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A Cessna Cutlass RG at Timmerman Field, Wisconsin... Geoff is the LESS cool-looking dude on the right!
- May 2002 -

The Cessna Aircraft Company (formed in 1927) is is headquartered in Wichita, Kansas, USA and traces its history to June 1911, when Clyde Cessna, a farmer in Rago, Kansas, built a wood-and-fabric plane and became the first person to build and fly an aircraft between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains. 1963 saw Cessna produce its 50,000 airplane, a Cessna 172. Cessna's first business jet, the Cessna Citation I performed its maiden flight on September 15, 1969. In 1975, Cessna produced its 100,000 single engine airplane. In 1985, Cessna became a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamic Corporation and production of the Cessna Caravan began. In short, Cessna has been around for a LONG time and has produced an amazing array of aircraft, including helicopters!

When Geoff re-started flying in the States (and later in the UK), he did so through a Cessna specialist, so he had the chance to fly a number of "types", including:

Cessna 150:
2-seat tricycle gear general aviation airplane that was designed for flight training, touring and personal use.
Engine: Either Continental O-200-A in US-built versions or Rolls-Royce 0-240-A engines in the Reims-produced version. The Cessna 150 is the fourth most produced civilian plane ever, with 23,839 aircraft produced. It was offered for sale in the 150 basic model, Commuter, Commuter II, Patroller and the aerobatic Aerobat models.
Cessna 152:
2-seat fixed tricycle gear, general aviation airplane, used primarily for flight training and personal use.
Engine: Lycoming O-235

Geoff flew the following [actual] 152s at Manston, UK:

(& N4978B)

(Geoff has flown every individual aircraft featured on this page except for the Cessna 150, for which he couldn't find a photo.)

Preflighting an RG (N4852V)
requires some lying around!

Cessna 172:
4-seat, single-engine, high-wing fixed-wing aircraft. First flown in 1955 and still in production, more Cessna 172s have been built than any other aircraft... some 45,000!
There are many variants, including the following, which Geoff has flown:

172 & 172A, equipped with a Continental O-300 145 hp (108 kW) six-cylinder, air-cooled engine.

172B, including the deluxe option, which introduced the name "Skyhawk".

172C, with it's optional auto-pilot.

172F, which had electric flaps.

172N Skyhawk II, introduced rudder trim as an option and standard "pre-selectable" flaps.

Cessna C172N Skyhawk II - N63694

172P Skyhawk, introduced in 1981 to solve the reliability problems of the "N" engine. The Lycoming O-320-D2J was a great improvement. The "P" model also saw the maximum flap deflection decreased from 40 degrees to 30 to allow a gross weight increase from 2,300 lb to 2,400 lb.

 Cessna C172P Skyhawk - N53885
(& N50923 & N55108)

172S Skyhawk, introduced in 1998 and powered by a Lycoming IO-360-L2A producing 180 horsepower (134 kW). The maximum engine rpm was increased from 2,400 rpm to 2,700 rpm resulting in a 20 hp (15 kW) increase over the "R" model. As a result, the maximum takeoff weight was increased to 2,550 lb (1,157 kg). This model is marketed under the name Skyhawk SP, although the Type Certification data sheet specifies it is a 172S.

Cessna 172S - N172WF

172RG Cutlass (see photos at top of page), sporting retractable gear and a variable pitch, constant speed propeller and more powerful Lycoming O-360-F1A6 engine of 180 horsepower (130 kW). It produced an optimal cruise speed of 140 knots (260 km/h), compared to 122 knots (226 km/h) for the contemporary 160 horsepower (120 kW) version. The 172RG did not find wide acceptance in the personal aircraft market, but was adopted by many flight schools as a complex aircraft trainer. Between 1980 and 1984 1177 RGs were built, with a small number following before production ceased in 1985.

Cessna Cutlass RG (N4852V)

R172K Hawk XP, which featured a fuel-injected, Continental IO-360K (later IO-360KB) derated to 195 hp (145 kW) with a 2-bladed, constant-speed propeller. The Hawk XP was capable of a 131-knot (243 km/h) cruise speed.

Cessna 172K  Hawk XP - N736AR

The R172K (Hawk XP) models are actually certified on the Cessna 175 type certificate.