Cessna 177 Cardinal Specs: Weights, V-Speeds, Cruise

Q: How fast does a Cessna 177 Cardinal cruise?

Per the POH cruise table, up to about 130 KTAS at 8000 ft on a standard day, burning roughly 10.4 GPH at that setting. Typical everyday cruise settings are slower and leaner.

Q: How much fuel does a Cessna 177 Cardinal hold?

49 gallons usable. At a high-cruise burn of 10.4 GPH that is roughly 4.7 hours to dry tanks. Plan with reserves, never to zero.

Q: What is the useful load of a Cessna 177 Cardinal?

About 920 lb for a typically equipped example (2500 lb max gross minus a typical empty weight of 1580 lb). Use your aircraft's own weight-and-balance records, not type averages.

Q: What is the Vne of a Cessna 177 Cardinal?

VNE (never exceed) is 167 kt and VNO (max structural cruising) is 138 kt. Verify against the POH for your serial number.

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In the FlightDecide app since 2026-07-16. Reviewed 2026-09-28. 1 of 6 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 177 Cardinal preflight numbers at a glance: max gross weight 2500 lb, typical useful load 920 lb, 49 gal usable fuel, cruise up to about 130 KTAS (handbook figure at 8000 ft, standard day). 1 of the 6 performance tables below is read from the published POH/AFM and cites its figure and page; 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 177 Cardinal specs and key numbers

Not yet verified against the handbook: empty weight and useful load

Engine	Lycoming Model O-360-A1F6D
Propeller	McCauley B2D34C211/82PCA-6
Max gross weight	2500 lb
Empty weight (typical)	1580 lb
Useful load (typical)	920 lb
Usable fuel	49 gal
Service ceiling	14,600 ft

Cessna 177 Cardinal V-speeds

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

Speed	Value	Meaning
V_S0	45 kt	Stall, landing configuration
V_S1	54 kt	Stall, clean configuration
V_X	65 kt	Best angle of climb
V_Y	79 kt	Best rate of climb
V_A	102 kt	Design maneuvering speed (at max gross)
V_FE	90 kt	Max flaps extended
V_NO	138 kt	Max structural cruising
V_NE	167 kt	Never exceed
Best glide	75 kt	Best glide speed

Cessna 177 Cardinal cruise performance

Transcribed from the handbook's cruise tables. True airspeed and fuel flow depend on altitude, power setting, temperature and leaning technique.

Source: Pilot's Operating Handbook, Cessna 1977 Cardinal, Cessna Model 177B (code D1084-13), Section 5 Performance, Figure 5-7 Cruise Performance, printed pages 5-17 to 5-22 = PDF pages 43 (right page) to 46 (left page) · Figure 5-7 · Cruise Performance · page 5-17 to 5-20

Cruise performance: 272 published rows
Pressure altitude	RPM	MP (inHg)	ISA-20 °C			ISA			ISA+20 °C
Pressure altitude	RPM	MP (inHg)	%	TAS	GPH	%	TAS	GPH	%	TAS	GPH
2,000 ft	2,100	18	47	93	6.5	45	92	6.3	44	90	6.2
2,000 ft	2,100	19	51	98	6.9	49	97	6.7	47	96	6.6
2,000 ft	2,100	20	55	102	7.3	53	102	7.1	51	101	6.9
2,000 ft	2,100	21	59	106	7.8	57	106	7.5	55	106	7.3
2,000 ft	2,100	22	63	110	8.3	61	110	8.0	59	110	7.8
2,000 ft	2,100	23	67	114	8.8	65	114	8.5	62	113	8.2
2,000 ft	2,100	24	71	117	9.4	68	117	9.0	66	117	8.7
2,000 ft	2,200	21	61	109	8.1	59	109	7.9	57	108	7.6
2,000 ft	2,200	22	66	113	8.7	63	113	8.4	61	112	8.1
2,000 ft	2,200	23	70	116	9.3	67	116	8.9	65	116	8.6
2,000 ft	2,200	24	74	119	9.9	71	119	9.5	69	120	9.2
2,000 ft	2,300	21	64	111	8.4	62	111	8.2	60	111	7.9
2,000 ft	2,300	22	68	115	9.0	66	115	8.7	64	115	8.4
2,000 ft	2,300	23	73	118	9.7	70	118	9.3	68	118	9.0
2,000 ft	2,300	24	77	121	10.3	74	121	9.9	72	122	9.5
2,000 ft	2,400	21	66	113	8.7	64	113	8.4	62	113	8.1
2,000 ft	2,400	22	70	116	9.4	68	117	9.0	66	117	8.7
2,000 ft	2,400	23	75	119	10.0	72	120	9.6	70	120	9.3
2,000 ft	2,400	24				76	123	10.3	74	124	9.9
2,000 ft	2,500	21	68	114	8.9	65	114	8.6	63	114	8.3
2,000 ft	2,500	22	72	117	9.6	70	118	9.2	67	118	8.9
2,000 ft	2,500	23	77	120	10.3	74	121	9.9	71	122	9.5
2,000 ft	2,500	24				78	124	10.5	76	125	10.1
4,000 ft	2,100	17	45	91	6.3	43	89	6.2	42	86	6.0
4,000 ft	2,100	18	49	96	6.7	47	95	6.5	45	93	6.4
4,000 ft	2,100	19	53	101	7.1	51	101	6.9	49	99	6.7
4,000 ft	2,100	20	57	106	7.5	55	105	7.3	53	104	7.1
4,000 ft	2,100	21	61	110	8.0	59	110	7.8	57	109	7.5
4,000 ft	2,100	22	65	114	8.6	63	113	8.3	61	113	8.0
4,000 ft	2,100	23	69	117	9.1	67	117	8.8	64	117	8.5
4,000 ft	2,100	24	73	120	9.7	70	121	9.3	68	121	9.0
4,000 ft	2,200	21	64	112	8.4	61	112	8.1	59	112	7.8
4,000 ft	2,200	22	68	116	9.0	65	116	8.6	63	116	8.3
4,000 ft	2,200	23	72	119	9.6	69	120	9.2	67	120	8.9
4,000 ft	2,200	24	76	122	10.2	73	123	9.8	71	123	9.4
4,000 ft	2,300	21	66	115	8.7	64	114	8.4	62	114	8.1
4,000 ft	2,300	22	70	118	9.3	68	118	9.0	66	118	8.7
4,000 ft	2,300	23	75	121	10.0	72	122	9.6	70	122	9.2
4,000 ft	2,300	24				76	125	10.2	74	125	9.8
4,000 ft	2,400	21	68	116	9.0	66	116	8.7	63	116	8.4
4,000 ft	2,400	22	72	120	9.7	70	120	9.3	68	120	8.9
4,000 ft	2,400	23	77	123	10.3	74	123	9.9	72	124	9.6
4,000 ft	2,400	24				79	127	10.6	76	127	10.2
4,000 ft	2,500	20	65	114	8.6	63	114	8.3	61	113	8.0
4,000 ft	2,500	21	70	118	9.2	67	118	8.9	65	118	8.6
4,000 ft	2,500	22	74	121	9.9	72	121	9.5	69	122	9.2
4,000 ft	2,500	23				76	125	10.2	73	125	9.8
6,000 ft	2,100	17	46	94	6.5	45	92	6.3	43	90	6.2
6,000 ft	2,100	18	51	100	6.8	49	99	6.7	47	97	6.5
6,000 ft	2,100	19	55	105	7.3	53	104	7.1	51	103	6.9
6,000 ft	2,100	20	59	109	7.8	57	109	7.5	55	108	7.3
6,000 ft	2,100	21	63	113	8.3	61	113	8.0	59	113	7.8
6,000 ft	2,100	22	67	117	8.8	65	117	8.5	62	117	8.2
6,000 ft	2,100	23	71	121	9.4	68	121	9.1	66	121	8.7
6,000 ft	2,200	20	61	112	8.1	59	111	7.8	57	111	7.6
6,000 ft	2,200	21	66	116	8.7	63	116	8.3	61	115	8.1
6,000 ft	2,200	22	70	120	9.3	67	120	8.9	65	119	8.6
6,000 ft	2,200	23	74	123	9.9	71	123	9.5	69	123	9.1
6,000 ft	2,300	20	64	114	8.4	61	114	8.1	59	113	7.8
6,000 ft	2,300	21	68	118	9.0	65	118	8.6	63	118	8.4
6,000 ft	2,300	22	72	122	9.6	70	122	9.2	67	122	8.9
6,000 ft	2,300	23	77	125	10.3	74	125	9.9	71	125	9.5
6,000 ft	2,400	20	65	116	8.6	63	116	8.3	61	115	8.1
6,000 ft	2,400	21	70	120	9.3	67	120	8.9	65	120	8.6
6,000 ft	2,400	22	75	123	10.0	72	124	9.6	69	124	9.2
6,000 ft	2,400	23				76	127	10.2	74	127	9.8
6,000 ft	2,500	20	67	117	8.9	65	117	8.5	63	117	8.3
6,000 ft	2,500	21	72	121	9.5	69	121	9.2	67	121	8.8
6,000 ft	2,500	22	76	125	10.3	74	125	9.8	71	125	9.5
6,000 ft	2,500	23				78	128	10.5	75	129	10.1
8,000 ft	2,200	19	59	111	7.8	57	110	7.6	55	109	7.3
8,000 ft	2,200	20	63	115	8.4	61	115	8.1	59	115	7.8
8,000 ft	2,200	21	68	120	8.9	65	119	8.6	63	119	8.3
8,000 ft	2,200	22	72	123	9.6	69	123	9.2	67	123	8.8
8,000 ft	2,300	19	61	113	8.0	59	112	7.8	57	112	7.5
8,000 ft	2,300	20	65	117	8.6	63	117	8.3	61	117	8.0
8,000 ft	2,300	21	70	121	9.3	67	121	8.9	65	121	8.6
8,000 ft	2,300	22	74	125	9.9	72	125	9.5	69	125	9.2
8,000 ft	2,400	19	63	115	8.3	61	114	8.0	58	114	7.7
8,000 ft	2,400	20	67	119	8.9	65	119	8.6	63	119	8.3
8,000 ft	2,400	21	72	123	9.6	69	123	9.2	67	123	8.9
8,000 ft	2,400	22	77	127	10.3	74	127	9.9	71	127	9.5
8,000 ft	2,500	19	64	117	8.5	62	116	8.2	60	116	7.9
8,000 ft	2,500	20	69	121	9.2	67	121	8.8	64	120	8.5
8,000 ft	2,500	21	74	125	9.9				69	125	9.1
8,000 ft	2,500	22	79	128	10.6	76	129	10.1	73	129	9.8
8,000 ft	2,600	19	66	118	8.7	64	118	8.4	62	117	8.1
8,000 ft	2,600	20	71	122	9.4	68	122	9.0	66	122	8.7
8,000 ft	2,600	21	76	126	10.2	73	127	9.7	70	127	9.4
8,000 ft	2,600	22				78	130	10.4	75	130	10.0
8,000 ft	2,700	18	63	115	8.3	61	115	8.0	59	114	7.8
8,000 ft	2,700	19	68	120	9.0	66	120	8.7	63	119	8.4
8,000 ft	2,700	20	73	124	9.7	70	124	9.3	68	124	9.0
8,000 ft	2,700	21				75	128	10.0	72	128	9.6

How much runway does a Cessna 177 Cardinal need?

Not yet verified against the handbook

Estimated figures at 2500 lb, 0 ft pressure altitude, 15 °C. These have not yet been re-checked against the handbook. 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.

Estimated figure	Distance
Takeoff ground roll	890 ft
Takeoff over a 50 ft obstacle	1335 ft
Landing ground roll	440 ft
Landing over a 50 ft obstacle	750 ft
Rate of climb	840 fpm

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

Common Questions

How fast does a Cessna 177 Cardinal cruise?

Per the POH cruise table, up to about 130 KTAS at 8000 ft on a standard day, burning roughly 10.4 GPH at that setting. Typical everyday cruise settings run slower and leaner; see the table above.

How much fuel does a Cessna 177 Cardinal hold?

49 gallons usable. At a high-cruise burn of 10.4 GPH that is roughly 4.7 hours to dry tanks. Plan with reserves, never to zero.

What is the useful load of a Cessna 177 Cardinal?

About 920 lb for a typically equipped example (2500 lb max gross minus a typical empty weight of 1580 lb). Your aircraft's actual empty weight and CG come from its own weight-and-balance records. Always use those, not type averages.

What is the Vne of a Cessna 177 Cardinal?

V_NE (never exceed) is 167 kt and V_NO (max structural cruising) is 138 kt. Full V-speed table above; verify against the POH for your serial.

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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 177 and Cardinal Owner's Manual, Cessna Aircraft Company (1968 issue). Cruise performance rows transcribed verbatim from Section V Operational Data, Figure 5-4 Cruise & Range Performance, page 5-4. Conditions: 2350 Pounds Gross Weight, Standard Conditions, Zero Wind, Lean Mixture, 48 Gallons of Fuel (No Reserve). Engine red line (Lycoming O-320-E2D 150 HP): 2700 RPM, per POH Section III Operating Limitations. Data synced from the FlightDecide aircraft library on 2026-09-28.