Last Airplane C172RG

[@flysport_tedder]

9:00 "I love to fly". I feel ya, man.

[@dreamaviation381]

Very nice video. Beautiful scenery. Do you still fly the Cessna 172RG cutlass?

[@terrywoodfield4081]

Yes. I belong to a flying club and fly a regular C172 when my Cutlass is offline for an inspection, upgrade, or repair.

[@dreamaviation381]

I’m looking at one in the future. What sets the 172RG apart from the fix gear 172? Besides the retractable landing gear. Operation cost per hour? Annual inspection? Parts and maintenance? What’s the typical range NM between 8-10 thousand feet? What’s the fuel burn like at that altitude?

[@terrywoodfield4081]

@@dreamaviation381 I could buy a Cessna 172RG more cheaply than a similar age Cessna 172. Most of the parts for the C172RG are the same as the fixed gear C172, so plentiful and somewhat reasonably priced. The maintenance and repair related to the constant speed prop and the retractable gear add enough to the operating cost to make it hypothetically more costly than a C172 even with a cheaper purchase price tag. I like the faster speed, typically 120 knots at cruise. Longer flights burn 10 gph, whereas short local flights typically burn less than 9gph. I think the published range is over 600nm, but my personal range is 300nm, so I don't care that much. My last long cross country was 300nm, took 2.8 hours and burned 26 gallons. Part of the flight included sightseeing near the destination, plus there was a slight headwind for some of the flight. The last annual cost about $5,000, where around $1,000 was optional (new baggage lock, wing camera mount, new headset plugs for rear passengers).

[@dreamaviation381]

@@terrywoodfield4081 thanks for the info. It was very helpful. I’m looking for something small like the 172RG and fuel efficient to travel back and forth from Florida and Bahamas. I prefer the retractable landing gear to gain that extra knots. If you know anyone in florida that can take me on demo flight in the 172RG cutlass. That’ll be great. Thanks again.

[@auhs70]

Late on gear retraction.