| Cessna 172 | |
|---|---|
 Cessna 172S Skyhawk SP | |
| General information | |
| Type | Civil utility aircraft |
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | Cessna Textron Aviation |
| Status | In production |
| Number built | 44,000+[1] |
| History | |
| Manufactured | 1956–1986, 1996–present |
| Introduction date | 1956 |
| First flight | June 12, 1955 |
| Developed from | Cessna 170 |
| Variants | Cessna T-41 Mescalero |
| Developed into | Cessna 175 Skylark |
The Cessna 172 Skyhawk is an American four-seat, single-engine, high wing, fixed-wing aircraft made by the Cessna Aircraft Company.[2] First flown in 1955,[2] more 172s have been built than any other aircraft.[3] 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, Powermatic, and Hawk XP. The aircraft was also produced under license in France by Reims Aviation, which marketed upgraded versions as the Reims Rocket.
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[update], the company and its partners had built more than 44,000 units.[1][4][5] With a break from 1986–96, the aircraft remains in production today.
A light general aviation airplane, the Skyhawk's main competitors throughout its lifetime have been the Beechcraft Musketeer and Grumman American AA-5 series (neither currently in production), the Piper PA-28 Cherokee,[6] and, more recently, the Diamond DA40 Star and Cirrus SR20.
- ^ a b Flight International, June 20, 2017, p. 24.
- ^ a b "Cessna Skyhawk" Archived 2013-04-04 at the Wayback Machine (2013), Cessna Aircraft Company. Retrieved 2013-04-12.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
AvWeb1was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Isabel Goyer (January 19, 2012). "Cessna 172: Still Relevant". Flying. Archived from the original on September 29, 2013. Retrieved October 2, 2013.
- ^ Cessna homepage: Skyhawk Archived 2015-02-15 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2015-01-22
- ^ Plane and Pilot: 1978 Aircraft Directory, pp. 22–23. Werner & Werner Corp, Santa Monica CA, 1977. ISBN 0-918312-00-0