Cessna 172 Skyhawk vs Piper 22 Tri-Pacer

Side-by-side specs, range, and operating costs.

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Dimensions & configuration

Representative planforms, drawn to shared scale.

Cessna 172 Skyhawk
36 ft × 27 ft ⭥ 9 ft
1× Piston Fixed Unpressurized
Piper 22 Tri-Pacer
29 ft × 20 ft ⭥ 8 ft
1× Piston Fixed Unpressurized

Flight Profile

Service ceiling, range, and climb rate.

Tap legend to isolate

Arc represents the climb-cruise-descent profile based on published service ceiling and range. Climb rate annotated on ascent. FL180 (18,000 ft) shown for reference.

Mission Performance

Stall, approach, cruise, range, ceiling and climb: best values are at the top.

Mission performance specifications
Specification Cessna 172 SkyhawkPiper 22 Tri-Pacer
Stall speed 53 kt43 kt
Approach speed 61 kt56 kt
Cruise speed 124 kt113 kt
Range 640 nm430 nm
Service ceiling 14000 ft16000 ft
Rate of climb 730 fpm750 fpm
Fuel burn 9.0 gph9.0 gph

Each axis is scaled independently across the compared aircraft and printed in its own units; every vertex sits at the published figure. Higher is better on all axes: Stall, Approach and Fuel Burn are inverted (lower = higher). A missing figure breaks the line at that axis.

Fuel Burn & Range

Range, endurance, and what the fuel costs by the hour.

Cessna 172 Skyhawk Avgas
9.0 gph
Baseline
640 nm range 13.8 nm/gal 53 gal usable $58 fuel/hr 5h 53m endurance
Cessna 172 Skyhawk: 9.0 gph at cruise, 640 nautical mile published range, 5 hour 53 minute endurance, 13.8 nautical miles per gallon.
Piper 22 Tri-Pacer Avgas
9.0 gph
Baseline
430 nm range 12.6 nm/gal 36 gal usable $58 fuel/hr 4h 00m endurance
Piper 22 Tri-Pacer: 9.0 gph at cruise, 430 nautical mile published range, 4 hour 0 minute endurance, 12.6 nautical miles per gallon.
Avgas range each cell = 1 hr of cruise · width scales with speed

Bars show published still-air range: select a cell to view cruise-hours and fuel usage. Endurance is full tank at the displayed cruise burn rate; the extra is reserve and economy margin. Estimates only. Always verify against the POH.

Runway Performance

Density altitude adjusted estimates

Outside Air Temp
0°F57°F115°F
Field Elevation
SL4,0008,000 ft

Takeoff over 50 ft obstacle

Landing over 50 ft obstacle

Density Altitude

Monte cristo

Base distance DA penalty
Scale: 6,000 ft

FAA 10%/1,000 ft DA rule of thumb (FAA-H-8083-25B). Turboprops and jets are less sensitive in practice. Always verify against the POH.

Estimated Operating Costs

Hourly direct and annual fixed costs

Scale:
Cessna 172 Skyhawk Avgas
$125 /hr
Baseline
Cessna 172 Skyhawk: $125 per flight hour — fuel $58, maintenance and reserve $67.
Piper 22 Tri-Pacer Avgas
$102 /hr
Baseline
Piper 22 Tri-Pacer: $102 per flight hour — fuel $58, maintenance and reserve $44.
Cessna 172 Skyhawk Piston
$11,400 /yr Baseline
Cessna 172 Skyhawk: $11,400 per year — insurance $2,500, hangar $6,900, annual inspection $2,000.
Piper 22 Tri-Pacer Piston
$5,710 /yr Baseline
Piper 22 Tri-Pacer: $5,710 per year — insurance withheld, hangar $4,510, annual inspection $1,200.

Estimates only. Hourly direct operating cost, based on fuel price and reserves; Annual fixed costs (insurance, hangar, and inspection). Costs vary by location, pilot profile, and market conditions. See individual aircraft pages for source notes.

Capability & limits

Payload vs useful load limit

+ cargo
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Cessna 172 Skyhawk Piston
4 / 4 seats cargo 53 gal / 53 gal fuel 577 lbs wet payload 895 lbs useful 2,550 lbs MTOW
Piper 22 Tri-Pacer Piston
4 / 4 seats cargo 36 gal / 36 gal fuel 674 lbs wet payload 890 lbs useful 2,000 lbs MTOW

Shows selected occupants against full fuel, within the aircraft's useful-load limit. Fuel weight at 6.7 lb/gal jet-A, 6.0 lb/gal avgas; pax and luggage are 190 + 30 . Change payload weights in global settings.

Payload-Range Map

Origin: → · two fingers to move map

+ cargo
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