The Cessna 172 cruises at a top speed of around 143 mph, while the Cessna 182 tops out at 170 mph. The 182 also comes out ahead for distance, with a range of over 1,000 miles versus the 172, which ...

READ MORE: Cessna 172 Offers Opportunity for Intro to Aircraft Maintenance For perspective, an AA48108-2 spin-on oil filter for this model costs about $35, and mechanic labor would cost another $100.

The Cessna 172 is the world's best-selling civil aircraft, with more than 45,000 units sold. The plane is commonly used as a trainer aircraft for beginner pilots. The plane costs around $50,000 if ...

Like the Cessna 170, the original 172 used the six-cylinder, 145-horsepower Continental O-300 engine. In 1968, the powerplant was replaced with a four-cylinder Lycoming O-320 producing 150 hp.

After all, there was another aircraft that also first flew in 1955, Cessna’s Model 172 Skyhawk, a Mach 0.17 (125 mph) performer versus Crusader’s Mach 1.2.

1956 Cessna Skyhawk Model 172. Length: 26 ft. 6 in. Wingspan: 36 ft. Height: 8 ft. 11 in. Powerplant: Continental O-300A Horsepower at 2,400 rpm: 145 Propeller: Two-blade fixed pitch Basic empty ...