I Soloed in my 170 B last night!

[Johnnyoutdoors]

Last night I soloed in my 170B.
Its been an awesome year!
May of 2010 I started training in a Cherokee 140 and I passed my check ride August 31 2010.
I started looking for my own Plane right away and I fell in love with the 170. ( It took me 6 months to find the right one)
I found a 55 170B in Sarasota, Florida and flew her back with my friend/CFI to Nome, Alaska.
53 and 1/2 hours of flying cross country and I doubled my total time in 1 long trip.
I continued to get Tailwheel instruction in Nome and the change from a low wing tri gear plane was definately a big learning curve for me.
Last night it all came together.
I am definately hooked!

[blueldr]

Congratulations. I'm sure you'll get a great deal of enjoyment and excitement in flying your C-170 up there in Alaska.
I just wish I was young enough to do it again. I spent four years flying there many, many years ago. Most of them in a Noorduyn Norseman, and my own Stinson L-5G. Great memories.
You have a very, very nice looking C-170B and I envy your opporyunities for adventure and fun up there.

Dick Lemmon

P.S. In Alaska, it's never too early to start looking for an engine tent, heater, and skis. --- Maybe even floats!

[Robert Eilers]

Congratulations Johnny. Your 170 looks a little like a Sabre tooth tiger - but, from the looks of the cowl the extended pipes must work.

[170C]

Contratulations on both the solo and getting your 170! Great looking airplane. Now you have got to bring it to one of our 170 conventions.

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

Nice. Congratulations

[W.J.Langholz]

Way to go Johnny!!!! Nice bird. Like the colours......go Gophers

[GAHorn]

I see a heated pitot, STOL conversion, dual comms, and ADF-sense antenna (or is that a very-rare HF installation?)
Do you plan to retain the small tires and wheelpants (which protect the tail and lower wing surfaces)?
Which prop is on it?
Will you hangar it?

C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S

Show us the interior!

[Johnnyoutdoors]

Thanks everyone!

A few things first, the small wheels and pants are going to have to go. There are not many grass runways here, its gravel or rocks for the most part.
I am having issues now on the tail surfaces and I'm looking for suggestions to protect the leading edges.
Unfortunately, there are no hangers avail for GA aircraft. There are a few small ones to rent for repirs, but shes going to have to sit out side.
Any leads on good wing covers or insulated engine cover?
The extended exhaust pipes are great for keeping the cowl looking nice and it gives it that snarly apperaance.
There is a heated pitot and it is IFR certified.
It has a mccauley cruise prop on it for now, I will definately be looking for a climb prop, once I get me experience level up a little more. You know when Im hauling out fish, Caribou and Moose.
The antenna is for an ADF.
I dont know about floats, its almost June and there is still some ice on the rivers and lakes up here, but skis are definately on the plan for the future.I will be looking for a convention to fly to, but for right now its practice practice practice!

[edbooth]

Thanks everyone!

A few things first, the small wheels and pants are going to have to go. There are not many grass runways here, its gravel or rocks for the most part.
I am having issues now on the tail surfaces and I'm looking for suggestions to protect the leading edges.
Unfortunately, there are no hangers avail for GA aircraft. There are a few small ones to rent for repirs, but shes going to have to sit out side.
Any leads on good wing covers or insulated engine cover?
The extended exhaust pipes are great for keeping the cowl looking nice and it gives it that snarly apperaance.
There is a heated pitot and it is IFR certified.
It has a mccauley cruise prop on it for now, I will definately be looking for a climb prop, once I get me experience level up a little more. You know when Im hauling out fish, Caribou and Moose.
The antenna is for an ADF.
I dont know about floats, its almost June and there is still some ice on the rivers and lakes up here, but skis are definately on the plan for the future.I will be looking for a convention to fly to, but for right now its practice practice practice!

I see a bump on the lower cowling. does it have the later style 172 mufflers on it ?? I have seen this before a couple times and the bigger mufflers require the bump. Congratulations, nice looking plane, know you will love it.

[Johnnyoutdoors]

You know a bunch of people have asked me that very question about the bumps on the cowl. I don't know enough to answer that, but I could ask the previous owner. The exhaust or mufflers are close and would probably rub it the bumps were not there. I am still going thru the mountains of paperwork I recieved with this airplane. It came with EVERY reciept since new. Including the original Cessna test flight paperwork, or so I was told. I havent found that yet in the piles of literature. The previos owner did a fantasit job with the records. Its all new to me.
Thanks

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

The later larger 172 mufflers would be about the only reason for the bumps in the cowl.

[GAHorn]

Can't figure out why someone would do that to a 1955 model, which already had the improved heat systems, unless they just had a really good set of late 172 muffs on-hand already. I wonder what kind of logbook entry was made for that, if any.

[Johnnyoutdoors]

As far as I know, the C-145 was replaced with a 0-300 a few years back, there is paperwork on that, maybe they kept the the total assy together, it was done before the guy I bought it from bought it. That would be my guess.

[edbooth]

As far as I know, the C-145 was replaced with a 0-300 a few years back, there is paperwork on that, maybe they kept the the total assy together, it was done before the guy I bought it from bought it. That would be my guess.

Don't quote me on this, but I don't think the bigger mufflers came out until the 0-300-D engine ..and I believe the smaller mufflers would have fit on it Ok. A few years ago I knew of a person that put the bigger mufflers on an "A" model to replace the old "pancake" mufflers. He had the front of the muffler modified so it would fit within the cowling. It's amazing to see some of the mods that have occurred on these old planes over the years.

[GAHorn]

The standard Hanlon Wilson mufflers retro fit earlier mufflers, but two LEFT mufflers are used until the 1953 year models. After that...the mufflers are left and right handed. 172 mufflers from 1961 on
Do not fit without cowling modification.