Cessna 177 Cardinal

American sport plane

The world's largest manufacturer of sports aircraft, the American company Cessna, again launched new versions of the 177 model and the luxurious Cardinal derived from it for 1970. This increased the company's offer to 30 different types, of which 22 are single-engined and the rest twin-engined. It may seem like a lot given Cessna's dominant position in the world market. (over 1000 units of the 172 F model are produced per year). Recently, however, there has been a certain saturation of the market for four-seaters, so even the leading manufacturer does not expect to live on tradition. With the Cardinal and the 177, Cessna intends to fill a gap in the market in the lower price group of four-seaters.

Both models, basically the same, represent the latest state of the art in relation to the flight characteristics, reliability and comfort of this aircraft class. As a luxury type, the Cardinal has rich instrumentation with a wide range of accessories. As self-supporting high-wing aircraft, both types have very little total drag in their basic design and aerodynamically clean design. The large panoramic windshield provides a wide view, the proven chassis has been improved again. The most remarkable, however, is the system for automatic position holding, which acts simultaneously on the rudder and the ailerons, thus enabling standard turns without the intervention of the manual control lever. To increase the range, the fuel tanks in the wing are made integral, which also saves weight.

Cessna 177 Cardinal Plane Plans

TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION
The Cardinal is an overall single-engine four-seat self-supporting high-wing aircraft with a fixed three-wheel landing gear.
The wing is single-span with an auxiliary beam. The entire trailing edge is occupied by ailerons and landing flaps. The marginal arches are slightly bent down. There is a landing light in the leading edge of the left half of the wing up to the marginal arc. The pitot tube is just under the left half of the wing.

The hull of the proven half-shell construction is wide enough for a spacious four-seat cabin with doors on both sides. Although the wing is placed lower compared to other types of Cessna, there is an excellent view from the cabin thanks to the large panoramic windows. The steering is steering wheel, the front and rear seats are split with folding backrests. There is a luggage compartment behind the rear seats, which can also be fitted with a booster seat for children. The flight deck may be equipped with instruments required for non-visual flight (IFR).

The tail surfaces are self-supporting, with a symmetrical profile. The elevator is floating and equipped with a balancing surface.

The landing gear consists of a fixed three-wheel landing gear with hooded wheels. The front landing gear has an oil-pneumatic shock absorber and is steerable. The main chassis is the proven Land-O-Matic, which is actually a flexible steel tapered tube that is flattened. Hydraulic disc brakes are also complemented by a manual parking brake.

Engine group. A flat four-cylinder air-cooled Lycoming "Blue Streak" engine о 180 к at 2700 rpm drives a metal, automatically adjustable propeller (Constant speed) with a diameter of 1930 mm. The integral fuel tanks in the wing hold 185 liters of fuel.

Coloring. As usual with Cessna, the basic scheme remains, but the color combination is quite broad. For the Cardinal type, the company offers 10 color combinations with basic white. The aircraft with the registration mark N 1902 F (pictured) is combined with the white basic coloring as follows: the transverse broad stripe on the wing is dark metallic green and complemented by two narrow ocher stripes. Dark metallic green is also the lower stripe on the fuselage, the triangle on the steering wheel (it is edged in white) and the undercarriage wheel covers. The upper forward part of the fuselage with the cabin, the center stripe on the fuselage, the propeller cone and the rudder are ocher. Registration marks and the Cardinal inscription on the rudder are white, the Cessna inscription on the keel is ocher.

Technical data and performance: Wing span 10.82 m, length 8.22 m, height 2.77 m. Wing area 16.16 m², surface load 70.2 kg/m². Empty weight 669 kg, take-off weight 1134 kg. Speeds - the largest horizontal 246 km/h., cruising at 75% engine performance at 2400 m is 229 km/h., the smallest with flaps 85 km/h.

Rate of climb at the ground 4.25 m/s. ; practical access 4450 m; greatest range (at 3000 m) 1270 km; endurance at an altitude of 3000 meters 6 hours 20 minutes Start length 228 m, finish length 182 m.