Cessna 172 G-BSEP
performance data

This section is all about the 1959 Cessna 172 that I co-own with a couple of other pilots at Redhill. You can jump to other pages about G-BSEP using these links:

Starting G-BSEP

Take-off performance data

The following table gives take-off distances (in metres), with flaps up on a hard runway. The figures include an extra 10% allowance required by a CAA change sheet inserted into the POH.

Density altitude
Sea level 2500ft 5000ft 7500ft
Gross
weight
(lb)
IAS
at
50ft
Head
wind
(mph)
Ground
run
To clear
50ft
obstacle
Ground
run
To clear
50ft
obstacle
Ground
run
To clear
50ft
obstacle
Ground
run
To clear
50ft
obstacle
1600 56 0 119 270 141 320 169 384 205 466
15 77 176 92 211 112 257 126 319
30 44 97 54 121 67 153 86 195
1900 63 0173394206469252573320729
15117265141322176399226515
307015987198111250146332
220069 02435532956713628234581039
15169384208471260590332756
30106241134305171389226513

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Take-off distance calculator

The calculator below performs take-off distance calculations using the data from the table above. It works by calculating the density altitude (using the pressure, temperature, dew-point and airfield elevation), then interpolating between the data points in the table. The answer it gives is the Take-off Distance Required (TODR) - i.e. the distance needed to reach a height of 50 feet.

Take-off distance calculator
Aircraft gross weight (lb):
Airfield elevation (feet):
Pressure (mb):
Temperature (°C):
Dew point (°C):
Headwind (knots):
Runway surface:
Runway slope (%):

Density altitude (feet):
Take-off distance TODR (m):
 

Important safety note: I use this calculator for doing take-off performance calculations before flying G-BSEP, but you should be aware that this calculator is specific to that particular aircraft. The answers it gives are not applicable to any other aircraft (not even other C172's). You must use the data taken from the POH of your particular aircraft.


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Cruise performance

The table below gives performance figures for various cruise power settings at a range of different altitudes. The numbers in grey represent power settings that the POH does not recommend for that altitude - power settings above about 70% power are not recommend for continuous cruising. Perhaps the most striking thing about these figures is the importance of correct mixture leaning technique - something which I feel is poorly taught in most PPL courses.

Rich mixture
Altitude RPM Power True airspeed Fuel burn Endurance
(hours)
Range
(nm)
(BHP) % Knots mph Gallons
per
hour
Litres
per
hour
2,500 2100 66 45% 82 94 7.2 27.4 5.1 421
2200 74 51% 89 102 7.8 29.6 4.7 419
2300 83 57% 94 108 8.5 32.3 4.4 412
2400 92 64% 99 114 9.2 35.0 4.0 398
2500 103 71% 104 120 10.1 38.4 3.7 383
2600 116 80% 110 126 11.2 42.6 3.3 363
2700 128 89% 114 131 12.6 47.9 2.9 332
5,000 2100 63 43% 81 93 7.1 27.0 5.2 420
2200 70 48% 87 100 7.8 29.6 4.8 413
2300 78 54% 93 107 8.4 31.9 4.4 408
2400 87 60% 98 113 9.1 34.6 4.0 397
2500 97 67% 103 119 10.0 38.0 3.7 385
2600 107 74% 109 125 10.8 41.0 3.4 370
2700 120 83% 114 131 12.1 46.0 3.1 349

Lean mixture
Altitude RPM Power True airspeed Fuel burn Endurance
(hours)
Range
(nm)
(BHP)%KnotsmphGallons
per
hour
Litres
per
hour
2,500 2100 66 45% 82 94 5.7 21.7 6.5 530
2200 74 51% 89 102 6.5 24.7 5.7 504
2300 83 57% 94 108 7.3 27.7 5.1 480
2400 92 64% 99 114 8.1 30.8 4.6 453
2500 103 71% 104 120 9.0 34.2 4.1 427
2600 116 80% 110 126 10.1 38.4 3.6 398
2700 128 89% 114 131 11.2 42.6 3.3 374
5,000 2100 63 43% 81 93 5.5 20.9 6.7 540
2200 70 48% 87 100 6.1 23.2 6.0 523
2300 78 54% 93 107 6.8 25.8 5.4 503
2400 87 60% 98 113 7.6 28.9 4.8 475
2500 97 67% 103 119 8.5 32.3 4.3 450
2600 107 74% 109 125 9.4 35.7 3.9 427
2700 120 83% 114 131 10.5 39.9 3.5 400
7,500 2100 60 42% 77 89 5.3 20.1 7.0 544
2200 66 46% 84 97 5.8 22.0 6.4 539
2300 73 51% 91 105 6.4 24.3 5.8 528
2400 82 56% 97 111 7.2 27.4 5.2 500
2500 91 63% 103 118 8.0 30.4 4.6 477
2600 101 70% 108 124 8.9 33.8 4.2 451
10,000 2100 58 40% 73 84 5.0 19.0 7.3 533
2200 63 44% 82 94 5.5 20.9 6.7 547
2300 70 48% 89 102 6.2 23.6 6.0 533
2400 77 53% 95 109 6.8 25.8 5.5 518
2500 86 59% 102 117 7.5 28.5 4.9 499
2600 93 64% 106 122 8.2 31.2 4.5 480
12,500 2200 61 42% 78 90 5.3 20.1 6.9 542
2300 66 46% 85 98 5.8 22.0 6.4 544
2400 74 51% 93 107 6.5 24.7 5.7 532
2500 80 55% 99 114 7.0 26.6 5.2 514

A crosswind approach to runway 08L at Redhill