Cessna · Piper · Cirrus
General Aviation
The trainers, tourers and personal aircraft that fill the world's small airfields.
Explore →Everything that flies, in one place
The complete guide to aircraft.
Specifications, histories and honest comparisons for every kind of flying machine — from the Cessna 172 to the 747, warbirds to homebuilts.
The hangar
Every corner of aviation, covered
From the flight school ramp to the fighter squadron, start with the category that gets you looking up.
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Commercial Airliners
The jets that move the world, from regional turboprops to the 777X.
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Military
Combat aircraft past and present, from the P-51 to the F-35.
Explore →Robinson · Bell · Sikorsky
Helicopters
Rotary-wing flight, from two-seat trainers to heavy-lift workhorses.
Explore →Mustangs · Spitfires · DC-3s
Vintage & Warbirds
The aircraft that made history — and the people keeping them flying.
Explore →Van's · Kitfox · Rutan
Experimental & Homebuilt
Kit planes and one-offs from the most inventive corner of aviation.
Explore →The comparison database
Compare any two aircraft, spec for spec
Wingspan, empty weight, useful load, cruise speed, range, engine options, fuel burn and seating — side by side, in one place. The detail a brochure won't give you and a forum thread can't keep straight.
- 60+ specification fields per aircraft
- Real-world cruise, range and useful-load numbers
- Side-by-side comparison of any two aircraft
- Updated as manufacturers revise their lines
SpecificationCessna 172SArcher LX
Wingspan36′ 1″35′ 6″
Max takeoff2,550 lb2,550 lb
Cruise124 kt128 kt
Range~640 nm~522 nm
EngineIO-360, 180 hpIO-360, 180 hp
Seats44
The Journal
Notes from the flight line
Ownership
What a Cessna 172 really costs to fly
Fuel, hangar, insurance and annuals — the per-hour numbers owners rarely publish.
Avionics
Glass cockpit vs. steam gauges
What the transition to a G1000 panel actually changes about how you fly.
Buying
High wing vs. low wing
The oldest argument in general aviation — and what it really means for your mission.