The prototype’s first flight occurred in June of 1955 and although it was successful, a list of concerns surfaced. The R&D effort that became the Cessna Skyhawk 172 was conducted at an isolated farm strip well away from Cessna’s main operations in Wichita. In fact, if the behind-closed-doors tri-design wasn’t stashed away for future use, the 172 as we know it today may never have come to market. Nonetheless, some at Cessna saw that there was a place for a tri-gear airplane and they began to develop one, albeit without the official blessing of the company’s management. But not everyone saw it that way, least of all the established movers and shakers at Cessna. The tricycle gear promised to simplify training and it was thought to be the design of the future. Then as now, mastering a conventional gear airplane without an excursion into runway edge ditches was a difficult challenge. Piper’s Tri-Pacer, the first trike to sell in serious volume, was a hit because it was easier to land and taxi, which is what budding pilots wanted. Obed Wells, Cessna’s project engineer on the 170, was concerned that the 170C had a rear fuselage that was too weak and shouldn’t be used as a tailwheel airplane.
What was going to be the 170C ended up with a nosewheel on it. The 172, of course, is a true tricycle gear airplane. The 170A was a fabric-wing machine that suffered from poor roll response since its ailerons were carried over from the smaller Cessna 140. Actually, it was the tail-dragging model 170A that planted the 172 seed back in 1949. The Cessna Skyhawk 172 legacy started in 1956. As one owner put it, “It’s tempting to step up to something with more speed and creature comforts, but my Hawk is predictable in every aspect of ownership.” Cessna Skyhawk 172 History Many fly hard IFR and brag of a stable instrument platform. Nearly all boast of an easy-to-afford set of wings that can easily haul family, friends and gear. Most owners are enthusiastic about their rides. For that reason, while we think a 172 might be an excellent first airplane to own, we also think it makes a poor primary trainer. While a 172 is an easy airplane to fly by most standards and has a low fatal accident incidence, surprising is the number of student-involved runway prangs we uncovered in the NTSB reports. Just don’t be in too much of a hurry to get where you’re going in a Skyhawk -it’s no speed demon. The airplane chugs along at an honest 115 knots, burning under 10 gallons per hour while carrying a reasonable load. The performance and economics are compelling. The fact that Cessna could reintroduce and continue to build and sell such a stale design (not to mention the existence of extensive aftermarket refurb programs) compared to flashy composite speedsters that dominate the market says that buyers resonate with the Skyhawk’s many strong points. During its original 31-year production run, a total of 35,773 Skyhawks were built and well over 20,000 of those are still flying in the U.S. It might not be the fastest, the most aerodynamic or poshest ride around, but one thing is certain: The Cessna Skyhawk 172 delivers enormous practical value for its highly affordable purchase price.įor this reason, you won’t need to look far on any ramp or used airplane ad to find a Skyhawk. While the Skyhawk is a dated airframe that won’t turn heads on any ramp (brand new ones included), the airplane delivers enough for the money to earn its keep.Įven if you bottom feed and end up with a project airplane that begs for mechanical and cosmetic attention, chances are it will take only a modest sum to bring it to airworthy status.
0 kommentar(er)
