Cessna 172 Skyhawk — the most-built wing in aviationvsPiper PA-28 Cherokee — the Hershey-bar wing
root section naca2412 → naca652415 · dihedral 1.73° → 7.00° · sweep parameter 1.666 → 0.000 · tip twist -3.00° → 0.00° · tip cap reach 0.200 → 0.300 · taper 0.804 → 1.000
units
These analyses are not directly comparable
- different trim loads (10791 N vs 9565 N) — each wing is carrying a different weight
The geometry comparison below is unaffected — it is a comparison of shapes, not of runs.
- Cessna 172 Skyhawk — the most-built wing in aviation
- Piper PA-28 Cherokee — the Hershey-bar wing
What changed
| Property | Cessna 172 Skyhawk | Piper PA-28 Cherokee | Change | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geometry | ||||
| Span | 11000 mm | 9144 mm | -1856 mm | -16.9% |
| Root chord | 1630 mm | 1626 mm | -4 mm | -0.2% |
| Tip chord | 1310 mm | 1626 mm | +316 mm | +24.1% |
| Sweep parameter | 1.666 | 0.000 | -1.666 | -100.0% |
| Dihedral | 1.73° | 7.00° | +5.27° | +304.6% |
| Tip twist | -3.00° | 0.00° | +3.00° | -100.0% |
| Tip cap reach | 0.200 | 0.300 | +0.100 | +50.0% |
| Derived | ||||
| Aspect ratio | 7.350 | 5.624 | -1.726 | -23.5% |
| Area | 16463140 mm² | 14868144 mm² | -1594996 mm² | -9.7% |
| Taper | 0.804 | 1.000 | +0.196 | +24.4% |
| MAC | 1504 mm | 1626 mm | +122 mm | +8.1% |
| Sections | ||||
| Root section | naca2412 | naca652415 | changed | — |
| Shapedeviation at matched span fractions, 64 samples | ||||
| Chord deviation (max) | 316 mm | |||
| Chord deviation (RMS) | 166 mm | |||
| Twist deviation (max) | 3.00° | |||
| Dihedral deviation (max) | 395 mm | |||
| Tip cap deviation (max) | 958 mm | |||
Performance
CoefficientsDimensionless — how good the shape is, independent of size and speed.
ForcesNewtons and watts — what each wing actually carries and costs at this condition.
Spanwise
withheld — “Cessna 172 Skyhawk” integrates to CL 0.034 against the polar’s CL at the same α (this analysis predates the loading reporting its own) 0.344 (0.10×); “Piper PA-28 Cherokee” integrates to CL 0.007 against the polar’s CL at the same α (this analysis predates the loading reporting its own) 0.271 (0.03×). A loading that does not integrate back to its own wing’s CL is not a coarse curve, it is a wrong one.
air, ρ = 1.225 kg/m³
data
| V (kt) | Cessna 172 Skyhawk | Piper PA-28 Cherokee |
|---|---|---|
| 66.29 | 17.11 | 13.50 |
| 68.12 | 17.92 | 14.15 |
| 76.83 | 21.72 | 18.20 |
| 76.85 | 21.73 | 18.21 |
| 85.57 | 24.95 | 21.58 |
| 87.38 | 25.62 | 22.19 |
| 94.29 | 27.29 | 24.51 |
| 97.92 | 28.17 | 25.51 |
| 103 | 28.74 | 26.91 |
| 108 | 29.35 | 27.98 |
| 112 | 29.34 | 28.63 |
| 119 | 29.31 | 29.34 |
| 120 | 29.19 | 29.48 |
| 129 | 28.45 | 29.35 |
| 130 | 28.42 | 29.31 |
| 138 | 27.27 | 28.40 |
| 140 | 26.97 | 28.04 |
| 147 | 25.95 | 26.97 |
| 151 | 25.33 | 26.15 |
| 155 | 24.50 | 25.18 |
| 161 | 23.47 | 24.10 |
| 164 | 23.00 | 23.56 |
| 172 | 21.76 | 22.10 |
| 173 | 21.58 | 21.90 |