Cessna 172
The Cessna 172 Skyhawk is an American four-seat, single-engine, high wing, fixed-wing aircraft made by the Cessna Aircraft Company. First flown in 1955, more 172s have been built than any other aircraft. It was developed from the 1948 Cessna 170 but with tricycle landing gear rather than conventional landing gear. The Skyhawk name was originally used for a trim package, but was later applied to all standard-production 172 aircraft, while some upgraded versions were marketed as the Cutlass.
| Cessna 172 Skyhawk | |
|---|---|
| Cessna 172S | |
| Role | Civil utility aircraft |
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | Cessna Textron Aviation |
| First flight | June 12, 1955 |
| Introduction | 1956 |
| Status | In production |
| Produced | 1956–1986, 1996–present |
| Number built | 44,000+ |
| Developed from | Cessna 170 |
| Variants | Cessna T-41 Mescalero |
| Developed into | Cessna 175 Skylark |
Measured by its longevity and popularity, the Cessna 172 is the most successful aircraft in history. Cessna delivered the first production model in 1956, and as of 2015, the company and its partners had built more than 44,000 units. The aircraft remains in production today.
A general aviation airplane, the Skyhawk's main competitors have been the Beechcraft Musketeer and Grumman AA-5 series (neither currently in production), the Piper Cherokee, and, more recently, the Diamond DA40 and Cirrus SR20.