My C170 Permit-To-Fly Renovation Project

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gobrien
Posts: 113
Joined: Sun May 19, 2019 11:36 am

My C170 Permit-To-Fly Renovation Project

Post by gobrien »

I have finally added a few updates to the project blog. More to come ...

Comments, input, questions, criticism welcome! (construtive would be nice!) :D

Gareth.

https://www.taildragger.eu/
1948 170 Project (N4180V) now EI-AEN SN:18513 - Dublin, Ireland
https://www.taildragger.eu/
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Ryan Smith
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Joined: Tue Nov 25, 2008 4:26 am

Re: My C170 Permit-To-Fly Renovation Project

Post by Ryan Smith »

Very cool! Looking forward to following...love your panel progress so far!
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n2582d
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Joined: Mon Apr 29, 2002 4:58 am

Re: My C170 Permit-To-Fly Renovation Project

Post by n2582d »

Gareth,
Quite impressive! Mastering Solidworks as you have is quite an achievement. Great looking panel CAD drawings!

To say your electircal system is overkill for a day VFR aircraft is an understatement. It looks like you're trying to recreate the overhead or back cockpit panel of a Boeing or Airbus. Where are you planning on mounting your fuse panel?
IMG_20200224_133404-768x372.jpg
I too have Bob Nuckolls' The AeroElectric Connection He's a wealth of knowledge regarding aircraft electrical systems. He makes a good case for using fuses rather than circuit breakers. (Looks like the 170 was ahead of it's time with six fuses!) But I'm curious why you decided to use glass fuses rather than the blade type that are common in the automotive industry and what Bob Nuckolls recommends?
Multi-slot plastic fuseblock
Multi-slot plastic fuseblock
You've also spent a lot of thought and time on your electrical schematic. I see you have a single pole triple throw landing/taxi light switch so you have can select either the landing light or the taxi light. The later versions of the 170B use a double pole triple throw switch which allows the taxi and landing light to be on when the landing lights are selected. Might be something to consider.
Screen Shot 2020-04-20 at 9.40.30 AM.png
Screen Shot 2020-04-20 at 9.40.30 AM.png (8.41 KiB) Viewed 4908 times


I'm envious of you're being able to fly and maintain your C-170 using "permit aviation" rules much as we would an experimental in this country.
Gary
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gobrien
Posts: 113
Joined: Sun May 19, 2019 11:36 am

Re: My C170 Permit-To-Fly Renovation Project

Post by gobrien »

Hey Gary,

Thank you, but I wouldn't say I've mastered Solidworks by any stretch! I had played about with Freecad (open source) which has some similar funtionality so I understood the basics and I've still only really used the basics. I do love the sheet-metal functionality and I've used it to make patterns for the cabin heat parts that I'll cover in another post.

The overdone fuse panel is going in the glove box. I lose the storage but the Boeing/Airbus look will be hidden! I was going to use the automotive blocks, in fact I planned to have a rear fuse block for the avionics remotes which are behind the rear baggage area. At about EUR15 per 12-fuse block, they're a no-brainer. However, my inspector got a bit squirelly about going all the way to automotive parts in a classic aircraft. I got the feeling it was more a philosophical objection than a safety one, but I figured "pick your battles".

While it is current IAA & ILAS policy that permit aircraft are VFR day only, the tech committee at ILAS have been looking for an opportunity to move to IFR. LAA in the UK has had several projects IFR certified by the CAA which while it is a completely separate jurisdiction, it is a useful precedent for us. All the instruments have redundant backups (as the EFIS does it all, the separate DI and AHRS are electronic and I'm keeping the analog ASI, Alt, VSI and tach) and the electrical system has 2 batteries, one of which feeds the endurance bus only. I'm going to put a heated pitot on it which EASA requires for IFR (going for the Dynon AOA pitot) and see if we can push the envelope. That will be on the "spare" switch in the layout below.

I actually bought DPDT 3 position toggles for the piano keys and didn't update the schematic, so the landing/taxi & landing option is a possibility. I'm considering putting LED wig-wags on the jury struts like you see on experimentals and ultralights. I like the huge increase in visibility they bring with the side to side motion effect of the alternating lights. I'm thinking to do the up and down thing with Nav Only UP and Nav & Strobe DOWN, etc. Not finalised yet. Can't get the panel cut as the metal shop is shut down thanks to Covid-19.
Piano Key Labels DRAFT.png
I considered the Zenith but after flying a Super Cub knew I wanted a taildragger and then considered several kits including the Bearhawk Patrol. However, they are all big money and multiple years before flying; I felt it a lot for a complete beginner. When the 170 came up on barnstormers I grabbed it and considered it in effect a factory quick-build kit. I really like that the permit system allows this. I would not have felt comfortable ripping out and starting over if I was using certified equipment at 3-4 times the price, not to mention the A&P bill would have made it prohibitively expensive. The end result will have a lower resale price than if I had kept it on the N reg but not more than the increased cost of certified avionics, nav/com. engine monitor, etc. and I have no intention of parting with her anyway!

G.
1948 170 Project (N4180V) now EI-AEN SN:18513 - Dublin, Ireland
https://www.taildragger.eu/
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