New 170 Owner Introduction

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darhymes
Posts: 78
Joined: Fri Jul 24, 2020 7:29 pm

New 170 Owner Introduction

Post by darhymes »

After a few years of deciding whether or not to buy an airplane, I decided that I wanted (needed, actually) to have a Cessna 170. Along the way, there were other contenders…a couple different J3s, a few Stinson 108s (the majority of my early career was spent flying the 190hp and 260hp variants as a banner tower) a Champ and a few Citabrias. None of them measured up to the long-term reliability, simplicity and usefulness that the 170 offered. With the mission more clearly defined, I started looking seriously at a few 170s. My mind was almost made up on one until a fellow TIC170A member posted his plane for sale in the TradeMart. It looked perfect and I decided that this was the plane for me. Just a few days later, my 10-year old son and I were on our way to pick up our plane and fly it home!

We spent 6 days (25.3 flying hours) and 16 stops getting back to Southern California. Summertime thunderstorms kept us on our toes almost the entire trip, but we had a wonderful time crossing the country low and slow. The hours spent meandering across the US became indelible memories for my son and I. We are both looking forward to some more trips like that one in the future!

Since the purchase (and before) I’ve spent hours perusing this forum, trying to gain as much knowledge of the 170 as possible. I’ve already learned enough to know that there is lot more to learn. Thanks to all of you that have put in the time and effort to helping us trying to care for and maintain these wonderful airplanes.

Thanks, Joe for taking such great care of your plane while you owned it. Thanks also for including the polishing gear with the sale…I don’t need to worry about going to the gym anymore!

I keep N4410B at Cable Airport in Upland, CA. I also spend a lot of time near Westhampton, NY (flying the boss there in the company Gulfstream). I would be happy to meet up with any fellow association members on either coast if schedules work out…
We found some pretty interesting hangars...
We found some pretty interesting hangars...
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Fuel stop in Idabel, OK.
Fuel stop in Idabel, OK.
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Home at last! At the tie down waiting for the hangar...lookin’ pretty!
Home at last! At the tie down waiting for the hangar...lookin’ pretty!
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Last edited by darhymes on Mon Sep 07, 2020 11:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Dustin Rhymes
'55 170B N4410B S/N 26754
'06 G550 “The Silver Bullet”
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170C
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Re: New 170 Owner Introduction

Post by 170C »

Welcome aboard! "55 is my favorite 170. Hope to meet you at one of our conventions.
OLE POKEY
170C
Director:
2012-2018
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Richgj3
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Re: New 170 Owner Introduction

Post by Richgj3 »

Welcome! Next time you’re at FOK, give me a shout. I’m based at KHWV. About 10 miles west. My 52 170B is polished also. Email: richgj3 at aol dot com. Or cell five one six nine zero nine 77 five 7.
Rich Giannotti CFI-A. CFI-I SE.
1952 C170B
N2444D s/n 20596
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busav8or
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Re: New 170 Owner Introduction

Post by busav8or »

Wow! I almost teared up there, Dustin, until you mentioned polishing! 8O I knew I had passed 10B on to the right person when, after your first landing as her new owner, Jack (Dustin’s 10 year old son) leaned forward and said, “Dad, I’m really gonna love this plane.”

I know you’ll continue to have fun and make many more memories with her!

Joe
Former Caretaker of N4410B '55 170B
s/n: 26754
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bsdunek
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Re: New 170 Owner Introduction

Post by bsdunek »

Welcome to a great organization. Hope to meet you at the 2021 Convention - if not before. I'm based in SE Michigan.
Bruce
1950 170A N5559C
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GAHorn
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Re: New 170 Owner Introduction

Post by GAHorn »

WELCOME, Dustin!
Great pics.... Got more?
(That T33 pic reminded me of Sherman, Tx where a forgotten hangar with that sort of stuff sits.)
'53 B-model N146YS SN:25713
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons. ;)
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darhymes
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Re: New 170 Owner Introduction

Post by darhymes »

Thanks for all the warm welcomes! It is really great to have such an active organization to support these birds.

I’m looking forward to meeting you, Rich. Next time we are heading to Westhampton, I’ll let you know.

The T33 was in Camden, Arkansas. The hangar looked very forgotten, but I figured it had made it this far, so felt comfortable with 10B parked in the far corner (away from the permanently open hangar door). I slept pretty well that night even though it stormed for hours. There were a lot of small puddles on the hangar floor the next morning. 10B was safe and dry, though...

Jack really loves our plane and is constantly reminding me of how pretty she is. He also enjoys the comfort of all the seats. They really are great for longer flights! Thanks again, Joe!!


Here are a few more pics from the voyage...
Jack’s favorite photo of the trip. He thought the T33 was so cool!
Jack’s favorite photo of the trip. He thought the T33 was so cool!
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A well-used but very active hangar in Vernon, TX.
A well-used but very active hangar in Vernon, TX.
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Another shot of the hangar in Vernon. 10B looking pretty in the morning light. Ready for another great day of flying!
Another shot of the hangar in Vernon. 10B looking pretty in the morning light. Ready for another great day of flying!
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Jack taking the controls for a while. He’s a pretty reliable autopilot as long he’s not hungry...
Jack taking the controls for a while. He’s a pretty reliable autopilot as long he’s not hungry...
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Just after arriving home at CCB. My wife and 4-year old met us at the plane with a camera and a bottle of champagne!
Just after arriving home at CCB. My wife and 4-year old met us at the plane with a camera and a bottle of champagne!
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Dustin Rhymes
'55 170B N4410B S/N 26754
'06 G550 “The Silver Bullet”
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GAHorn
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Re: New 170 Owner Introduction

Post by GAHorn »

B2D22447-A5AD-41F3-91C6-1232FFD39B26.jpeg
B2D22447-A5AD-41F3-91C6-1232FFD39B26.jpeg (48.98 KiB) Viewed 9065 times
CAPTION: Just after arriving home at CCB. My wife and 4-year old met us at the plane with a camera and a bottle of champagne!

You should certainly KEEP HER!
(The wife also.)
:twisted:
'53 B-model N146YS SN:25713
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons. ;)
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darhymes
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Re: New 170 Owner Introduction

Post by darhymes »

GAHorn wrote:You should certainly KEEP HER!
(The wife also.)
:twisted:

I think I’ll keep them both! My wife is very supportive of my aviation addiction. Several years ago, I owned a Pitts S1C. She was actually mad at me for selling it! Definitely a keeper!!

Just got back from a work trip a few days ago. Already took the kiddos up for a short flight in smoky SoCal. We are all just loving the 170!
Dustin Rhymes
'55 170B N4410B S/N 26754
'06 G550 “The Silver Bullet”
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GAHorn
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Re: New 170 Owner Introduction

Post by GAHorn »

darhymes wrote:
GAHorn wrote:You should certainly KEEP HER!
(The wife also.)
:twisted:

I think I’ll keep them both! My wife is very supportive of my aviation addiction. Several years ago, I owned a Pitts S1C. She was actually mad at me for selling it! Definitely a keeper!!

Just got back from a work trip a few days ago. Already took the kiddos up for a short flight in smoky SoCal. We are all just loving the 170!
LOL!
It was back in 1994 that I owned a C-206 and my wife and I took our 3 young-adult kids to Telluride for a family vacation. I’d been wanting a faster airplane but didn’t have the courage to bring the subject up.
But on the return trip, after a re-fueling/lunch stop at Santa Fe, which turned into the three girls disappearing while shopping ....(after all, it IS Santa FE!)...... By the time our son Tracy and I found them it was dinner-time so we ate and then headed back to the airport around sundown.
Meanwhile a severe Dust Storm developed and we ended up on an IFR flight plan at 11,000’ all the way home to central Texas. When we landed around midnight it was only about a mile of visibility out here in the dark hole of our ranch strip.
Next day, Jamie asked, “I noticed you kept your Sectional Charts in your lap the whole trip home from Santa Fe... Why? You don’t usually do that do you?” (Frankly, I was surprised she noticed I had VFR charts out during an IFR flight.)

I explained to her about flying at night with the entire family in a single engined airplane through a Dust Storm and asked if she’d ever seen the movie “Flight of the Phoenix”...??
She thought about that a moment and then asked, “Do you think we should get a Twin-Engined airplane?”

THAT.... is how I knew I’d definitely married WELL!
We bought a Baron and enjoyed it for the next 5 years, but $10K annual inspections got boring, so when we bought our next airplane.... is how We ended up with the Most Economical airplane I’ve ever owned..!! A recent winner of the Oshkosh Restoration Award... our 170B!

While I definitely miss the speed and handling of that Baron, and I sometimes wish I had the utility and capacity of that 206.... I’ll keep this B-model until I can’t fly it anymore and then hope one of the kids will take it over. It’s a great little aviation-addiction solution!
'53 B-model N146YS SN:25713
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons. ;)
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darhymes
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Re: New 170 Owner Introduction

Post by darhymes »

That’s a pretty good route to finally end up with a 170. I Really enjoyed flying the Baron. Such a nice plane and pretty fast, too (if you’re into that sort of thing). This 170 should last me a while. There may be a day in the future where the payload capacity becomes an issue, but it is a long way off.

Thanks, by the way for your contributions to this site. Your posts have been helpful to me for gaining insight on a few issues that have cropped on the plane so far. Specifically, the information regarding starter issues was invaluable. I was able to successfully troubleshoot the problem. Ended up nailing it down to the clutch. Ordered the 5 roller unit from Niagara and had it installed yesterday. Works great!

The “170 Book” in the members section is a great resource as well.
Dustin Rhymes
'55 170B N4410B S/N 26754
'06 G550 “The Silver Bullet”
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GAHorn
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Re: New 170 Owner Introduction

Post by GAHorn »

Thanks for that... it’s really rewarding to know I’ve helped someone, but the real reason I know some good solutions is because I’ve done most things wrong every which way possible before finally landing on what works. :lol: .
'53 B-model N146YS SN:25713
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons. ;)
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bsdunek
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Re: New 170 Owner Introduction

Post by bsdunek »

Wonderful! Welcome! You'll find us a friendly, and great group. Plan on the convention next year. You must meet everyone.
Bruce
1950 170A N5559C
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JSwift
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Re: New 170 Owner Introduction

Post by JSwift »

Welcome. I share your enthusiasm for flight and for sharing it with the family. I wish I could have had a 170 when my children were in the age bracket yours are now. Well done! George is right. The 170 is an economical machine. Work with your mechanic and get to know her and she will treat your family well. Now on to getting my young adults ready to fly, solo and maybe someday take me flying in 94D. Cheers!
N2594D, 1952 170B #20746
Near Enfield, CT
Let's go fly!
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darhymes
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Re: New 170 Owner Introduction

Post by darhymes »

Thanks again for all the kind introductions. We have been having a lot of fun with the 170! All of our flying (since getting the plane home) has been local but I am looking forward to planning some extended trips in the future.

I have a growing list of “upgrades” that I am planning on installing during the upcoming annual:
-4 place intercom. Already purchased. Will be installing the rear jacks under the seat as recommended on the forum.
-BAS handle.
-Engine Monitor. The Insight G2 looks like a good unit. If anyone has recommendations, let me know.
-Tempest oil filter adapter. I am aware of the issues regarding the adapter but don’t anticipate problems if the service bulletin is followed correctly. I’m just not a fan of screen filters.

Longer term, I am also thinking of installing the Real Gaskets pushrod tubes. My seals are leaking, but not so bad that they require replacement...yet. I have been regularly cleaning off the motor and accessories, though.

Finished my first polishing job a few weeks ago. It was a lot of work, but the end result is so appealing that it’s easy to see how polishing can become an obsession. A buddy took a few pics of me flying the other day (taking my nieces for a ride)...
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Dustin Rhymes
'55 170B N4410B S/N 26754
'06 G550 “The Silver Bullet”
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