Meet Cessna 177 Cardinal
The Cardinal’s pitch surface is a stabilator: the horizontal tail moves as a unit, with a separate trim tab. Cessna’s 177RG handbook depicts the stabilator control and trim linkages separately from the aileron and rudder systems. It gives this high-wing light aircraft a pitch-control arrangement distinct from a fixed tailplane with an elevator.
History & design
A Cessna with a different wing and tail
The 1968 Cardinal introduced a strutless wing and a roomy cabin, but its original 150 hp installation proved underpowered. Cessna moved to 180 hp for the 1969 model and revised the early aircraft through Operation Cardinal Rule, including slots in the stabilator to improve landing behaviour.
The cantilever wing sits far enough aft to improve the view from the cockpit. Unlike the elevator-and-stabiliser arrangement familiar from other small Cessnas, the Cardinal uses an all-moving stabilator. The fixed-gear 177B and retractable 177RG remain separate configurations, with different engines, weights and performance.
AOPA · Cessna 177 Cardinal ↗Systems & details
Stabilator and trim
The manufacturer handbook’s systems diagrams identify a stabilator control system and a separate stabilator-trim system. The trim tab changes the force balance of the all-moving pitch surface.
Two undercarriage configurations
Carenado names the C177B as fixed gear and C177RG as retractable gear. Its supplied KFC225 manual belongs to the product’s automatic-flight cockpit.
In your simulator
No released simulator product is listed for this aircraft in the developers reviewed. Announced products are excluded.
Manuals & resources
Read the original documentation from the people who created it. Manuals open on their publisher’s website.
Developer documentation
C177 CARDINAL II XPLANE 11 – Carenadowww.carenado.com · Carenado Cardinal II included models and documents.Aircraft background
Cessna 177RG Pilot’s Operating Handbook — 1977www.cardinalflyers.com · Cessna 177RG POH, section 7 control and trim diagrams.Aircraft documentation
Cessna 177 CardinalAOPA · AOPA Cardinal type account and flight observations; model-year changes explicitly scoped.Built-in force-feedback profiles
Read the documentary basis, editable starting settings and remaining questions for the aircraft you fly. Each explanation refers to the exact profile revision shown.
Catalogue programme-20261011-v3 · 2 profile choices
Carenado C177B Cardinal fixed gear
Carenado · Free and Pro · Revision 1 · Partial review
X-Plane 11
The Cardinal’s pitch surface is a stabilator: the horizontal tail moves as a unit, with a separate trim tab.
Carenado C177RG Cardinal retractable
Carenado · Free and Pro · Revision 1 · Partial review
X-Plane 11
The Cardinal’s pitch surface is a stabilator: the horizontal tail moves as a unit, with a separate trim tab.
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