Cessna 177 Cardinal

The Cessna 177 Cardinal is a light single-engine, high-wing general aviation aircraft produced by Cessna. It was intended to replace the Cessna 172 Skyhawk. First announced in 1967, it was produced from 1968 to 1978.

Development

The Cessna 177 (originally Model 341) was designed in the mid-1960s when the engineers at Cessna were asked to create a "futuristic 1970s successor to the Cessna 172". The resulting aircraft featured newer technology such as a cantilever wing lacking the lift struts of previous models, and a new laminar flow airfoil.

The 177 offers much better upward visibility than a 172 because of its steeply raked windshield and more aft-mounted wing. The absence of an obstructing wing support strut also makes the aircraft an excellent platform for aerial photography.

thumb|An original 1968 model fixed pitch 150 hp Cessna 177 Cardinal

The 177, with its 150 hp (112 kW) powerplant, was considered "underpowered", even though it had more power than the 145 hp (108 kW) Cessna 172.

Cessna 177A

Recognizing that the aircraft was underpowered, Cessna introduced the 177A in 1969. The revision featured a 180 hp (135 kW) four-cylinder Lycoming O-360, moving the design's price and role somewhere between that of the 172 and 182.

thumb|Cessna 177B Cardinal

Cessna 177B

1970 saw the introduction of the 177B, which had a new wing airfoil, a constant-speed propeller, and other minor improvements. When empty, the 177B weighed 145 lb (66 kg) more than the earlier 177, with its maximum takeoff weight increased from 2,350 lb (1,067 kg) to 2,500 lb (1,135 kg).

thumb|Cessna 177RG Cardinal

Cessna 177RG

The final aircraft in the 177 line was the retractable-gear 177RG Cardinal RG (originally Model 1008),

To offset the increase in empty weight, much of which was from the electrically powered hydraulic gear mechanism, the 177RG had a Lycoming IO-360 engine.

The additional power and cleaner lines of the 177RG resulted in a cruise speed of , faster than the 177B. 1,543 177RGs were delivered between the US and Reims, Cessna's licensed partner in France. The Cardinal RG II was introduced in 1975 with a preferred options package. Those built in France by Reims were referred to as the Reims F177RG (originally Model F1008).

Notable accidents and incidents

On 23 October 1968, Alben Truitt, the grandson of former U.S. Vice President Alben Barkley, hijacked a Cessna 177 from Key West to Cuba. He returned via Canada in February 1969, the hijacker was caught and arrested by police, and was then sentenced to 20 years for aircraft piracy and 20 years for kidnapping (to run consecutively). He was sentenced to a grand total of 40 years in jail.
On 11 April 1996, a Cessna 177B carrying 7-year-old Jessica Dubroff, her certified flight instructor, and Jessica's father Lloyd Dubroff, crashed after takeoff from Cheyenne Airport in Cheyenne, Wyoming, killing all on board. Dubroff was attempting to set a cross-country record for young pilots, although her instructor was thought to have been at the controls at the time of the accident. No defect in the aircraft itself was found. The accident resulted in general public concern and new Federal legislation banning record attempts by non-holders of private pilot or higher certificates.
On 30 July 1998, a Cessna 177RG Cardinal collided with Proteus Airlines Flight 706, a Beechcraft 1900D which deviated over Quiberon Bay from its planned approach to Lorient, France, to give its passengers and crew a better view of the ocean liner . Both aircraft crashed into the bay, killing all 14 people on board the Beechcraft and the sole occupant of the Cessna 177RG.
On 14 March 2003, a Cessna 177 Cardinal crashed into Old Fort Mountain near Old Fort, North Carolina, after taking off from Asheville Regional Airport in Asheville, North Carolina. The crash killed author Amanda Davis, who was on a book tour promoting her first novel Wonder When You'll Miss Me, and her parents.
On October 1, 2023, a Cessna 177RG Cardinal crashed after losing power on takeoff from Lake Placid Airport, and failed to return to the runway, killing pilot Russ Francis, a former NFL tight end who recently purchased the Lake Placid Airways scenic tour business at the airport, and Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association’s Senior Vice President Richard McSpadden, who was widely regarded as an expert on making the so-called "impossible turn" that likely preceded the fatal crash. Lake Placid Airport is noted for being surrounded by the high peaks of the Adirondacks, making a risky 180 degree turn an unfortunate necessity in such situations.

Specifications (Cessna 177B)

frameless|right|3-view line drawing of the Cessna 177 Cardinal