Cessna 172 Flight From California To Hawaii Sparks Social Media Buzz

A Cessna 172 has gone viral on social media this week as it completed a ferry flight from California to Hawaii.

According to FlightAware, the aircraft, N176TA, departed Merced Regional Airport (KMCE) in California on Tuesday and flew some 2,425 miles before landing in Honolulu, Hawaii, 18 hours later. The flight was more than three times the range of the 2018 Cessna 172 Skyhawk SP, making it an impressive feat.

FlightAware showed the aircraft flying most of the journey at 5,975 feet with a peak altitude of 8,000 feet. The aircraft was cruising at 130 knots with a peak of 155 knots toward the end of the flight.

According to an article from The Autopian, which reported on the flight,  the ferry pilot, Tom Lopes, made the exact same trip two years prior. Lopes explained his strategy in a YouTube video, noting that every inch of the aircraft’s interior was fitted with a fuel cell.

The trip sparked both praise and astonishment from aviation enthusiasts tracking it on social media.