Four-seat training and personal touring aircraft · Single-engine piston aircraft · production 1998–present · See its reach on the 3D globe
A Cessna 172S Skyhawk SP costs approximately $494k (€457k) to $590k (€547k) to buy at 2019 market values, and about $34k (€32k) a year to own flying 80 hours, roughly $427 (€395) per flight hour all-in. It seats 4, cruises at 124 kt (143 mph) and has a published range of 640 nm (1,185 km), needing about 1,631 ft (497 m) of runway. Figures are indicative planning estimates compiled 2026-07, not a quote for any specific airframe.
The 172 is the most-produced aircraft in history, and the fuel-injected 180 hp 172S is its modern flagship, the default new trainer for flight schools and the safest possible first aeroplane to own. Nothing is easier to insure, maintain, resell or find a mechanic for. The honest limitation is load: with full fuel it is a two-adults-plus-bags aeroplane, not the four-seater the seat count implies. Buy it for supportability and resilience, not for hauling a family long distances.
The Cessna 172S Skyhawk is a current-production, fixed-gear training and touring single built around familiar systems and a broad operating ecosystem. Textron's published specification identifies the fuel-injected Lycoming engine and documents the useful load, fuel, landing and climb reference figures. Its real advantage is not a superlative: it is how readily instructors, maintenance organisations and future buyers understand the type.
The four-seat label is not a promise that four adults, bags and mission fuel fit together. Use the candidate's current empty weight and a trip-specific loading calculation. The modest cruise also turns a longer route into more engine and airframe time than a faster single would need. On an older aircraft, corrosion, damage repairs, engine status, avionics and log continuity can outweigh the model's reputation for simple ownership.
Flight schools, first-time owners and weekend flyers who value safety margins, low insurance, easy resale and mechanics who know the type on every field.
Pilots who need to carry four full-size adults with luggage, or who want to cover long cross-country distances quickly.
First-party reference values for this model. They are shown separately from PlaneFit planning estimates and do not enter Finder or cross-model rankings until each field is normalised across the catalogue.
| Maximum takeoff weight | 1,157 kg |
|---|---|
| Useful load | 398 kg |
| Usable fuel | 201 L |
| Landing distance | 407 m |
| Service ceiling | 14,000 ft |
| Maximum climb rate | 730 ft/min |
| Stall speed | 48 KCAS |
| Baggage weight | 54 kg |
| Engine | Lycoming IO-360-L2A, 180 hp |
Indicative planning data, compiled 2026-07. Verify against the AFM and records.
| Seats | 4 |
| Realistic payload with mission fuel | 664 lb (301 kg) |
| Published planning range | 640 nm (1,185 km) |
| Practical planning radius (4 people) | 429 nm (795 km) |
| Cruise speed | 124 kt (143 mph) |
| Runway need | ~1,631 ft (497 m) |
| Landing gear | Fixed tricycle |
| Pressurised | No |
| Fuel | Avgas 100LL |
| Fixed annual base | $19k (€18k) |
| Direct cost per flight hour | $184 (€170) |
Exceptionally easy to support and resell, but four adults with bags and meaningful fuel are usually unrealistic.
Indicative cash costs at 2019 market values, before financing, depreciation and tax. The fixed base is the same whether the aircraft flies or not, so the effective hourly cost falls as utilisation rises.
| Annual use | Annual cash cost | Effective cost / h | Five-year cash outlay |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40 h / year | $27k (€25k) | $670 (€620) | $671k (€621k) |
| 80 h / year | $34k (€32k) | $427 (€395) | $707k (€655k) |
| 120 h / year | $41k (€38k) | $346 (€320) | $744k (€689k) |
| 180 h / year | $52k (€49k) | $292 (€270) | $799k (€740k) |
Every figure above is built from a $19k (€18k) fixed annual base, covering hangarage, insurance, scheduled maintenance reserves and recurring airworthiness costs, plus $184 (€170) per hour flown for fuel, reserves and consumables. It is a planning model for comparing aircraft and testing utilisation, not a maintenance programme quote, insurance quote or pre-buy assessment.
Older examples add calendar-driven maintenance: a 2011-built airframe is estimated at $40k (€37k) per year at 80 hours. Airframe and engine time, maintenance and damage history, avionics, equipment, geography and tax treatment move a real transaction further than the model year does, so price the aircraft in front of you, not the model. A cheaper example carrying deferred maintenance can be the more expensive aircraft once the first annual inspection is complete.
Cessna 172S Skyhawk SP cost guide answers the same figures as standalone purchase and ownership questions, and the ownership cost calculator lets you replace these assumptions with your own hours and fixed costs.
Nothing beyond a pilot certificate for the category and class. With fixed tricycle gear and no endorsement requirement of its own, this is among the simplest certified aircraft to qualify in, which is a real part of why it is cheap to insure and easy to check out in.
US requirements under 14 CFR 61.31, stated for orientation and not as advice. PlaneFit is not an aviation authority or a training organisation. Other authorities set different rules, and the current regulation and your instructor are what govern.
An indicative 2019 market price for a Cessna 172S Skyhawk SP is $494k (€457k) to $590k (€547k). This is a planning estimate normalised across the market, not a quote for a specific airframe. Condition, engine time remaining, avionics and damage history move the real number more than the model year does.
Flying 80 hours a year, a Cessna 172S Skyhawk SP works out at roughly $34k (€32k) annually, which is about $427 (€395) per flight hour all-in once fixed costs are spread across those hours. The direct cost per hour alone, covering fuel, reserves and consumables, is about $184 (€170).
Published range is 640 nm (1,185 km). With 4 people aboard and realistic reserves, plan on a practical radius of about 429 nm rather than the brochure figure.
Plan on approximately 1,631 ft (497 m) for take-off. Check this against the actual runway, surface, slope, temperature and loading, all of which extend the requirement.
Direct comparisons against the models buyers most often weigh against this one.