Can anyone please tell me where I can find a manual for a C172R? I'm particularly interested in descent rates, climb rates, performance etc to be able to execute more precise approaches. Thank you.

As someone with a few hundred hours in 172's, I can assure you that having the user manual will contribute *nothing* to your quest for "precise approaches".I don't know what your vision or definition of a precise approach is. In the real world, there are only two kinds of approaches -- good and bad. A good one you land off -- a bad one you go around or risk death and destruction.Learning to make good approaches is the toughest thing a student pilot must learn and is achieved only through practise, practise, practise. They don't just "happen" from a certain throttle setting, rate of descent and airspeed.Cal (CYXX)

Hello,is this close enough?http://www.skylanepilot.net/msfs/html/SkylanePerf.htmIan

>Hello,>is this close enough?>http://www.skylanepilot.net/msfs/html/SkylanePerf.htm>IanYes this is basically what I'm looking for but unfortunately this data pertains to the 182S. I am looking for the C172R but thank you anyway.

>As someone with a few hundred hours in 172's, I can assure>you that having the user manual will contribute *nothing* to>your quest for "precise approaches".>>I don't know what your vision or definition of a precise>approach is. In the real world, there are only two kinds of>approaches -- good and bad. A good one you land off -- a bad>one you go around or risk death and destruction.>>Learning to make good approaches is the toughest thing a>student pilot must learn and is achieved only through>practise, practise, practise. They don't just "happen" from a>certain throttle setting, rate of descent and airspeed.>>Cal (CYXX)>Yes I agree with you but having some kind of starting point can also be useful for someone that's not an expert. When you're learning it can be helpful to have some basic guidelines to follow and after many hours of practice you gain an instinctive feel for the proper settings. I understand that after logging several hundred hours in a 172 this becomes second nature to you but having a general idea of such things as decent rates helps someone who is still learning like I am and since I'm trying my best to fly the aircraft as close to realistic as possible I prefer to stay within it's real life design limits instead of just doing something that may not necessarily be correct or beneficial in the real thing. Thank you.

Hi, You may want to visit your local FBO,or flight school in your area.Or communicate with Cessna directly. Sportys also has an extensive library. I'm sure an owner would be able to copy those pages,and help you out. Good luck VIN

Hi,You might want to check this file:http://www.flight1software.com/172/manual/...hawk_manual.zipand this:http://www.airborne-aviation.com.au/aircra...booklet_scn.pdf

Nowhere in the POH will you find a chart, table or *any* mention of rates of descent. That's because it's dependent on a number of factors. They don't even give a "guideline".I think I can understand your feeling that if you fly by the numbers, it will be as realistic as it gets. But, consider these extracts from a 172M POH I just happen to have:Rotate speed: 60 MPHInitial Climb speed: 75 to 85 MPHClimb speed: 80 to 90 MPHApproach speed (no flaps): 70 to 80 MPHApproach speed (full flaps): 65 to 75 MPHA 172R POH will be the same or very nearly so. The point I'm trying to illustrate is the lack of precise numbers.I fly realistically. That's the only way I know. It's instinctive due to my training & experience. In doing so, I never get anywhere near any "design limits". It's almost impossible to do so.If you're not convinced, so be it. I offer these as a glimpse into the real world of flying a 172 (and most other light aircraft).Cal (CYXX)

Donny AKA ShalomarFly 2 ROCKS!!!The following formula can help *somewhat*, if you want to plan your descent rate. It does not guarantee terrain avoidance etc. It gives you no margin for decreasing speed, which can be important as you move to higher performance aircraft. First, it assumes that you want to descend at a 3 to 1 ratio; three mautical miles forward for every 1,000 feet altitude loss. This is the angle most visual landing aids and ILS's are set up at. This works in any airplane, any speed. To find out how many FPM will result in a 3 to 1:1. Take your groundspeed, easiest to get from GPS (or true airspeed minus wind effects)2. Drop the last digit, you'll get precise enough without it.3. Divide by half, that is the target VSI that will result in a 3 to one descent.70 knots 7 3.5 350 FPM90 knots 9 4.5 450 FPM120 knots 12 6 600 FPMBy itself, this information is *useless*. But if you know your current distance from an airport, you can extrapolate goal altitudes as well with the three nautical miles for one thousand feet descent rule. But you might want to leave a cushion cuz you probably want to enter the pattern and not just go straight in. So factor in the pattern altitude as well, maybe starting down a few miles early to give yourself a chance to level off, spot the airport and enter the pattern.30 miles 10,000 feet *above airport elevation*20 Miles 6,000 feet15 miles 5,000 feet6 miles out on a straight in 2,0003 miles 1,0001.5 miles 500 feet by which point you should *really* have the feild in sight on most non ILS aproaches or do a missed. The idea is that this gives you the speed you should be descending at, if you *know* you are too high or low according to your goal altitudes you should adjust. Even on an ILS autoland, it will help with situational awareness and when manually flying you will chase the needles less on the ILS if you practice calculating 3 to one descents even from cruise.Most high perfomance unpressurised planes tend to descend at a 6 to one ratio if at speed because:250 knots 25 12.5 1250 FPM "OUCH, my ears!!!"To get a 6 to one ratio, step 4 is divide by half again. But they switch to a three to one on the aproach like everyone else once they have slowed.Best Regards, Donny:-wave