T-41C

The T-41 Mescalero, a short-range, high-wing trainer aircraft, is the military version of the Cessna 172 Skyhawk.  The T-41C’s, unlike the T-41As with the old 145hp, have a monster 210hp engine. The T-41C can best be described as a C-172 on steroids. It is only slightly different than the T-41D which also incorporates a variable pitch propeller. All versions of the T-41 have fixed landing gear. The engine is so powerful for its size, it is hard to put more people and fuel in the plane than
it can hold. Usual cruise speeds are around
120 to 125 knots, and climb speeds of 1,000
to 1,750 feet per minute! This is a hearty plane that handles short and soft field take off and landing with a breeze. It has enough power to get in and out of almost anywhere. Built for the traffic pattern, it can handle rough landings like a charm. Although quite heavy on the controls, the plane is great for cross country flights anywhere you want to go.

Cessna produced a retractable-gear version of the 172 named the Cutlass 172RG and also produced versions on floats. The 172RG additionally had a variable pitch, constant speed propeller and more powerful stock engine as did the more spartan militarized Cessna 172E that was sold to the US Army as a spotter plane. While numbered and marketed as a 172, the 172RG is actually a variant of the  Cessna 175 type.

General characteristics

• Crew: one, pilot
• Capacity: pilot plus 5 passengers (3 in the early models)
• Length: 31 ft 3 in (9.51 m)
• Wingspan: 37 ft 2 in (11.3 m)
• Height: 10 ft 4 in (3.14 m)
• Wing area: 208 ft² (19.3 m²)
• Empty weight: 3,300 lb (1500 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 5,200 lb (2360 kg)
• Powerplant: 2× Lycoming IO-540-C4B5, 250 hp (186 kW) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 210 mph (182 knots, 340 km/h)
• Range: 1,200 miles (1042 nm, 1,900 km)
• Service ceiling: 20,000 ft (6100 m)
• Rate of climb: 1,500 ft/min (460 m/min)
• Wing loading: 25 lb/ft² (120 kg/m²)
• Power/mass: 10 lb/hp (3.38 kg/kW)

Annual Instrument Exam (Aug02)