Cessna 172, Skyhawk, P172 Aircraft 1963–1975 Illustrated Parts Catalog (P/N P529-12)

• Covers 1963–1974 Cessna 172 and Skyhawk models 172D through 172M, serial 17249545 through 17263458
• Also covers the 1963 P172 Powermatic/Skyhawk Powermatic, serial P17257120 through P17257188; Reims/Cessna F172D through F172M, serial F172-0001 through F17201234; and the 1963 FP172 French Powermatic, serial FP172-0001 through FP172-0003
• Cessna factory illustrated parts catalog reference P529-12, base issue dated 15 January 1975 and identified as the Final Issue
• Supersedes the earlier 172/P172 parts catalogs dated from 15 September 1962 through 15 June 1973
• 662-page PDF. Cessna's List of Effective Pages identifies 660 pages in the base publication; this file also includes Parts Catalog Revision PCR #76-2 dated 28 January 1976 and Temporary Revision No. 1 dated 17 February 1978
• Built around illustrated assembly breakdowns, part numbers, units-per-assembly data, serial applicability, and usable-on codes for parts identification and repair planning

Structural Content Overview

Finding the exact part number for a vintage airframe can quickly stall a project, especially when the same basic nomenclature was used across several production changes. This catalog breaks the 172, P172, F172, and FP172 series into assemblies, sub-assemblies, attaching hardware, and serial-specific configurations. Parts can be tracked through both the alphabetical index and the numerical index, then matched to the applicable figure and serial block.

Coverage goes well beyond wing skins and basic airframe hardware. The catalog indexes wing spars, ribs, leading edges and fairings; aileron, flap, rudder, elevator, trim-tab, and control-system parts; fuselage sections and doors; main and nose landing gear; brakes and parking-brake components; seats and interior trim; fuel tanks, selectors, strainers, and lines; engine installation parts and controls; propeller and governor components; instrument panels; cabin heat and defrosting; vacuum and gyro equipment; and electrical equipment including alternator, starter, master-solenoid, lighting, and related installations.

Representative illustrated figures show the actual depth of the breakdowns: Figure 4, Wing Assembly Complete; Figure 16, Fuel Tank Installation; Figure 104, Instrument Panel Equipment Installation; Figure 122, Engine Installation; Figure 140, Cabin Heating & Defrosting System Installation; and Figure 179, Venturi & Gyro System Installation. The engine installation figures identify aircraft-side items such as upper and lower engine mounts, starter control, throttle control, fuel-mixture control, carburetor-heat control, and related attaching parts rather than presenting an engine overhaul procedure.

Technical Specification Highlights

Serial applicability is one of the strongest features of this publication. The introduction explains how the far-right Usable On Code connects individual parts to the serial blocks printed with each figure. A part shown without a usable-on restriction applies throughout that figure's stated model and serial coverage; coded parts must be matched to the appropriate serial group. This matters because the catalog specifically distinguishes non-interchangeable parts from later designs that are interchangeable.

The parts-list notation also carries information that is easy to miss when ordering from a part number alone. WEU means "When Exhausted Use" and identifies a later-design interchangeable part to be used after the earlier supply is exhausted. NP identifies a non-procurable item or installation, while AR means "As Required." Standard Cessna parts may use an "S" prefix, and AN/NAS numbers are used for applicable standard hardware.

Those rules prevent several common parts-selection mistakes. Repeated nomenclature does not automatically mean two parts interchange; the usable-on code and aircraft serial block still have to agree. Likewise, a WEU entry is not simply an instruction to discard the earlier design immediately. Interior parts can require another level of identification: upholstered items and many painted or plastic cabin parts use Finish & Trim information, year codes, interior-color codes, or an additional dash number to arrive at the correct orderable part.

The finish and trim material is unusually detailed for a parts catalog. It includes Finish & Trim plate decoding, paint-code charts, upholstery and interior-color combinations, and serial-based information for both U.S.-built and French-built aircraft. Bulk-item listings identify materials such as sealants, adhesives, flexible duct and hose, insulation, electrical wire, and other material supplied by length or quantity.

Factory placards add a few useful technical values even though this is primarily a procurement document. One electrical placard identifies a 12-volt DC, negative-ground system and warns about reverse polarity. The oil-filter placard for Cessna P/N 1250406.1 identifies element P/N 1250406-2, a 50-hour oil/filter interval, 15–18 ft-lb filter torque, and one additional quart of engine oil with installation of that filter and at each element change.

Scope and Catalog Boundaries

This is an illustrated parts catalog, not a repair manual. It does not supply step-by-step removal, installation, overhaul, adjustment, rigging, calibration, troubleshooting, or repair procedures, and the electrical illustrations should not be confused with a wiring-schematic manual. Radio equipment, Navomatic/autopilot items, headset and microphone jacks, and other specified electronics are referred to the separate Cessna Electronics Manual. Accessory-kit listings are likewise referred to a separate Accessory Kit Catalog.

Use this publication to establish configuration, identify assemblies, resolve serial breaks, and select the correct parts for repair work. For actual repair, inspection, rigging, electrical testing, installation, or torque procedures, use the current approved maintenance data applicable to the specific aircraft.