Aircraft recognition (I-VIRA)
 

Please could someone tell me exactly what this is. Also is there somewhere I can look it up on the Italian register (like G-INFO)

http://www.moirashearer.org/I-VIRA.jpg

Looks like a tri gear Cessna 180 to me.

Looks to me to be an early Cessna 172 FF. 1955. 3757 produced, later versions acquired the swept variant tail and then even later the 'omnivision' rear window.

Ian BB

1959 Cessna 175 msn 56045.

OK Dave so its a C 172 with a bigger geared 175 h.p.Continental motor stuffed in it - hence C 175.

Ian BB

That's it.

It's almost impossible to tell the two apart in a view from the rear like that one. From the front it's a bit easier.

I cheated. :O

Thanks!
I would be interested to know where that information comes from .......

Early Cessna 182 I think, as Chevron says it's very 180, especially that fin.

Oops, whole conversation gone on while I dithered...

Dave

"That's it.

It's almost impossible to tell the two apart in a view from the rear like that one. From the front it's a bit easier.

I cheated. :O"

No you didn't cheat - you just went the reg. route while I relied on the Mark 1 eyeball- recognition- system, which as you say can't see the revised engine cowling from the rear view given.

All's fair.........
Cheers Ian

From a little-known source that I sometimes use called Google. :O

I-VIRA Cessna

Though I suspect that's a side-effect rather than the primary purpose of the gearbox. :O

The GO-300 has a 0.75:1 reduction gearbox.

Here is what Wikipedia has to say about it:

An unusual feature of the 175 is the geared Continental GO-300 engine. Whereas most single-engine airplanes use direct drive, this engine drives the propeller through a reducing gearbox, so the engine runs at 3200 rpm to turn the propeller at 2400 rpm (4:3). The GO-300 engine suffered reliability problems and helped give the 175 a poor reputation. Some Skylarks flying today have been converted to larger-displacement direct-drive engines[3][4] though almost 90% still retain the GO-300.[5]
The GO-300's tainted reputation was largely undeserved, since its problems were the result of pilots who were unfamiliar with gear reduction engines, simply not operating the engine at the higher RPMs specified in the C-175 Pilot's Operating Handbook. Pilots unfamiliar with the engine often operated the engine at the low RPM settings (2300-2700) appropriate to direct-drive engines, while the 175's Operating Handbook called for cruising at 2900 RPM. The low RPM caused harmonic vibration in the reduction gear between the quill shaft (that turned the propeller) and crankshaft, and the low power resulted in low airspeeds that prevented the engine's air-cooling system from operating effectively, resulting in chronic reliability problems for engines not operated at the recommended power settings.


Ian BB

This article would appear to bear that out:

"Unfortunately, pilots tried to operate the engine along the same guidelines as the non-geared O-300 in the C-172. How, or why, did they do that? I know that I am going to get some 172 pilots upset with me, but many of them shouldn’t be allowed to drive a car in Fargo, North Dakota, on a very slow day."

Geared Continental GO-300 175 hp Six-cylinder Engines