Cessna 172 Landing Distance Calculator
Skyhawk landing figures from pressure altitude and temperature — anchored to the published C172S short-field data with the headwind/tailwind notes built in.
Published C172S short-field figures assume 61 KIAS over the threshold at max landing weight, full flaps, max braking on a level, dry, paved runway. Every knot above 61 is float the chart didn't budget.
Formula
⚠️ Planning estimate only — your POH/AFM performance charts are the authoritative source. Always verify with official data, and apply your operator's safety factors. Not for airworthiness decisions.
Skyhawk landing figures from pressure altitude and temperature — anchored to the published C172S short-field data with the headwind/tailwind notes built in.
About Cessna 172 Landing Distance Calculator
The most-flown trainer deserves its own landing calculator. This tool anchors to the published Cessna 172S short-field landing data (575 ft roll, 1,335 ft over 50 ft — sea level, standard day) and corrects for pressure altitude, temperature and wind exactly the way the chart's own columns and notes do. The result reads directly against the runway lengths where Skyhawks actually live: the 2,000–3,000 ft GA strip.
How to use Cessna 172 Landing Distance Calculator
- 1Enter — sensible defaults are pre-filled so you see a worked result immediately.
- 2Read the live results: .
- 3Check the "With your numbers" line to see the formula base 575/1,335 ft (C172S SL/ISA) × 1/σ × wind factor (−10%/9 kt head, +10%/2 kt tail) substituted step by step.
- 4Adjust inputs (or flip the unit toggle) until the scenario matches yours, then copy or share the result.
Why use Cessna 172 Landing Distance Calculator?
- ✓Instant, free and private — every calculation runs in your browser, nothing is uploaded
- ✓Built on the published formula base 575/1,335 ft (C172S SL/ISA) × 1/σ × wind factor (−10%/9 kt head, +10%/2 kt tail) with sources cited on the page
- ✓Published C172S short-field figures assume 61 KIAS over the threshold at max landing weight, full flaps, max braking on a level, dry, paved runway. Every knot above 61 is float the chart didn't budget.
- ✓Switch units, tweak any input and watch every result update live
Frequently asked questions
What speed do the C172S landing numbers assume?+
61 KIAS crossing the 50 ft point at maximum landing weight (2,550 lb), full flaps, power idle at the screen, maximum braking after touchdown. The 61 figure already includes the margin over stall — adding 'a few for the family' on top of it is how 1,335-ft landings become 1,800-ft landings, per the V² float math.
Why doesn't this tool ask for landing weight?+
Cessna publishes the 172S landing chart at max landing weight only, making it conservative for lighter arrivals — a lighter Skyhawk lands shorter (lower touchdown speed via √W). Since the published anchor has no weight columns, the tool inherits its conservative single-weight basis rather than inventing uncharted credit.
How does a tailwind change a Skyhawk landing?+
Brutally, by the chart's own note: add 10% per 2 knots. A 6-kt tailwind inflates the 50-ft figure about 30% — roughly 400 ft. Combined with a downhill runway or a fast approach it explains most 172 overrun reports. This calculator prices it; the decision whether 'pattern convenience' is worth 400 ft stays yours.
Are 172N/M/P numbers close enough to use this?+
Directionally yes, numerically no. The older 160 hp models are lighter with slightly different flap travel (40° available pre-S) and publish different base figures — a 172N's book landing roll is shorter than the S's. The correction structure (σ, wind) applies unchanged, but anchor planning to your model's own Section 5 chart.
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