At first glance, the Cessna 172 Skyhawk is just another utility or trainer aircraft. But measured by longevity and sales, the plane outshines every aircraft ever built – around 44,000 aircraft and counting. This American four-seat, single-engine, high-wing aeroplane manufactured by the Cessna Aircraft Company, first flew on June 12, 1955. It entered service the following year. It was an instant success and over 1,400 aircraft were built in 1956, its first full year of manufacture. Since then, it has been in continuous production except for a break from 1986 to 1996 when stricter laws in the United States (US) impeded the manufacture of all light aircraft. In 1992, the Cessna Aircraft Company became part of Textron Aviation.

More pilots have probably earned their wings on the Cessna 172 than on any other aircraft in the world. The plane has been called “the most elegant compromise in the history of aviation” because without being best in class in any department, its design satisfies a variety of customers, some of whom want flying-for-fun machine, a light transporter, a superb basic trainer or an effective instrument flying trainer. There have been over 20 variants of this propeller driven aircraft over the years.

The Cessna 172 was developed from the 1948 Cessna 170. The story goes that Cessna’s engineers faced fierce opposition from the marketing department when they proposed to build a tricycle undercarriage aircraft instead of the then favoured tail wheel gear. Ultimately, the engineers prevailed and the tricycle-geared Cessna 172 went into production. Other decisions that were controversial at the time, have also been proved right over the years such as the use of sheet-metal construction rather than the prevailing fabric-covered welded steel construction. Even today, when the use of carbon fibre in airframe construction is widespread, the Cessna 172 refuses to abandon its all-metal build.

The original Cessna 172 was powered by a Continental O-300 horizontally opposed, six-cylinder 145hp piston engine. Later, other engines were fitted. The current 172S model introduced in 1998, has an upgraded 180hp Lycoming IO-360-L2A, four-cylinder, direct-drive, horizontally opposed, air cooled, fuel-injected engine, giving the plane a maximum cruise speed of 230 kmph and a maximum range of 1,185 km.

Why did the Skyhawk become the darling of flight schools all over the world? It is a tough, sturdy and predictable aircraft with reliable avionics as well as a decent payload capacity and good climbing ability as compared to other light trainers. It is inexpensive to operate and has remarkable dispatch reliability. Its clean aerodynamic design, harmonious controls and smooth flying manners, make it simple to fly and forgiving of mistakes – two essential requirements for raw pilots. The high-wing design and omni-vision rear wraparound window, gives the pilot a clear view of the surroundings. And the low landing speed, thanks to its excellent flaps, makes the aircraft simple to land – so much so that the marketing department once called it the “Land-o-matic”. As for safety, the record speaks for itself – its fatal accident rate is nearly three times better than the general aviation average in the US.

The US military began using the Cessna 172 for training purposes in 1964, designating it the T-41 Mescalero. Although it was phased out in the US by the turn of the century, the T-41 still flies with the military forces of 24 nations.

Just two years into production, the Cessna 172 was the agent of a feat of endurance that stands unsurpassed to this day. On December 4, 1958, Bob Timm and John Cook took off from Las Vegas’ McCarran Field in a Skyhawk. The pair then kept their rugged machine continuously airborne for a formidable 64 days, 22 hours, 19 minutes and 5 seconds. One pilot did the flying and the other slept, in four hour shifts. Twice a day, they would descend to 20 feet above a desert highway to link up with a special fuel replenishment truck fitted with a reservoir, fuel pump and fuel hose and receive 95 gallons of fuel each time. The procedure was repeated 128 times during the epic flight. Apart from highlighting the sheer grit and capability to endure of the human spirit, the flight practically demonstrated the toughness and legendary reliability of the Cessna 172 and its engine.

Another bit of history scripted on the Skyhawk was by amateur West German pilot Mathias Rust. On May 28, 1987, the teenager with only 50 hours of flying experience, flew 750 km across the border of the Soviet Union guarded by the world’s most formidable air defences. The aircraft was not shot down perhaps because it was mistaken for a friendly plane or simply thanks to Rust’s good fortune. He ultimately landed the Cessna 172 safely in Moscow, on a bridge close to the world-famous Red Square. His stated purpose was to promote world peace.