While a 60 year old aircraft is not unusual, one that's still in production after 60 years is... 2

[JohnRBaker]

Here's an amazing story about an aircraft that has been in production, virtually unchanged, for 60+ years, and now holds that record for the most of any one model to have been produced, the Cessna 172, with something over 43,000 having come off the line:

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20170302-the-plane-so-good-its-still-in-production-after-60-years

John R. Baker, P.E. (ret)
EX-Product 'Evangelist'
Irvine, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

The secret of life is not finding someone to live with
It's finding someone you can't live without

 

[dik]

Thanks John... I didn't realise it was originally planned as a trainer... just thought of it as the 'Volkswagen' of airplanes... just like the old DC3...

Dik

 

[HamburgerHelper]

Aside from newer flight computers, what is there on it to make it better? It is cheap, easy to fly. Doesn't it use a modified car engine,too?

 

[swertel]

The last I checked, physics hasn't changed in 60+ years.

If there is a design that takes the most advantage of physics, should it ever change?

--Scott
www.aerornd.com

 

[JohnRBaker]

It uses an air-cooled, 4-cylinder Lycoming engine:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lycoming_O-360

Note that the original Cessna 172 had a 145 HP engine and sold for about $8,700 in 1956. Today, there are two basic models, the 160 HP 172R for $275,000 and the 180 HP 172S for $308,000 (these prices are a couple of years old).

John R. Baker, P.E. (ret)
EX-Product 'Evangelist'
Irvine, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

The secret of life is not finding someone to live with
It's finding someone you can't live without

 

[Sparweb]

Great article.
I'm glad it mentioned Mathias Rust's historic flight.


John,
Are you shopping for your next hobby?


STF

 

[JohnRBaker]

When I was younger I considered taking flying lessons, but couldn't afford it. Now that I can, I suspect that people would say that I'm too old to start now.

No, I'm still doing restorations. My wife just gave me the job of restoring the finish on our 37 year old dining room table

John R. Baker, P.E. (ret)
EX-Product 'Evangelist'
Irvine, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

The secret of life is not finding someone to live with
It's finding someone you can't live without

 

[CheckerHater]

If there is a design that takes the most advantage of physics, should it ever change?

No, it shouldn't:

"For every expert there is an equal and opposite expert"
Arthur C. Clarke Profiles of the future

 

[oldfieldguy]

Add the Lockheed C-130 to that list. First flight 1954.

old field guy

 

[berkshire]

The AN2 pictured above by checkerhater ,
Whilst that aircraft is officially out of production,it lives on as the AN3 essentially the same machine with a turboprop engine.
And they are still making that.
B.E.

You are judged not by what you know, but by what you can do.

 

[CheckerHater]

I isn't clear if Chinese production is seized completely:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_most-produced_aircraft

I am most impressed by "design that takes the most advantage of physics":

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20150415-the-plane-that-can-fly-backwards

"For every expert there is an equal and opposite expert"
Arthur C. Clarke Profiles of the future

 

[LittleInch]

Checkerhater. That takes me back. I jumped out of an AN2 30 yrs ago. Underpowered terrible plane, like flying a dinosaur.

Remember - More details = better answers
Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.

 

[CheckerHater]

I guess the design was a compromise typical for after-war economy; just like this car:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citroën_2CV

Sorry, it looks like I'm hijacking the thread. Won't happen again.

"For every expert there is an equal and opposite expert"
Arthur C. Clarke Profiles of the future

 

[Sparweb]

Almost as old and still in production too...

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell_UH-1_Iroquois

STF

 

[CheckerHater]

70 years in production:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beechcraft_Bonanza

"For every expert there is an equal and opposite expert"
Arthur C. Clarke Profiles of the future

 

[swertel]

Can't forget this guy, but I don't know if he is technically still in production. She is always well maintained though to still be flying.

--Scott
www.aerornd.com

 

[btrueblood]

Introduced in 1956 and still being produced, though not in the numbers of some of the others up there:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayres_Thrush

 

[oldfieldguy]

If you take the design of the Piper Cub from its inception as the Taylor E-2 Cub in 1930 to present, still manufactured versions of the Super Cub, the Cub is still in production 87 years later. the engine has gone from the original forty-horsepower, two cylinder engine to today's Super Cubs with 180 horsepower, but it's still recognizable, and they're still heavily used and/or enjoyed today.

old field guy

 

[btrueblood]

Not aware of anybody producing copies of the super cub, and piper stopped making them in '94 or so. But they are venerable, and the design was good enough that people will be copying it for years to come, at least once the drone craze dies down.

 

[berkshire]

Trueblood,
There is a company called Cub Crafters that restores old piper cubs ,and also manufactures part23 certified cubs.
B.E.

You are judged not by what you know, but by what you can do.