(Cessna) Model 172 Skyhawk @·AIRCRAFTUBE

  • Cessna F172G - 1956 Cessna F172G - 1956
    Cessna F172G - 1956
  • Cessna 172H Cessna 172H
    Cessna 172H
  • Cessna 172I 1968 Cessna 172I 1968
    Cessna 172I 1968
  • Reims Cessna F172M Skyhawk Reims Cessna F172M Skyhawk
    Reims Cessna F172M Skyhawk
  • Cessna C-172 Cessna C-172
    Cessna C-172
  • Cessna R172K Hawk XP - 1977 Cessna R172K Hawk XP - 1977
    Cessna R172K Hawk XP - 1977
  • Cessna R172K Hawk XP - 1977 Cessna R172K Hawk XP - 1977
    Cessna R172K Hawk XP - 1977
  • Cessna 172RG Cessna 172RG
    Cessna 172RG
  • Cessna 172S - 1999 Cessna 172S - 1999
    Cessna 172S - 1999
  • Cessna 172N - 1976 Cessna 172N - 1976
    Cessna 172N - 1976
  • Cessna 172L - 1971 Cessna 172L - 1971
    Cessna 172L - 1971
  • Cessna 172F Cessna 172F
    Cessna 172F
  • Cessna 172 Skyhawk - 1957 Cessna 172 Skyhawk - 1957
    Cessna 172 Skyhawk - 1957
  • Cessna 172E - 1964 Cessna 172E - 1964
    Cessna 172E - 1964
  • Cessna 172F Cessna 172F
    Cessna 172F

Cessna 172

Measured by its longevity and popularity, the Cessna 172 is the most successful mass produced light aircraft in history. The first production models were delivered in 1956 and more than 43,000 have been built. The Skyhawk's main competitors have been the Beechcraft Musketeer and Grumman AA-5 series (neither in production), the Piper Cherokee and, more recently, the Diamond DA40.

The Cessna 172 started life as a tricycle landing gear upgrade from the taildragger Cessna 170, with a basic level of standard equipment. The first flight of the prototype was in November 1955. The 172 became an overnight sales success and over 1400 were built in 1956, its first full year of production.

Early 172s were similar in appearance to the 170, with the same straight aft fuselage and tall gear legs, although the 172 had a straight vertical tail while the 170 had a rounded fin and rudder. Later 172 versions incorporated revised landing gear and a lowered rear deck that allowed an aft window. Cessna advertised this added rear visibility as "Omni-Vision". The final aesthetic development in the mid-60s, was the sweptback tail which is still in use today. This airframe configuration has remained almost unchanged since then, except for updates in avionics and engines. Production had been halted in the mid-80s, but was resumed in 1996 with the 160 hp (or 120 kW) Cessna 172R Skyhawk and was supplemented in 1998 by the 180 hp (or 135 kW) Cessna 172S Skyhawk SP.

Variants

172

The basic 172 appeared in November 1955 as the 1956 model and remained in production until replaced by the 172A in early 1960. It was equipped with a Continental O-300 145 horsepower (or 110 kW) six-cylinder, air-cooled engine and had a maximum gross weight of 2200 pounds. Introductory base price was USD$8995 and a total of 4195 were constructed over the five years.

172A

The 1960 model 172A introduced a swept back tail and rudder, as well as float fittings. The price was USD$9450 and 1015 were built.

172B

The 172B was introduced in late 1960 as the 1961 model and introduced a shorter undercarriage, engine mounts lengthened three inches, a reshaped cowling and a pointed propeller spinner. For the first time, the "Skyhawk" name was applied to an available deluxe option package. This added optional equipment included full exterior paint to replace the standard partial paint stripes and standard avionics. The gross weight was increased to 2250 lbs.

172C

The 1962 model was the 172C. It brought to the line an optional autopilot and a key starter to replace the previous pull-starter. The seats were redesigned to be six-way adjustable. A child seat was made optional to allow two children to be carried in the baggage area. The 1962 price was USD$9895. A total of 889 172C models were produced.

172D

The 1963 172D model introduced the lower rear fuselage with wraparound Omni-Vision rear window and a one-piece windshield. New rudder and brake pedals were also added. 1146 172Ds were built.

1963 also saw the introduction of the 172D Powermatic. This was equipped with a Continental GO-300E producing 175 horsepower and a cruise speed 11 mph faster than the standard 172D. In reality this was not a new model but was a Cessna 175 Skylark that had been renamed for its last year of production. The Skylark had gained a reputation for poor engine reliability and the renaming of it as a 172 was a marketing attempt to regain sales through rebranding. The move was not a success and neither the 1963 Powermatic nor the Skylark were produced again after the 1963 model year.

172E

The 172E was the 1964 model. The electrical fuses were replaced with circuit breakers. Gross weight was increased to 2300 lbs where it would stay until the 172P. 1401 172Es were built that year as production continued to increase.

172F

The 172F introduced electrically-operated flaps to replace the previous lever-operated system. It was built in France by Reims Cessna as the F172 until 1971. These models formed the basis for the US Air Force's T-41A Mescalero primary trainer. A total of 1436 172Fs were completed.

172G

The 1966 172G introduced a more pointed spinner and sold for USD$12,450 in its basic 172 version and USD$13,300 in the upgraded Skyhawk version. 1597 were built.

172H

The 1967 model 172H was the last Continental O-300 powered model. It also introduced a shorter-stroke nose gear oleo to reduce drag and improve the appearance of the aircraft in flight. A new cowling was used, introducing shock-mounts that transmitted lower noise-levels to the cockpit and reduced cowl cracking. The electric stall warning horn was replaced by a pneumatic one.

The 1967 model 172H sold for USD$10,950 while the Skyhawk version was USD$12,750. 839 were built that year, representing the first year that production was less than the year before.

172I

The 1968 model marked the beginning of the Lycoming powered 172s. The familiar 172 needed to be re-engined because Cessna had cancelled its contract with Continental for their venerable 0-300 6-cyl engine of 145 horsepower.

The "I" model was introduced with a Lycoming O-320-E2D engine of 150 hp, an increase of 5 hp over the Continental powerplant. The increased horsepower resulted in an increase in optimal cruise from 130 mph TAS to 131 mph TAS. There was no change in the sea level rate of climb at 645 feet per minute.

The 172I also introduced the first standard "T" instrument arrangement. The 172I saw an increase in production to record levels with 1206 built.

172J

The Cessna Company planned to drop the previous 172 configuration for the 1968 model year and replace it with a cantilever-wing/stabilator configuration that would be the 172J. However, as time for model introduction neared, those dealers who were aware of the change began applying pressure on the factory to continue the previous configuration. They felt the new model would be less usable as a trainer. Consequently, and at the last minute, the decision was made to continue the 172 in its original configuration. The planned 172J configuration would be introduced as a new model, the 177. The deluxe option would become the 177 Cardinal. The "J" designation was never publicly used.

172K

The next model year was the 1969 "K" model. The 1969 172K had a redesigned vertical fin cap and reshaped rear windows. Optional long range 52 US gallon wing fuel tanks were offered. The rear windows were slightly enlarged by 16 square inches. The 1969 model sold for USD$12,500 for the 172 and USD$13,995 for the Skyhawk, with 1170 made.

The 1970 model was still called the 172K but sported fiberglass, downward-shaped, conical wing tips. Fully articulated seats were offered as well. Production in 1970 was 759 units.

172L

The 172L, sold during 1971 and 1972, replaced the main landing gear, which were originally flat spring steel with tapered, tubular steel gear legs. The new gear had a width that was increased by 12 inches wider. The new tubular gear was lighter, but required aerodynamic fairings to maintain the same speed and climb performance as experienced with the flat steel design. The "L" also had a plastic fairing (between the dorsal fin and vertical fin) to introduce a greater family resemblance to the 182's vertical fin.

The 1971 model sold for USD$13,425 in the 172 version and USD$14,995 in the Skyhawk version. 827 172Ls were sold in 1971 and 984 in 1972.

172M

The 172M of 1973-76 gained a drooped wing leading edge for improved low speed handling. This was marketed as the "camber-lift" wing.

The 1974 172M was also the first to introduce the optional 'II' package which offered higher standard equipment, including a second nav/comm radio, an ADF and transponder. The baggage compartment was increased in size and nose-mounted dual landing lights were available as an option.

The 1975 model 172M sold for USD$16,055 for the 172, USD$17,890 for the Skyhawk and USD$20,335 for the Skyhawk II. Total production of "M" models was 7306 over the four years it was manufactured.

In 1976, Cessna stopped marketing the aircraft as the 172 and began exclusively using the "Skyhawk" designation. This model year also saw a redesigned instrument panel to hold more avionics.

172N

The Skyhawk N, or Skyhawk/100 as Cessna termed it, was introduced for the 1977 model year. The "100" designation indicated that it was powered by a Lycoming O-320-H2AD, 160 hp (120 KW) engine designed to run on 100 octane fuel, whereas all previous engines used 80/87 fuel. Unfortunately, this engine proved troublesome and it was replaced by the similarly rated O-320-D2J to create the 1981 172P.

The 1977 "N" model 172 also introduced rudder trim as an option and standard "pre-selectable" flaps. The price was USD$22,300, with the Skyhawk/100 II selling for USD$29,950.

The 1978 model brought a 28-volt electrical system to replace the previous 12-volt system. Air conditioning was an option.

The 1979 model "N" increased the flap extension speed for the first 10 degrees to 115 knots. Optional fuel cells increased the optional fuel to 66 US gallons.

The "N" remained in production until 1980 when the 172P or Skyhawk P was introduced.

172O

There was no "O" ("Oscar") model 172.

172P

The 172P, or Skyhawk P, was introduced in 1981 to solve the reliability problems of the "N" engine. The Lycoming O-320-D2J was a great improvement.

The "P" model also saw the maximum flap deflection decreased from 40 degrees to 30 to allow a gross weight increase from 2300 lbs to 2400 lbs. A wet wing was optional, with a capacity of 62 US gallons of fuel.

The price of a new Skyhawk P was USD$33,950, with the Skyhawk P II costing USD$37,810 and the Nav/Pac equipped Skyhawk P II selling for USD$42,460.

In 1982 the "P" saw the landing lights moved to the wing from the nose to increase bulb life. The 1983 model added some minor sound-proofing improvements and thicker windows. A second door latch pin was introduced in 1984.

Production of the "P" ended in 1985 and no more 172s were built for eleven years as legal liability rulings in the USA had pushed Cessna's insurance costs too high, resulting in dramatically increasing prices for new aircraft.

There were only 195 172s built in 1984, a rate of fewer than 4 per week.

172Q Cutlass

The 172Q was introduced in 1983 and given the name Cutlass to create an affiliation with the 172RG, although it was actually a 172P with a Lycoming O-360-A4N engine of 180 horsepower. The aircraft had a gross weight of 2550 lbs and an optimal cruise speed of 122 knots compared to the "P"s cruise speed of 120 knots on 20 less horsepower. It had a useful load that was about 100 lbs more that the Skyhawk P and a rate of climb that was actually 20 feet per minute lower, due to the higher gross weight. Production ended after only three years when all 172 production stopped.

172R

The Skyhawk R was introduced in 1996 and is powered by a derated Lycoming IO-360L2A producing a maximum of 160 horsepower at just 2,400 RPM. This is the first Cessna 172 to have a factory fitted fuel-injected engine.

The 172R's maximum takeoff weight is 2,450 lbs (1,113kg). This model year introduced many improvements, including a new interior with soundproofing, an all new multi-level ventilation system, a standard four point intercom, contoured, energy absorbing, 26g front seats with vertical and reclining adjustments and inertia reel harnesses.

172SP

The Skyhawk SP was introduced in 1998 and is powered by a Lycoming IO-360L2A producing 180 horsepower. The maximum engine rpm was increased from 2,400 rpm to 2,700 rpm resulting in a 20hp increase over the "R" model. As a result, the maximum takeoff weight was increased to 2,550 lbs (1,157kg).

The 172SP is built primarily for the private owner-operator and is offered with the Garmin G1000 avionics package as standard equipment and leather seats.

Cessna 172RG Cutlass

Cessna introduced a retractable-gear version of the 172 in 1980 and named it the Cutlass 172RG.

The Cutlass featured a variable pitch, constant speed propeller and more powerful Lycoming O-360-F1A6 engine of 180 horsepower. The 172RG sold for about USD$19,000 more than the standard 172 of the same year and produced an optimal cruise speed of 140 knots, compared to 122 knots for the contemporary 160 horsepower 172.

The 172RG did not find wide acceptance in the personal aircraft market, but was adopted by many flight schools as a complex aircraft trainer. Between 1980 and 1984 1177 RGs were built, with a small number following before production ceased in 1985.

While numbered and marketed as a 172, the 172RG is actually a variant of the Cessna 175 type.

Reims FR172J and Cessna R172K Hawk XP

The Reims Rocket, designated FR172J and produced by Reims Aviation from the late 60s to the mid 70s, was powered by a Rolls-Royce built, fuel-injected, 210 hp Continental IO-360D with a constant speed prop. This was essentially the same engine used in the twin-engined Cessna 336/337 series.

The Reims Rocket led to Cessna producing the R172K Hawk XP, a model available from 1977 to 1981 from both Wichita and Reims. This configuration featured a fuel injected, Continental IO-360K (later IO-360KB) derated to 195 hp with a two bladed, constant speed propeller. The Hawk XP was capable of a 131 knot cruise speed.

Owners claimed that the increased performance of the "XP" didn't compensate for its increased purchase price and the higher operating costs associated with the larger engine. The aircraft was well-accepted for use on floats, however, as the standard 172 is not a strong floatplane, even with only two people on board, while the XP's extra horsepower improves water take-off performance dramatically.

While numbered and marketed as 172s, the R172J and R172K models are actually variants of the Cessna 175 type certificate.

Military operators

A variant of the 172, the T-41 Mescalero is used as a trainer with the United States Air Force and Army. Because of its high-wing design, stability at low airspeeds, and relatively low stall speed, the 172 is an excellent platform for search and rescue operations, and is the primary platform for the Civil Air Patrol's operations. Some 172RGs in the CAP Fleet are equipped with the Satellite Digital Imaging System. In addition, the United States Border Patrol uses a fleet of 172s for aerial surveillance along the Mexican-American border.

The Irish Air Corps uses the Reims version in the army co-operation and pilot training roles. The type is popular and successful in service despite some accidents. Air Corps examples are painted dark green and carry the service roundels. Most are not fitted with the distinctive wheel spats.

Notable flights

On December 4, 1958 Robert Timm and John Cook took off from McCarran Airfield, Las Vegas, NV. Sixty four days, 22 hours, 19 minutes and 5 seconds later, they landed back at McCarran Airfield on February 4, 1959. The flight was part of a fund raising effort for the Damon Runyan Cancer Fund. Food and water were transferred by matching speeds with a chase car on a straight stretch of road in the desert, and hoisting the supplies aboard with a rope and bucket. Fuel was taken on by hoisting a hose from a fuel truck up to the airplane, filling an auxiliary belly tank installed for the flight, pumping that fuel into the airplane's regular tanks, and then filling the belly tank again. The drivers steered while a second person matched speeds with the airplane with his foot on the vehicle's accelerator pedal.
Engine oil was added by means of a tube from the cabin that was fitted to pass through the firewall. Only the pilot's seat was installed. The remaining space was used for a pad on which the relief pilot slept. The right cabin door was replaced with an easy-opening, accordion-type door to allow supplies and fuel to be hoisted aboard. Early in the flight, the engine driven electric generator failed. A Champion wind driven generator (turned by a small propeller) was hoisted aboard, taped to the wing support strut, plugged into the cigarette lighter socket -- and served as the airplane's source of electricity for the rest of the flight. The pilots decided to end the marathon-flight because, with nearly 1500 hours continuous running during the record-setting flight plus several hundred hours already on the engine beforehand (considerably in excess of its normal overhaul interval), the engine's power output had deteriorated to the point that they were barely able to climb away after refueling. The aircraft is on display in the passenger terminal at McCarran International Airport. Photos and details of the record flight can be seen in a small museum on the upper level of the baggage claim area.

In 1987, a rented Reims Cessna F172P was used by a German teenage pilot Mathias Rust to fly (without permission) from Helsinki-Malmi Airport through Soviet airspace to a landing near the Red Square in Moscow, all without being intercepted by Soviet air defense.

— — — = = — — —

This text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License
Source : Article Cessna 172 of Wikipedia ( authors )

Specifications (172R)

  • Crew : 1.
  • Capacity : 3 passengers.
  • Length : 27 ft 2 in (8.28 m).
  • Height : 8 ft 11 in (2.72 m).
  • Wingspan : 36 ft 1 in (11 m).
  • Wing area : 174 ft² (16.2 m²).
  • Wing loading : 14.1 lb/ft² (68.8 kg/m²).
  • Airfoil : NACA 2412 (modified).
  • Empty weight : 1,620 lb (736 kg).
  • Useful load : 830 lb (376 kg).
  • Max takeoff weight : 2,450 lb (1,113 kg).
  • Never exceed speed : 163 knots (187 mph, 302 km/h).
  • Maximum speed : 123 knots (141 mph, 228 km/h) at sea level.
  • Range : 687 nm (790 mi, 1,272 km) at 60% power at 10,000 ft (3,040 m).
  • Service ceiling 13,500 ft (4,116 m).
  • Rate of climb : 720 ft/min (3.7 m/s).
  • Powerplant : One Lycoming IO-360-L2A flat-4 engine.
  • Power : 160 hp (120 kW) at 2,400 rpm.
  • Power/mass : 15.3 lb/hp (9.25 kg/kW).

— — — = = — — —

This text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License
Source : Article Cessna 172 of Wikipedia ( authors )
Cessna 172 Skyhawk : Your comments on this subject
Powered by Disqus
Top
Legal Credits FAQ Help Site Map

Terms of use for the services available on this site

By using this Website, Users agree to the following terms of use and rules :

Definitions

  • Webmaster : Head Administrator with all authority over the management and development of the Website.
  • Administrator : Anyone that was given by the Webmaster full or partial access to the Website's structure or with moderation rights on messages posted by Users.
  • User or Visitor : Any person visiting the Website pages.
  • Website : The following provisions apply to a single Website accessible via the www.aircraftube.com, www.aircraftube.org, www.aircraftube.net and www.all-aircraft.com. URL's
  • Service : All free informations and tools contained on the Website.
  • Comments : All text written by users on Blogs and comment pages available on the Website.
  • Media : All media available on or through the Website. One must distinguish the local media (photos, curves, drawings) and the external media (videos) which the Website refers.

    • Purpose of this site

    The purpose of this non-commercial site is purely educational. Reflecting a passion, it is also there to preserve the memory of all those who gave their lives, their health or energy in the name of freedom, aviation safety or simply our passenger comfort.

    Copyright

    Some media may have escaped the vigilance of Administrators with regard to copyrights. If a user reports copyright infringement, he will be asked to prove that he is indeed the rights's owner for the concerned media. If so, his decision on the Administrator's next action will be respected: A total suppression of the Media on the Website, or the addition of some owner's reference. The publication of a media on the internet normally having as a goal to make it visible to many people, the Administrators expect in any case that the second option will be most often chosen.

    Pursuant to the Law on copyright and related rights, the user has the right to download and reproduce information on the Website for personal use and provided that the source is mentionned. They cannot however be used for commercial or advertising purposes.

    Using Blogs and filing comments

  • Moderator : The Administrator reserves the right to prevent the publication of comments that are not directly related to the Service without providing any explanation. Similarly, all insults, out of scope or unethical material will be banned.
  • Identification : Persons wishing to post a comment or use any form of contact are required to provide identification by the means of a valid e-mail address.
  • Responsibilities : Comments are posted on the Website under the unique responsability of their authors and the Administrators may in no case be liable for any statements or claims that the users might have issued.

    • As the comment system is hosted and maintained on servers external to the Website, the Administrators may in no circumstances be held responsible for the use that administrators of these servers or other third parties may have with those comments or filed data.

    Content Liability

    The Administrators carefully check the reliability of the sources used. They cannot, however, guarantee the accuracy of any information contained on the Website, partly because of the multiple sources from which they come.

    JavaScript and cookies - Storing information

    This Website imperatively uses JavaScript and cookies to function properly. Neither of these technologies, or other means shall in no case be used on the Website for the retention or disclosure of personal information about Visitors. Exceptions to this rule will involve storing the Users banned for inappropriate comments they might have given as well as contact information for Users wishing to subscribe to future newsletters.

    When a user accesses the Website, the corresponding servers may automatically collect certain data, such as IP address, date and time of Website access, viewed pages and the type of browser used. This information is kept only for the purpose of measuring the number of visitors to the different sections of the site and make improvements.

    Donations - Advertising

    To continue providing the Service for free, the Webmaster reserves the right to insert advertising or promotional messages on any page of the Site. In the same idea, any donations will only by used to cover the running costs of the site, such as hosting, connection fees, hardware and software necessary for the development and maintenance of the Website.

    Links and other websites

    Administrators shall in no case be liable for the non-availability of websites operated by third parties to which users would access through the Website.

    Administrators assume no liability for any content, advertising, products and/or services available on such third party websites. It is reminded that those sites are governed by their own terms of use.

    Placing a link to third party sites or authorize a third party to include a link on their website refering to this Website does not mean that the Administrators recommend in any way the products or services offered by these websites.

    Modifications

    The Webmaster reserves the right to modify at any time without notification the present terms of use as well as all content or specific functionality that the Website offers.

    The modified terms and conditions immediately apply to the using Visitor when changes come online. Visitors are invited to consult the site regularly on the most current version of the terms and conditions

    Governing Law and Jurisdiction

    These general conditions are governed by Belgian law.

    In case of dispute regarding the interpretation and/or execution of the above terms, the parties agree that the courts of the district of Nivelles, Belgium shall have exclusive jurisdiction power.

    Credits page

    Wikipedia.org

    Wikipedia is a collaboratively edited, multilingual, free Internet encyclopedia.

    Youtube

    YouTube is a video-sharing website on which users can upload, view and share videos.

    Special thanks to all Youtube quality aviation vids providers, specially (Those I forgot, please excuse me or report) :

    Airboyd
    Andys Video
    Aviation videos archives
    Bomberguy
    Classic Aviation TV
    Historical Aviation Film Unit
    Horsemoney
    Jaglavaksoldier
    Joluqa Malta
    Just Planes
    Koksy
    Classic Airliners & Vintage Pop Culture
    Memorial Flight
    Octane130
    Okrajoe
    SDASM archives
    Spottydog4477
    The Aviators TV
    Valentin Izagirre Bengoetxea
    Vexed123
    VonBerlich
    Zenos Warbirds

    Bundesarchiv

    The German Federal Archives or Bundesarchiv are the National Archives of Germany.

    FAQ

    I don't see my comments any more!

    Please note that each page has it's own comment entry. So, if you enter a comment i.e. on the B-747, you will only see it on that related page.

    General comments are accessed via the "BLOG En" button.

    Comments are moderated, so please allow some delay before they appear, specially if you are outside Europe.

    Menus are developing below the page, because they are too long!

    But they remain accessible, for example by scrolling the mouse wheel, or with your finger (on the menu) on a smartphone or tablet.

    I see adds on all videos.

    Use a good free add remover software.

    The site is loading random pages at startup.

    We think it is a good way to bring back the memory of aircraft, persons or events sometimes quite forgotten.

    HELP PAGE

    Why this site?

    Discovery

    This website is dedicated to one's aeronautical passion (which I hope we share) and was realised mainly as an educationnal tool. Knowing that, you'll notice that each new visit brings random topics for the purpose of making new discoveries, some achievements or characters certainly not deserving the oblivion into which they have sometimes fallen.

    By these pages, we also want to pay tribute to all those who gave at one time or another, their lives or health in the name of freedom, aeronautical security or simply our comfort.

    Centralisation

    Internet is full of websites dedicated to aviation, but most are dedicated to subjects or periods that are very limited in space or time. The purpose of this site is to be as general as possible and thus treats all events as well as characters of all stripes and times while putting much emphasis on the most significant achievements.

    The same years saw birth of technologies like photography and cinema, thus permitting illustration of a large part of important aeronautical events from the start. Countless (and sometimes rare) media recently put online by enthousiasts finally give us access to these treasures, but the huge amount of information often makes things a little messy. A centralization effort is obviously most needed at this level.

    All persons who directly or indirectly contributed to the achievement or posting of such documents are here gratefully acknowledged.

    General

    Fluid website

    This site automatically fits the dimensions of your screen, whether you are on a desktop computer, a tablet or a smartphone.

    Bilingual website

    You can change the language by clicking on the flag in the upper left or via "Options" in the central menu. Of course, the videos remain in the language in which they were posted ...

    Browser compatibility

    The site is not optimized, or even designed to run on older browsers or those deliberately deviating from standards. You will most probably encounter display issues with Internet Explorer. In this case, it is strongly recommended installing a modern (and free!) browser that's respecting the standards, like Firefox, Opera, Chrome or Safari.

    Cookies and Javascript

    This site uses cookies and JavaScript to function properly. Please ensure that your browser is configured accordingly. Neither of these technologies, or other means shall in no case be used on the Site for the retention or disclosure of personal information about its Visitors. See the "Legal" page for more on this subject.

    Website layout

    Left menus

    Because of the lack of space on smartphones and small tablets, these menus are hidden. Everything is nevertheless accessible via the main menu option, located between the video and photo sections. This menu is placed there for compatibility reasons with some browsers, which play the videos over the menus.

    "Search" and "Latest" :
    The link "In Titles" restricts the search to the titles of different forms. Use this option if you are looking for a plane, a constructor, a pilot or a particular event that could have been treated as a subject.

    The link "In Stories" will bring you to a search in all texts (the "Story" tab) and will take more time. The search term will appear highlighted in green when opening the corresponding story.

    Would you believe, "Timeline" will show all subjects in chronological order.

    "Random" will reload the entire page with a new random topic.

    The bottom section keeps you abreast of the latest five entries. New topics are added regularly. Don't hesitate to come visit us often : add bookmark.

    Blogs and Comments central section

    Under the photos section comes the comments tabs window :

    You can enter general comments in your own language via one of the two buttons on the left (BLOG EN and BLOG FR). Note that these buttons are accessible regardless of the language to allow some participation in the other language.

    All comments are subject to moderation and will be published only if they comply with the basic rules of decorum, while remaining relevant to the purpose of this site.

    The third tab allows you to enter comments on the shown topic and is bilingual. Personal anecdotes, supplements and other information questions will take place here.

    The "Story" tab shows the explanatory texts. They are most often taken from Wikipedia, a site where we participate regularly.

    The "Data" tab is reserved for list of features and specifications.

    Right menus

    On a smartphone, the lack of space is growing and this menu is moved to the bottom of the page to give priority to videos and pictures.

    The top right icons are links to videos posted by third parties (on their own responsabilities) or by ourselves. The link below these icons will take you to the channel of the one who posted the video. Feel free to suggest other videos if you think they are of some interest (Use the BLOG button or the "Contact" link).