On 24-Jul-2003, Paul Young wrote:

I keep seeing the different letter variants for C-172 airplanes (e.g.,
Cessna 172L, Cessna 172N) but I have no idea how different is which
variant from each other... Is there any website or other resource where
I can find specs for each of the Cessna 172 variants...? Any info
greatly appreciated...!


The letter suffixes relate to certification changes associated with
significant airframe and/or engine changes or refinements. For example,
when Cessna performed an aerodynamic cleanup resulting in improved cruise
performance with the 1974 model year, the model designation for
certification purposes went from 172L to 172M. I'm sure that there is a
good reference which identifies, for each suffix, the model years and the
airframe/engine changes involved.

-Elliott Drucker