![cessna 172 cockpit cessna 172 cockpit](https://www.flyer.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Cessna-Turbo-Skyhawk-JTA-cockpit-flyer-1000x667.jpg)
Well, a number of years ago, I came up with an idea: What if I could develop a video for my students to watch before flying, where I show them how things are done in the real world. Even most flight training videos offer a classroom presentation, rather than showing you actual flying.
![cessna 172 cockpit cessna 172 cockpit](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/5b/25/be/5b25bec9789785ac0b9cb10868bb4396.jpg)
Here's the problem: Most flight training study materials are boring! Most deal with theory, rather than real-world flying. As a result, they are able to finish their flight training or flight review in less time, which means they end up saving money. Those who study beforehand, end up doing better. The same goes for private pilots who show up for their flight review. Working as a flight instructor for years, here's something I've noticed: Students perform better in the air, when they take the time to study on the ground. I've been a commercial pilot and certificated flight instructor since 2002. Later versions had a 160 hp O-320, and a 180 hp Lycoming O-360 also became a popular option.My name is Brendan Quinn-Narkin. This was the engine originally intended for the 177 Cardinal. In 1968, the powerplant was replaced with a four-cylinder Lycoming O-320 producing 150 hp. Like the Cessna 170, the original 172 used the six-cylinder, 145-horsepower Continental O-300 engine. The Cessna 172 fuselage was modified to fit the new window configuration in 1963, and the forward visibility was also improved with the installation of a one-piece windshield. Omni-Vision is a wraparound rear window first introduced on the Cessna 182 and 210 models in 1962. Īnother marketing scheme for Cessna’s single-engine models was the Omni-Vision window. While Cessna never added a rear view mirror to the cockpit, the fuselage was modified to insert a rear window, which the marketing department named “Omni-Vision,” in 1963. With all these changes, the premium version of the airplane got a new nickname-the Skyhawk. During this time, the instrument panel was modified to make the airplane IFR-capable. However, no performance changes were noted by the tail redesign. The swept tail was introduced in 1960 and a new cowl design in 1961, creating a sleeker profile for the Cessna 172 and improving engine cooling.
![cessna 172 cockpit cessna 172 cockpit](https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/182/393866735_05d8850712_b.jpg)
Therefore, the control wheel later moved to a lower position on the panel, which not only improved the visibility to the instruments but also made its position more ergonomic. However, the control wheel placement remained in a higher position in those days, which disturbed the visual access to the instruments. The instrument panel’s shape on early 172s was very similar to the Cessna 170’s, but in 1959 the panel shape began to morph into what we’ve become accustomed to in the 172.
Cessna 172 cockpit manual#
Early models had manual flaps, actuated by a big Johnson bar located between the seats. This 1969 IFR panel is remarkably capable, with ILS, ADF, and an autopilot, the roll-only Cessna brand Navomatic 300. The 1956 version of the 172 came out of the factory with a price tag of $8,295. Another distinguishing feature that sets the early 172 apart from the 170 is the straight, finlike vertical stabilizer. Cessna’s idea to change the gear configuration most likely came from the popular tricycle gear STC for the 172 developed by Met-Co-Air in Fullerton, California. The tricycle gear that helped make the Cessna 172 an excellent training airplane was named Land-O-Matic by the marketing department. The Cessna 172 was based on the Cessna 170 taildragger, and in 1956 the most notable difference between the airplanes was the gear.