knots (28 km/h)
Maximum distance 965 km
Fuel consumption 26 l/hour
Fuel Capacity 152 liter
Maximum altitude 13000 feet (3962 m)
Span 11.0 m
Height 8.2 m
New price € 200,000 (2022)
ICAO code C172

These specifications are intended to give you an idea of the Cessna 172. They cannot be used for flight preparation. Often there are many different types of aircraft released with varying specifications and prices. Check the Pilot Operating Handbook (POH) if you want to know the exact values of the aircraft you are going to fly. Your flight instructor will be happy to help you with this.

Frequently asked questions about the Cessna 172

How fast does a Cessna 172 fly?

An Cessna 172 is normally flying at about 194 km/h (105 knots), which is its cruising speed. It can fly a bit faster, but never more than 237 km/h (128 knots).

How much does a Cessna 172 cost?

The Cessna 172 has a new price starting at about €200,000. The exact price depends on the chosen options, exchange rates and other factors.

How high can the Cessna 172 fly?

To about 13,000 feet, that is about 3,962 meters. The exact altitude depends on several factors, such as weight and ambient temperature.

How far can a Cessna 172 fly?

The range is about 965 kilometres. The distance also depends on how fast you fly and whether there is much wind. A possible diversion to another airport is also taken into account.

How much does a Cessna 172 consume?

Without wind, the Cessna 172 consumes about 13 litres per 100 km, which is about 1 in 7.5. The consumption depends on how fast you fly. Usually the consumption is indicated at the cruising speed. For this aircraft it is on average about 194 km/hr with a consumption of about 26 litres per hour.

How much does a Cessna 172 weigh?

Empty the aircraft weighs about 691 kg. Including fuel, passengers and baggage, the aircraft must not weigh more than 1,089 kg. The maximum amount of fuel, passengers and baggage that can be carried is 398 kg.

About Eveline van den Boom

The author of this article is Eveline van den Boom. In 2006, she received her first flying lesson as a birthday present; a beautiful flight over Rotterdam. That tasted like more!

In 2010, she got her PPL licence in Lelystad. In 2011, an aircraft was purchased: an Aero AT-3. This aircraft is still flying in the Vliegles.nl fleet with callsign PH-EVB.

She wrote the theory books "Theory of Flying" and "Theory helicopter flying". These can be ordered with your flying lesson and are also separately for sale on Bol.com

About us

We and third parties follow your internet behavior on our website with cookies. If you continue, we assume you agree with our cookie policy. Learn more