Cessna 172 Skylight trivia

[TangoWhiskey]

You probably heard the report that Embry-Riddle's planes in Florida got caught outside last week when a freak hailstorm came through, and busted out the skylights in all their new 172s (well, all except two--one in the hangar for mx, and another out flying). I thought the report from Aero-News and AOPA might have been wrong, since the new 172s don't HAVE skylights (some older ones do, and there are aftermarket skylights, but I couldn't see Embry-Riddle paying to install them).

So, I wrote to the editor at Aero-News, and they put somebody on it... here's what they found. Apparently, Cessna does offer it as an option on FLEET sales, but not on the normal "to the public" aircraft--WHY!?

Anyway, if you're willing to wait til an ex-ER aircraft goes up for sale, you can get a new C172 with a factory-installed skylight. I've flown a Cessna with skylights before, and BOY does it improve visibility to the inside of the curve turning final... just look left through the roof at the runway... no wing in our way!

-------------------------------

OK, here's the deal on 172 skylights --

1. The Riddle planes definitely had skylights.

2. The planes on the Cessna website do not.

3. A local flying club (here in MA) has a 1999 or 2000 172 with
skylights. It was formerly at Riddle.

4. There are some other differences between the Riddle planes and an
ordinary 172SP. The Riddle machines have cloth, not leather, interior,
and they don't have the console that the 172SP has. But they are 180HP
like the SP, and they're called SP's in the documentation.

5. I've asked Jessica Myers of Cessna's PR staff to find out if
skylights are available to the general public -- *if* it doesn't put
her out too much. I mean, we're really pretty deep into 172 trivia
right here. (UPDATE: this message was bogged down in my outbox. Jessica
replied that Cessna does only sell skylights with fleet sales, and does
not advertise the option).

So bottom line -- both you, who saw no skylights, and the folks at
ERAU, who might be wishing they had no skylights now, are correct.

Thanks for the chance to look into this -- it was interesting.

cheers

-=K=-

On May 10, 2005, at 11:29 AM, Kevin R.C. 'Hognose' O'Brien wrote:

>
> On May 10, 2005, at 10:00 AM, Editor ((ANNHQ)) wrote:
>
>> From: Troy Whistman [mailto: ]
>> Sent: Tuesday, May 10, 2005 9:47 AM
>> To: editor@aero-news.net
>> Subject: Embry Riddle 172's
- Show quoted text -
>>
>>
>> I'm confused! If Embry-Riddle is flying newer-model 172's, how can
>> this statement be right:
>>
>> "Every 172 is down for broken skylights..."
>>
>> The newer 172's don't HAVE skylights, at least none that I've flown,
>> and I don't think they are available as an option from Cessna.
>>
>> I've HAVE flown an older 172 many years ago that had skylights, and
>> they were sure nice to have for turns in the pattern, but the newer
>> Cessna's don't have them.
>>
>> Was the article referring to the windshields being broken? Or do
>> these newer 172s have some skylights that aren't normally available?
>>
>> Troy Whistman
>> Fort Worth TX
>
> Troy, and all,
>
> that's a heck of a good question. Our guys at RIddle say that the
> skylights are broken in 48 planes. AOPA reported the same thing -- and
> I don't think my guys talked to AOPA. The only picture I've seen is
> small and crummy and has crumpled pipers in front and a Riddle 172
> WAAAAY in the back. You can't tell a damn thing in the photo, except
> that it's a 172.
>
> Yeah, some of our Ns have skylights and some don't. I don't have a
> newer one than an N online now. I checked the Cessna website, which is
> long on artistic voodoo and short on information, but skylights are
> not mentioned at all (and the option list appears to be, stripe colour
> and avionics, period).
>
> LP Aero Products lists many part numbers for C172 skylights, including
> one that is listed for serial 72885 "and up".
>
> http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/appages/lpaero.php
>
> Now you've got me really intrigued.
>
> cheers
>
> -=K=-

 

[TangoWhiskey]

And one more thing to add, from the editor:


===========================

I got the final, definitive answer from Jessica Myers in Cessna's PR
department.

"The skylights option is only used on special fleet/flight schools
orders. As a result, we don't advertise this option."

So most of the new-era 172s There are STCs, and in addition, many of
the 141 schools lease rather than capitalize their training fleets --
so when Riddle rotates its 172 fleet every three or four years, the
skylighted planes make it into the free market. Thanks for making us
check and keeping us honest, Troy!

And that's the LAST WORD on 172 skylights I'm gonna say for a while!
LOL.

 

[sere]

Great question. I have never seen a skylight in a 172. I bet it is a very nice addition.

 

[kath]

I've flown an older 172 with a skylight once (actually two long narrow skylights). It was part of a rental fleet. It had a special model number (like a 172Q or something like that) which may or may not have had anything to do with the skylight. So they do exist outside of ER.

--Kath

 

[Henning]

I've flown an older 172 with a skylight once (actually two long narrow skylights). It was part of a rental fleet. It had a special model number (like a 172Q or something like that) which may or may not have had anything to do with the skylight. So they do exist outside of ER.

--Kath

There is a high likelyhood that it was an old ER plane that was sold, I used to fly one. I didn't personally like the skylight, if you live in a sunny area, it adds to the heat in the cockpit even with the tinting. They really never made a difference in flying to me. Another factor, more things to break and/or leak (and they were a perpetual leak problem on the one I flew).

 

[Dean]

I have the skylight option in my 150 and love it.