Cessna 172 Skyhawk
21 models built 1956–present · 20,193 on the US register today
The Skyhawk, in production since 1956 and the most-built aeroplane in history: a stable, slow, easy four-seat high-wing aeroplane for training, local flying and short trips. The letters track the year: swept tail (172A, 1960), Omni-Vision rear window (172D, 1963), the 150 hp Lycoming replacing the six-cylinder Continental (172I, 1968), 160 hp and 28-volt electrics (172N, 1977), the 180 hp fixed-gear Cutlass (172Q, 1983), the fuel-injected 172R restart (1996) and the 180 hp Skyhawk SP (172S, 1998), which has had the Garmin G1000 since 2005. The R172E (T-41), R172K Hawk XP and retractable 172RG Cutlass RG are Skyhawk airframes with bigger engines that the FAA certified on the Cessna 175 type certificate (3A17) rather than the 172's (3A12); they are grouped here because every buyer and seller calls them 172s.
The variants
| MODEL | YEARS | ACTIVE | TAILFAX SCORE | WHAT CHANGED |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 172 | 1956–1959 | 1,805 | 34.7/50 | The original: straight tail, fastback fuselage, 145 hp Continental O-300 |
| 172A | 1960 | 435 | 35.4/50 | Swept tail |
| 172B | 1961 | 413 | 31/50 | Shorter gear; Skyhawk name introduced |
| 172C | 1962 | 362 | 33.8/50 | Fibreglass wingtips, key starter |
| 172D | 1963 | 471 | 38.8/50 | Cut-down rear fuselage with Omni-Vision window |
| 172E | 1964 | 617 | 36.7/50 | Electric flaps, new panel, 2,300 lb gross weight |
| 172F | 1965 | 717 | 32.6/50 | Electric flaps standard; improved panel lighting |
| 172G | 1966 | 722 | 34.9/50 | Longer pointed spinner |
| 172H | 1967 | 780 | 31.9/50 | 60 A alternator, shock-mounted cowling |
| 172I | 1968 | 353 | 34.2/50 | 150 hp Lycoming O-320 replaces the six-cylinder Continental |
| R172E | 1968–1971 | 98 | 23.3/50 | T-41B/C/D military trainer: 210 hp IO-360, constant-speed prop (TC 3A17) |
| 172K | 1969–1970 | 1,026 | 37.1/50 | Enlarged rear windows; optional long-range tanks |
| 172L | 1971–1972 | 858 | 36.2/50 | Tapered tubular gear legs; nose-mounted landing light |
| 172M | 1973–1976 | 3,578 | 36.8/50 | Camber-Lift drooped leading edge |
| 172N | 1977–1980 | 3,138 | 36.8/50 | 160 hp O-320-H, 28-volt electrics |
| R172K | 1977–1981 | 653 | 32.8/50 | Hawk XP: 195 hp IO-360, constant-speed prop (TC 3A17) |
| 172RG | 1980–1985 | 447 | 41.1/50 | Cutlass RG: retractable gear, 180 hp, constant-speed prop (TC 3A17) |
| 172P | 1981–1986 | 1,110 | 34.4/50 | O-320-D2J engine, 30-degree flap limit, higher weight |
| 172Q | 1983–1986 | 13 | — | Cutlass: fixed-gear 172 with 180 hp O-360, 2,550 lb |
| 172R | 1996–2006 | 683 | 31.5/50 | 1996 restart: fuel-injected 160 hp IO-360, new interior |
| 172S | 1998–present | 1,914 | 38.8/50 | Skyhawk SP: 180 hp, 2,550 lb; G1000 from 2005 |
Data as of: FAA registry Sep 28 · NTSB Oct 2 · scores Sep 30