Cessna C172 Underpowered

Discussion Hub General Discussion
1

The default C172 seems to be underpowered. At takeoff I rotate at 55kts but cannot climb at more than about 500 fpm while maintaining 70 kts. I am a real-life pilot flying C172 and can initially easily climb at more than 800 fpm at 70 kts.
Pramod

1 Like
2

I assume, since you are a pilot, that you’ve accounted for density altitude?

3

800 fpm?

Max rate of climb for an S model at sea level at 20°C is 710 fpm. That immediately decreases with a higher density altitude. On initial climb you should probably be averaging 650 fpm. I haven’t found that they’re underpowered.

1 Like
4

Maybe @WildingString97 isn’t always flying 172s at MTOW. :wink:

5

Aren’t they all? :wink:

2 Likes
6

Fair enough, but does 800 fpm sound right to you?

7

Surely you’d provide us with some more information other than your plane climbs at 800fpm. There is no set climb rate, it depends on so many factors


1 Like
8

Maybe the msfs pilot ate too many hamburgers before takeoff. :hamburger:

2 Likes
9

I learned to fly in California’s Central Valley, where temperatures on the ramp regularly climbed past 110F on hot days.

The 172F I flew could climb out at 800 feet a minute
 for about a minute. After that it felt about like a four-seat 150
 very underpowered in the 100+ Valley heat. By the time you got to 4500’ or 5500’ (typical cruise altitude where it was only 90+ degrees) you’d be at 500 feet per minute or less.

4 Likes
10

Based on convos with a friend who was flying out of Glenwood Springs CO for his flight instruction (back in the 80’s!), the 172 he used was always a bit ‘slow’ to gain altitude once you got the wheels off the tarmac. Of course, KGWS is around 5915 ft altitude, so that makes a huge difference. Pete told me that he preferred to do his flights early in the mornings when air was densest.

2 Likes
11

I’m another (ex) Skyhawk pilot. I find the flight dynamics and power very realistic. The only thing the real C172 does that the sim doesn’t do so well is lift off the pavement almost by itself. There is very little yoke pulling needed. It wants to fly.

6 Likes
12

Back when I was learning, I would often meet my CFI at first light. There were mornings where we got to watch the sun come up from 4500’ doing turns about a point, or power on stall practice. Dawn is a great time to fly! :slight_smile:

3 Likes
13

Not once while flying the 172 in the sim have I felt it was under powered. Many times flying the real 172 here in the desert southwest I’ve said it feels “under powered”. 500 FPM to 700 FPM climbs from density altitudes of 4,000’ at 35 degrees C are totally normal to me.

2 Likes
14

Just checked the Sim for fun. EDDF 360ft, about 20C plus. Easily 700fpm at around 70kts. Fuel : default. Looks good to me.

Didn’t have dinner yet though 
.

1 Like
15

I have never seen 800fpm climb in any club or flight school C172. Must be the magic carpet version, loaded only with flies and balloons.

1 Like
16

800 really sounds a bit high. With an RG I’d believe it instantly. Our F172N (140HP) with around 75% fuel and two adults climbs at roughly 500, rather 400 in summer. Add two dwarfs in the back and you’re immediately down to 300.

17

Both the 152 and 172 seem pretty close to the real thing to me. I’ve only fliwn a real 172 a couple of times but about 150 hours in 152s.

I found the real 172 felt a bit heavier to handle than the 152 and landing and takeoff speeds around 5 kts higher in the 172.

My normal climb rate in the 152 was around 500 fpm and around 600 ftm in the 172.

The sim is about right for my experience, though bear in mind that things will feel different if fully loaded or flying at altitude.

18

Seems about right to me – maybe in the sim, it appears to be a bit sluggish, but it seems pretty close to the POH.

If you don’t like it, its a SIM - you can always change it to be almost whatever you want !! – and make it more of a FANTASY SIMULATOR 


19

I have never met a C172 that can do better than 700fpm in a 70kt climb. (Exception made for a C172XP I used to have access too, but thats a different engine).

I think the C172 in MSFS is spot on honestly. And more powerful than any I have ever flown (full aware that I’ve never flown a factory fresh one)

3 Likes
20

I think there are two 80kg pilots simulated as stock-load whenever a Cessna is chosen, try to remove the co-pilot and see how it behaves.
And there are some good mods: