Model 3 Door Handle and Cessna 177 Cardinal

[Tim Alguire]

I went flying for the first time in many years and I realized that Cessna and the Model 3 Door handles have a lot in common, In fact the basic operation is very simiar. You press the thumb to expose the handle and pull the handle with the fingers...
Both the Tesla Model 3 and the Cessna 177 rely on flush door handles to reduce aerodynamic drag.

 

[tracksyde]

Picture of Cessna 177 door handle, I think

 

[Tim Alguire]

Picture of Cessna 177 door handle, I think

Thanks for adding the picture

 

[compu85]

Nice comparison.

 

[N5329K]

Flush handles on light a/c are common. And they are generally very lightly built and cheesy, with a few exceptions (the flush handle on the Bonanza is strong and reliable, and the canopy handles on my Navions were teardrop shaped and hell-for-stout).
The doors on the Cardinal are large and make excellent sails, and so there were problems right from the start with the wind (while parked or taxiing) catching them and slamming them against the stops, breaking stuff. The Cardinal was one of Cessna's brightest ideas as a replacement for its venerable 172. But it never did replace it, and became kind of an in-house orphan at Cessna (think Saturn at GM). Still the best looking modern Cessna single, I think.
Robin

 

[ölbrenner]

Still the best looking modern Cessna single, I think.

Agreed. And no wing struts further that.

 

[Tim Alguire]

Flush handles on light a/c are common. And they are generally very lightly built and cheesy, with a few exceptions (the flush handle on the Bonanza is strong and reliable, and the canopy handles on my Navions were teardrop shaped and hell-for-stout).
The doors on the Cardinal are large and make excellent sails, and so there were problems right from the start with the wind (while parked or taxiing) catching them and slamming them against the stops, breaking stuff. The Cardinal was one of Cessna's brightest ideas as a replacement for its venerable 172. But it never did replace it, and became kind of an in-house orphan at Cessna (think Saturn at GM). Still the best looking modern Cessna single, I think.
Robin

Agree on the the best looking one and really out performs the 172. 135 - 140 kts in the cruise.. compared to about 110 knots in the 172.