The International Cessna 170 Association

Boys! Some probably long dead engineer at Continental decided that the slash should angle toward the front. My IA wanted to turn them around the other way, until I showed him the IPC and numerous vintage photographs; then he relented. Alright, so it doesn't make sense, but there is no doubt some rea...

I think it's laudeable to have redundant systems, and I suppose one's own comfort level has alot to do with it, but the way most 170's are operated, worrying about radio master switch failures is a little over the top, IMHO. I fly mine IFR when conditions require it, and a battery powered hand-held ...

Hi Bob, I'm not sure I understand exactly what you have done. You have TWO seperate avionics master switches, wired in series? In other words, either switch, when turned on will power the avionics bus? I get the bit about the CB's. Explain your setup a little more, if you please! Russ Farris P.S. I'...

Well, here's my solution. My airplane came with a UPS II Morrow loran, which I wasn't too fond of. The previous owner also had mounted a Garmin 195 next to the sidewall, which I did like, except the the tangle of wires associated with most portable GPS units. What I did was replace the loran with an...

I would definitely want new over used, especially for the same money. I'd be curious about the weight difference, too. Russ Farris

HI Rudy, from what I understand the hollow axles will develop cracks, even in normal use, from fatigue and corroision. The guy who owned my airplane before took the hollow axles to US Air's mx shop and had them x-rayed. BOTH of them were badly cracked - one almost completely around. He replaced them...

Thanks George, that's exactly the information I needed! I'm happy to hear you Dad is doing better...Russ Farris

Hi George, it's good to see you back on line...I hope everything is well with your family. Last summer, you talked about installing an MP gauge on your airplane. After listening to your usual compelling arguments, I ordered the same unit from AC Spruce. Of course, it doesn't come with any hookup har...

Are there legal alternatives to the metal oil pressure guage line (the section from the engine to the firewall)? I've heard stories of it breaking right in the vibration loop. I'm thinking braided flexible high pressure hose...Russ Farris

On the subject of slipping with flaps, on the B you can do a full forward slip safely with flaps 20. The restriction only applies to full flaps. Conservatively, I don't slip with flaps 30. Russ Farris

Hey guys, I'm not disputing the A models are a little faster than the Bs; that seems to be the common experience. I'm just not convinced that it has anything to do with a couple degrees of dihedral. I took quite a few aeronautical engineering courses at Embry-Riddle in the late 1970s, before I final...

Sorry guys, I'm not buying the idea that a couple of degrees of dihedral would make the B model slower than the A, at least by any amount you can measure. The simple piano hinge flaps probably seal better than the barn doors of the B. The less leakage, the less drag-inducing turbulence. But even the...

The very first day I saw my airplane-to-be, I noticed a fixed trim tab on the left aileron, which struck me as unusual, since Cessnas have adjustable wing incidence thru eccentric bolts. My airplane flies dead ahead, and has always made book cruise speeds, which in a low-powered airplane like the 17...

Thanks Dick, I'll try taping the blast tubes closed next. Russ Farris

Bela...I think it has two drawbacks...slow and short on range, especially for IFR. The slow part wouldn't seem so bad if I could make it non-stop. A fuel stop adds at least an hour to a trip, counting approach and climb. 55 gallons would be ideal, especially since I seldom carry much of a load. Havi...