Buying guide
Cessna 172 SP for sale: what to check before you buy
Published November 11, 2026.
The Cessna 172 is one of the most familiar training aircraft there is, and "172" covers seven decades of production. The modern ones are two models, the 172R and the 172S, and the 172S is the one sold as the Skyhawk SP. Below is what the official EASA data sheet says separates them, what today's listings show for the SP, and what to check before an offer.
172R and 172S: same engine, different rating
Both modern versions are on EASA data sheet IM.A.051, and both use the same engine model, the Lycoming IO-360-L2A. What changes is the power it is rated at, and with it the weight the aircraft may carry.1
| Version | Serials | Engine rating | Max. takeoff weight (normal category) | Usable fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 172R Skyhawk | 17280001 on | Lycoming IO-360-L2A at 160 hp (2,400 rpm); 180 hp with a Cessna modification kit, on eligible serials only | 1,111 kg (2,450 lb) | 200.6 litres (53 US gal) |
| 172S Skyhawk SP | 172S8001 on | Lycoming IO-360-L2A at 180 hp (2,700 rpm) | 1,157 kg (2,550 lb) | 200.6 litres (53 US gal) |
According to the official data sheet, both versions seat four, need one pilot and are approved for VFR and IFR, day and night. The glass cockpit sold as Nav III is the Garmin G1000 option, covered by its own special conditions on the data sheet.1
What today's listings show
On November 11, 2026, the PlaneFox aggregator, which collects listings from European and American portals and brokers, showed 309 Cessna 172s of all versions. By our reading of the titles, 40 of them are 172S or Skyhawk SP aircraft built from 1998 on.2
| PlaneFox, 11/11/2026 | 172S / Skyhawk SP |
|---|---|
| Listings | 40 |
| Model years | 1998 to 2026 |
| Priced in euros (10 listings) | €170,000 to 395,000, median €266,000 |
| Priced in dollars (7 listings) | US$189,900 to 329,500* |
| Total hours, where published (19 listings) | 620 to 11,700, median 3,667 |
* Nine other listings show exactly US$100,000, including a 2026 aircraft. A figure repeated like that is a placeholder, not a price. The highest euro price in the sample is the aircraft on our own site, which also has the third-lowest hours of the 19 that publish them. Three listings describe a diesel engine: the data sheet lists only the Lycoming, so a diesel 172 is a converted aircraft and should come with the approval paperwork for the conversion.1 Asking price is not selling price.
What to check on any 172 SP
- The serial confirms the model. A serial starting with 172S is a 172S; one starting with 1728 is a 172R.1 An aircraft advertised as "SP" with a 172R serial needs an explanation. The routine for checking serial, registration and owner is in this post.
- A 172R at 180 hp. The data sheet allows the 180 hp rating on the 172R only through a Cessna modification kit and only on the serials it lists.1 Ask for the kit records before accepting the higher power as a fact.
- Hours and school use. This part is our reading. The median 172S for sale has more than 3,600 hours and some pass 11,000, which is the mark of a school fleet. Ask for the landing count and the repair history, and have the nose gear, the firewall and the engine mount inspected with hard landings in mind.
- Engine and propeller separately. Ask for the engine hours since new or since overhaul, the date of the overhaul and who did it. If the propeller hours do not match the engine hours, ask why it was changed.
- Which cockpit. The same model exists with conventional instruments and with the Garmin G1000, and the autopilot varies with the year.1 Check what is installed, the software status and whether the equipment meets the airspace rules where you will fly.
- Airworthiness directives. Check the directives for the airframe, engine and propeller, and compliance in the records.3
The Cessna 172 SP we have for sale
- Cessna 172S Skyhawk SP: 1,196 hours on the airframe and on the engine, Garmin G1000 with WAAS, McCauley propeller with 680 hours, €395,000.
The year, serial number, registration and inspection status are confirmed with the seller on request. The propeller has fewer hours than the engine, and the reason is one of the questions to put to the seller.
Sources
- EASA, type certificate data sheet IM.A.051, Cessna 172R and 172S, issue 11, Nov. 17, 2025: easa.europa.eu
- PlaneFox, Cessna 172 listings, accessed Nov. 11, 2026: planefox.com
- EASA, Safety Publications Tool (airworthiness directives): ad.easa.europa.eu