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Cessna 172R Skyhawk

V-speeds, cruise performance, fuel, and weights, digitized from the POH for planning and study.

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In the FlightDecide app since 2026-07-16. Reviewed 2026-09-28. 7 of 8 tables from the handbook. Anything marked “Not yet verified against the handbook” comes from FlightDecide's earlier library and hasn't been checked against the printed page.

Cessna 172R Skyhawk preflight numbers at a glance: max gross weight 2450 lb, typical useful load 818 lb, 53 gal usable fuel, cruise up to about 119 KTAS (reference figure at 8000 ft, standard day). 7 of the 8 performance tables below are read from the published POH/AFM; treat the ones marked “Not yet verified against the handbook” as estimates. Use them for planning and study, and confirm against the POH for your specific serial number before flight.

Cessna 172R Skyhawk specs and key numbers

Not yet verified against the handbook

EngineLycoming IO-360-L2A (160 HP)
PropellerMcCauley 1C235/LFA7570
Max gross weight2450 lb
Empty weight (typical)1639 lb
Useful load (typical)818 lb
Usable fuel53 gal
Service ceiling13,500 ft

Cessna 172R Skyhawk V-speeds

Not yet verified against the handbook

Knots indicated (KIAS) unless the POH states otherwise. Speeds vary by model year and serial; the placarded speeds and your POH govern.

SpeedValueMeaning
VS033 ktStall, landing configuration
VS144 ktStall, clean configuration
VX60 ktBest angle of climb
VY79 ktBest rate of climb
VA99 ktDesign maneuvering speed (at max gross)
VFE85 ktMax flaps extended
VNO129 ktMax structural cruising
VNE163 ktNever exceed
Best glide65 ktBest glide speed

Cessna 172R Skyhawk cruise performance

Not yet verified against the handbook

Source not verified: these rows are the library's earlier transcription, and the pages they cite have not been checked against the handbook. True airspeed and fuel flow depend on altitude, power setting, temperature and leaning technique.

Source: Figure 5-8

Recommended lean mixture: 8 published rows
Pressure altitudeRPM%TASGPH
2,000 ft2,100651067.5
2,000 ft2,250791159.0
4,000 ft2,100621057.1
4,000 ft2,250751148.6
6,000 ft2,200671117.7
6,000 ft2,300751178.6
8,000 ft2,200641107.3
8,000 ft2,350761198.7

How much runway does a Cessna 172R Skyhawk need?

Handbook figures at 2450 lb, 1000 ft pressure altitude, 10 °C. Real-world technique, wind, surface, and density altitude move these substantially, so apply your own margin (many pilots use 1.5× the book number) and run the numbers for the actual conditions.

Handbook figureDistance
Takeoff ground roll1000 ft
Takeoff over a 50 ft obstacle1790 ft
Landing ground roll560 ft
Landing over a 50 ft obstacle1310 ft
Rate of climb705 fpm

See how density altitude stretches these distances on a hot day.

Takeoff distance

Flaps 10 deg, full throttle prior to brake release, paved level dry runway, zero wind

Source: Pilot's Operating Handbook and FAA Approved Airplane Flight Manual, Cessna Model 172R · Figure 5-5 · Short Field Takeoff Distance · page 5-14

Ground roll (bold) and total distance over a 50 ft obstacle at 2,450 lb
Pressure altitude0 °C10 °C20 °C30 °C40 °C
Sea level843 / 1,506913 / 1,626975 / 1,7441,055 / 1,8711,136 / 2,007
1,000 ft925 / 1,6601,000 / 1,7901,075 / 1,9251,160 / 2,0701,245 / 2,220
2,000 ft1,015 / 1,8301,095 / 1,9701,185 / 2,1251,275 / 2,2901,365 / 2,455
3,000 ft1,115 / 2,0201,205 / 2,1851,305 / 2,3601,400 / 2,5401,505 / 2,730
4,000 ft1,230 / 2,2451,330 / 2,4301,435 / 2,6301,545 / 2,8301,655 / 3,045
5,000 ft1,355 / 2,5001,470 / 2,7151,585 / 2,9451,705 / 3,1751,830 / 3,430
6,000 ft1,500 / 2,8051,625 / 3,0601,750 / 3,3151,880 / 3,5902,020 / 3,895
7,000 ft1,660 / 3,1701,795 / 3,4701,935 / 3,7702,085 / 4,1052,240 / 4,485
8,000 ft1,837 / 3,5821,983 / 3,9352,140 / 4,2872,312 / 4,6942,484 / 5,164
9,000 ft2,033 / 4,0492,190 / 4,4622,366 / 4,8762,564 / 5,3672,754 / 5,947
10,000 ft2,250 / 4,5752,419 / 5,0602,616 / 5,5452,844 / 6,1373,054 / 6,847

from the handbook   extrapolated beyond the handbook

Landing distance

Flaps 30 deg, power off, maximum braking, paved level dry runway, zero wind

Source: Pilot's Operating Handbook and FAA Approved Airplane Flight Manual, Cessna Model 172R · Figure 5-11 · Short Field Landing Distance

Ground roll (bold) and total distance over a 50 ft obstacle at 2,450 lb
Pressure altitude0 °C10 °C20 °C30 °C40 °C
Sea level526 / 1,251536 / 1,276556 / 1,316576 / 1,341596 / 1,371
1,000 ft545 / 1,280560 / 1,310580 / 1,345600 / 1,375620 / 1,405
2,000 ft565 / 1,310585 / 1,345605 / 1,375625 / 1,410645 / 1,440
3,000 ft585 / 1,345605 / 1,380625 / 1,415650 / 1,445670 / 1,480
4,000 ft605 / 1,380630 / 1,415650 / 1,450670 / 1,485695 / 1,520
5,000 ft630 / 1,415650 / 1,455675 / 1,490700 / 1,525720 / 1,560
6,000 ft655 / 1,455675 / 1,490700 / 1,530725 / 1,565750 / 1,605
7,000 ft680 / 1,495705 / 1,535730 / 1,570755 / 1,610775 / 1,650
8,000 ft705 / 1,535730 / 1,575755 / 1,615780 / 1,655810 / 1,695
9,000 ft731 / 1,576756 / 1,616781 / 1,661806 / 1,701847 / 1,741
10,000 ft758 / 1,618783 / 1,658808 / 1,709833 / 1,749885 / 1,789

from the handbook   extrapolated beyond the handbook

Rate of climb

Flaps up, full throttle

Source: Pilot's Operating Handbook and FAA Approved Airplane Flight Manual, Cessna Model 172R · Figure 5-6 · Maximum Rate of Climb · page 5-15

Rate of climb in feet per minute at 2,450 lb
Pressure altitude-20 °C0 °C20 °C40 °C
Sea level830770705640
1,000 ft775712650588
2,000 ft720655595535
3,000 ft682620560500
4,000 ft645585525465
5,000 ft588530470412
6,000 ft530475415360
7,000 ft475420362305
8,000 ft420365310250
9,000 ft365310255198
10,000 ft310255200145

from the handbook   interpolated

Stall speeds

Power off

Source: Pilot's Operating Handbook and FAA Approved Airplane Flight Manual, Cessna Model 172R · Stall Speeds · page 5-12

KIAS (bold) over KCAS, Most rearward C.G.
Flap setting0°30°45°60°
Flaps up44 / 5148 / 5553 / 6163 / 73
Flaps 10°35 / 4838 / 5242 / 5850 / 69
Flaps 30°33 / 4736 / 5040 / 5647 / 66
KIAS (bold) over KCAS, Most forward C.G.
Flap setting0°30°45°60°
Flaps up44 / 5248 / 5653 / 6263 / 74
Flaps 10°37 / 5040 / 5344 / 5953 / 70
Flaps 30°33 / 4736 / 5040 / 5647 / 66

Time, fuel and distance to climb

Flaps up, full throttle, standard temperature

Source: Pilot's Operating Handbook and FAA Approved Airplane Flight Manual, Cessna Model 172R · Time, Fuel and Distance to Climb · page 5-16

Time, Fuel and Distance to Climb
Pressure altitudeTemp (°C)Climb speed (KIAS)Rate of climb (fpm)Time (min)Fuel used (gal)Distance (NM)
Sea level157972000.00
1,000 ft137867010.42
2,000 ft117762530.74
3,000 ft97657551.26
4,000 ft77656061.58
5,000 ft57551581.811
6,000 ft374465102.114
7,000 ft173415132.517
8,000 ft72365153.021
9,000 ft72315183.425
10,000 ft71270224.029
11,000 ft70220264.635
12,000 ft69170315.443
Common Questions

Per the library's cruise table, not yet verified against the handbook, up to about 119 KTAS at 8000 ft on a standard day, burning roughly 8.7 GPH at that setting. Typical everyday cruise settings run slower and leaner; see the table above.

53 gallons usable. At a high-cruise burn of 8.7 GPH that is roughly 6.1 hours to dry tanks. Plan with reserves, never to zero.

About 818 lb for a typically equipped example. Your aircraft's actual empty weight and CG come from its own weight-and-balance records. Always use those, not type averages.

VNE (never exceed) is 163 kt and VNO (max structural cruising) is 129 kt. Full V-speed table above; verify against the POH for your serial.

Plan a flight in this aircraft

Crosswind Calculator

Check today's wind against your personal crosswind maximum.

Density Altitude Calculator

See what heat and elevation do to these takeoff and climb numbers.

The Go/No-Go Decision Framework

Fold these numbers into a structured preflight decision.

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Reference data for planning and study: approximate, and not a substitute for the FAA-approved AFM/POH for your specific aircraft, an official weather briefing, or your judgment as pilot in command (14 CFR 91.3). Source: Cessna Model 172R Pilot's Operating Handbook, Section 5 Performance, Figure 5-8 Cruise Performance. Onboarded via FD-215 ingestion pipeline 2026-07-01. Data synced from the FlightDecide aircraft library on 2026-09-28.