Thursday, October 23, 2025

I always wanted to be a professional Pilot growing up

However, because my uncle died in 1942 in a private plane crash my father made me promise as a young man of 20 years old not to get my pilot's license. Though this was hard I knew how devastated his family was when his brother died. My father said his brother was the nicest person in the family so he was sorely missed.

However, this didn't stop me from taking flying lessons in gliders (towed by planes to altitude) or in Cessna 152s or Cessna 172s or other high or low wing aircraft over the years. I still have my pilot's logbook that I often carry with me when I travel to demonstrate that I can still pilot a plane and land one in an emergency. However, because I'm 77 years old now that is unlikely.

However, I did solo as a pilot after my father passed away in 1985 in August by 1989. But because my children were by then teenagers trying to get through high school and college then I didn't take it any further than soloing. However, I can still fly well a Cessna 152 and Cessna 172 which have the capability of righting themselves in a spin by letting go of the yoke (steering wheel) if you go into a flat spin to prevent your death. (a flat spin means your wings have lost lift because you stalled the aircraft usually going into a hammerhead. (You point the nose up until the wing stalls and then you usually fall 1000 feet or more suddenly and if you can't pull out of this you die.) So, this is why a Cessna 152 and a Cessna 172 are often used to teach pilots because they have this feature that most planes do not.

So, if you know this you might not die in a stall in a Cessna 152 or a Cessna 172.

 Begin quotes on a Cessna 172:

The Cessna 172 Skyhawk is a four-seat, single-engine, high-wing aircraft, and the most produced airplane in history, widely used for flight training. It is known for being a forgiving and affordable trainer, though its ground handling can be less precise due to its nose wheel and bungee system. While specific specs like top speed, cruise speed, and project cost vary by model and condition, a standard new 172S Skyhawk costs around $419,620 and can fly between 600-800 nautical miles on a full tank, depending on factors like payload and weather.  
General specifications
  • Type: Four-seat, single-engine, high-wing, fixed-wing aircraft 

Performance and range
  • Cruise speed:
    Varies by model and engine, with newer versions often featuring 180 horsepower engines. 

Key features
  • Structure:
    Constructed with an aluminum frame and has a high-wing configuration with wing struts for support. 

Considerations
  • Ground handling:
    The nose wheel can be spongy, and pilots need to use differential braking for more precise ground steering. 

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  • Cessna 172 - Wikipedia
    The Cessna 172 Skyhawk is an American four-seat, single-engine, high wing, fixed-wing aircraft made by the Cessna Aircraft Company...
    Wikipedia
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  • Status: The most produced airplane in history, with over 44,000 built 
  • Purpose: Widely used for flight training, personal use, and general aviation 
  • Price: A new 172S Skyhawk costs approximately $419,620, though prices vary by model and equipment 
  • Range:
    Approximately 600-800 nautical miles on a full tank, depending on the model, payload, and weather conditions. 
  • Fuel capacity:
    A 1958 model with a Continental engine can hold 37 gallons and burns about 7 gallons per hour. 
  • Landing gear:
    Features a tricycle landing gear system, with the nose gear connected to the rudder by a bungee and spring system that can make taxiing less precise. 
  • Modern upgrades:
    Newer models often include advanced avionics like the G1000 glass cockpit, fuel-injected motors, and autopilots. 
  • Training:
    It is a forgiving aircraft for training, but some say the ground handling requires more attention from the pilot. 
  • I've started flying on a Cessna 172 and I'm wondering what other planes are like to fly in comparison?
    Jul 20, 2024
    Reddit · 
    r/flying
  • Cessna 172S - AOPA
    AOPA

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