PLAINWELL AVIATION AND STEM ACADEMY· ICAO24 ab8331· last seen 20h ago

N8407L is a Cessna Skyhawk 172/Cutlass, a single-engine piston aircraft operated by PLAINWELL AVIATION AND STEM ACADEMY. SkyMeter has tracked 1,294 flights totalling 737 hours of airtime via ADS-B across 2 callsigns. The most frequent segment is 61D to 61D. Service window in our records spans 445 days. Of those flights, 78 (6.0%) carry at least one detected incident: a go-around, unstable approach, stall warning, or runway excursion. The Cessna Skyhawk 172/Cutlass has a 36 ft wingspan, a maximum takeoff weight of 2,550 lb.

About the Cessna Skyhawk 172/Cutlass

The Cessna 172 Skyhawk holds the distinction of being the most-produced aircraft in history, with more than 44,000 airframes delivered since its introduction in 1956. Built by Cessna Aircraft Company as a four-seat, high-wing trainer and personal aircraft, the 172 became the backbone of flight training worldwide and remains in continuous production today, a manufacturing run spanning nearly seven decades. Its docile handling, forgiving stall characteristics, and rugged tricycle landing gear made it the default choice for ab-initio pilot training across six continents, and its ubiquity means more pilots have logged their first solo in a 172 than any other type.

The Skyhawk's operating envelope is modest but practical: powered by a Lycoming O-320 or O-360 four-cylinder engine producing 150 to 180 horsepower, it cruises at around 120 knots, stalls at 40 knots in landing configuration, and has a never-exceed speed of 163 knots. Maximum takeoff weight is 2,550 pounds, and typical range is 500 to 600 nautical miles with reserves. The aircraft's simplicity (fixed landing gear, fixed-pitch or constant-speed propeller, manual flight controls) keeps operating costs low and maintenance straightforward, which explains its enduring popularity among flight schools, flying clubs, and private owners.

While the 172 will never set speed or altitude records, its reliability and ease of operation have made it the most successful general aviation aircraft ever built. SkyMeter has tracked flights across airframes and operators, with the largest observed operator.

FLIGHTS
1,294
all time
FLOWN HOURS
737
tracked time
📍
AIRPORTS VISITED
53
unique
📡
CALLSIGNS
2
97 routes
📅
SERVICE PERIOD
5/30/2025 → 8/18/2026
first → last
INCIDENT RATE
6.0%
78 flagged

Top routes

By flight count

10
61D 61D
197
K35D 61D
110
61D K35D
74
61D 41C
15
61D KAZO
13
8
61D M86
7
61D KGRR
6
6
87MI 61D
6

Flight numbers

Most-flown by this airframe

2

Aircraft specifications

Cessna Skyhawk 172/Cutlass

Engines
Single Piston
Vref (approach)
62 kt
MTOW
2,550 lb
Wingspan
36 ft
Length
27 ft
Wake category
Light

Recent flights

Newest 50 operations of N8407L

50
8/18/2026
44m
△ Low approach-stability score
8/14/2026
26m
△ Low approach-stability score
8/7/2026
50m
△ Low approach-stability score
8/5/2026
37m
△ Low approach-stability score
7/30/2026
25m
△ Low approach-stability score
7/29/2026
35m
△ Low approach-stability score
© SkyMeter · All flight data subject to ODbL attribution