SINGLE-ENGINE PISTON
Cessna 172
4 models from FAA type certificate data sheet 3A12. Every figure below is quoted from the sheet. Open any “Source” to see the words it comes from.
THE DATA SHEET
- Authority
- Federal Aviation Administration (United States)
- Sheet
- Type Certificate Data Sheet 3A12
- Revision
- 88
- Date
- June 9, 2025
- Holder
- Textron Aviation Inc.
- Licence
- US Government work, public domain (17 U.S.C. 105)
Open the sheet on the FAA Dynamic Regulatory System (opens in a new tab)
Earlier revision. This is revision 88 of the data sheet. A later revision exists that we have not checked yet.
Performance figures (stall speeds, take-off and landing distances, climb, cruise and fuel burn) are in the aircraft's flight manual (POH/AFM), which we cannot reproduce. Always use the flight manual for the aircraft you fly.
This is a United States Federal Aviation Administration sheet. We show it as a US certification document, not as an Australian or New Zealand rule. Units are the sheet's own: pounds, US gallons and quarts, and knots or mph as stated.
How we copied the sheet. Quotes are from our stored text copy of the sheet, taken from the text layer of the FAA's online viewer. We rebuilt lines from the text positions, joined wrapped lines, marked wide gaps between table cells with |, removed page headers and footers, and replaced symbol-font characters with the symbols they print as. Check the original sheet before relying on any figure.
Models not shown. The sheet also covers the 172 and the 172A to 172M, and the 172Q Cutlass. We have not added them. Floatplane and seaplane figures are left out.
Showing the 172N.
SPEC SHEET
Cessna 172: 172N
Landplane. Airspeed limits for the 1977 to 1979 model years
The sheet's heading for this modelModel 172N, Skyhawk, 4 PCL-SM (Normal Category), 2 PCLM (Utility Category)
Source for the model heading
VIII. Model 172N, Skyhawk, 4 PCL-SM (Normal Category), 2 PCLM (Utility Category), approved May 17, 1976
Engine
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-H2AD
Source for Engine
Engine | Lycoming O-320-H2AD
- Rated power
- 160 hp
Source for Rated power
*Engine Limits | For all operations, 2700 rpm (160 hp)
- Engine speed limit
- 2,700 rpm
Source for Engine speed limit
*Engine Limits | For all operations, 2700 rpm (160 hp)
- Propeller
- McCauley 1C160/DTM 7557Landplane propeller.
Source for Propeller
Propeller and | 1. McCauley Propeller Propeller Limits | Hub: | 1C160/DTM 7557
Fuel and oil
- Fuel capacity
- 42 US gal≈ 159 L (converted)
Source for Fuel capacity
Fuel Capacity | 42 gal. total, 40 gal. usable (two 21.5 gal. tanks in wings at +48)
- Usable fuel
- 40 US gal≈ 151 L (converted)
Source for Usable fuel
Fuel Capacity | 42 gal. total, 40 gal. usable (two 21.5 gal. tanks in wings at +48)
- Oil capacity
- 1.5 US gal≈ 5.7 L (converted)
Source for Oil capacity
Oil Capacity | 1.5 gal. (-14.0), 1.0 gal. usable
Weights and loading
- Maximum weight
- Normal category2,300 lblandplane≈ 1,043 kg (converted)
Source for Maximum weight, Normal category
*Maximum Weight | Normal category: 2300 lb. (landplane)
Utility category2,000 lblandplane≈ 907 kg (converted)Source for Maximum weight, Utility category
Utility category: 2000 lb. (landplane)
- Seats
- 4
Source for Seats
Number of Seats | 4 (2 at +34 to +46, 2 at +73)
- Baggage limit
- 120 lb≈ 54.4 kg (converted)
Source for Baggage limit
Maximum Baggage | 120 lb. at +95
- C.G. range
- Normal category, landplane: (+38.5) to (+47.3) at 2300 lb; (+35.0) to (+47.3) at 1950 lb or less
Source for C.G. range
C.G. Range | Landplane: Normal category | (+38.5) to (+47.3) at 2300 lb. (+35.0) to (+47.3) at 1950 lb. or less
Airspeed limits
- Never exceed speed (Vne)
- 160 kt CAS1977 to 1979 modelsThe sheet gives a lower Vno and Vne for the last model year.
Source for Never exceed speed (Vne)
*Airspeed Limits | Models: 1977, 1978, 1979 (CAS) | Maneuvering | 97 knots (see NOTE 4 on use of CAS) | Maximum structural cruising | 128 knots Never exceed | 160 knots Flaps extended | 85 knots
- Maximum structural cruising speed (Vno)
- 128 kt CAS1977 to 1979 modelsThe sheet gives a lower Vno and Vne for the last model year.
Source for Maximum structural cruising speed (Vno)
*Airspeed Limits | Models: 1977, 1978, 1979 (CAS) | Maneuvering | 97 knots (see NOTE 4 on use of CAS) | Maximum structural cruising | 128 knots Never exceed | 160 knots Flaps extended | 85 knots
- Manoeuvring speed (Va)
- 97 kt CAS1977 to 1979 models
Source for Manoeuvring speed (Va)
*Airspeed Limits | Models: 1977, 1978, 1979 (CAS) | Maneuvering | 97 knots (see NOTE 4 on use of CAS) | Maximum structural cruising | 128 knots Never exceed | 160 knots Flaps extended | 85 knots
- Maximum flap extended speed (Vfe)
- 85 kt CAS1977 to 1979 models
Source for Maximum flap extended speed (Vfe)
*Airspeed Limits | Models: 1977, 1978, 1979 (CAS) | Maneuvering | 97 knots (see NOTE 4 on use of CAS) | Maximum structural cruising | 128 knots Never exceed | 160 knots Flaps extended | 85 knots
Reference
- Datum
- Lower front face of firewallThe serial range covers this model.
Source for Datum
Lower front face of firewall (S/N 17247747 thru 17276654)
- Certification basis
- Civil Air Regulations (CAR) Part 3 effective November 1, 1949, as amended by 3-1 through 3-12The sheet adds later regulations for some serial numbers.
Source for Certification basis
Models 172 thru 172P Civil Air Regulations (CAR) Part 3 effective November 1, 1949, as amended by 3-1 through 3-12.
COCKPIT
The 172N limits on an airspeed indicator
Where the sheet gives them in knots, the dial shows Vne as a red line, the caution range from Vno to Vne as a yellow arc, a green tick at Vno and white ticks at the flap limit speeds (Vfe). The sheet gives flap limits, not instrument markings, and the stall speeds where the green and white arcs start are not in it.
- Airspeed indicator
- Attitude indicator
- Altimeter
- Turn coordinator
- Heading indicator
- Vertical speed indicator
- Tachometer
- Oil temperature
- Oil pressure
- Fuel quantity
- Suction gauge
What the dial shows
- Red line: never exceed speed (Vne)160 kt CAS, 1977 to 1979 models
Source for the red line
*Airspeed Limits | Models: 1977, 1978, 1979 (CAS) | Maneuvering | 97 knots (see NOTE 4 on use of CAS) | Maximum structural cruising | 128 knots Never exceed | 160 knots Flaps extended | 85 knots
- Yellow arc: caution rangeFrom Vno to Vne, 128 kt CAS to 160 kt CAS
- Green tick: Vno, top of the green arc128 kt CAS, 1977 to 1979 models
Source for the green tick
*Airspeed Limits | Models: 1977, 1978, 1979 (CAS) | Maneuvering | 97 knots (see NOTE 4 on use of CAS) | Maximum structural cruising | 128 knots Never exceed | 160 knots Flaps extended | 85 knots
- White tick: Vfe, a flap limit speed85 kt CAS, 1977 to 1979 models
Source for the white tick
*Airspeed Limits | Models: 1977, 1978, 1979 (CAS) | Maneuvering | 97 knots (see NOTE 4 on use of CAS) | Maximum structural cruising | 128 knots Never exceed | 160 knots Flaps extended | 85 knots
- Marks are drawn at the sheet's speeds in knots CAS. Some airspeed indicators are marked in IAS instead, so check the flight manual for how this aircraft's own indicator is marked.
- White tick marks the flap limit speed (Vfe) the sheet gives. The sheet gives flap limits, not instrument markings, so the flight manual says where this aircraft's white arc ends.
- The low ends of the white and green arcs are stall speeds. They come from the flight manual, so we have left them unmarked.
The other instruments are drawn at rest and are not linked to this aircraft. Learn what each instrument shows in the cockpit explorer.
For learning only. Not for flight planning or use in flight. Figures are certification limits from Federal Aviation Administration, Type Certificate Data Sheet 3A12, Revision 88, retrieved 31 October 2026. Conversions marked “converted” are our own arithmetic. No manufacturer images are used. The instruments are drawn by us. Back to all aircraft.