170B in Merced, CA Area

[Kim Purcell]

Ryan,
I think your idea is great! Granted I am one of those "special "owners who likes to do things right and just figures out a way to do it. I have a 170A that I started stripping for a paint job, it's now completely apart because one thing leads to another and I am a bit of a perfectionist, my neighbors just think I'm nuts but have made it clear that they get first dibs if I ever sell it There is nothing more rewarding then knowing everything is done right and since you don't plan to sell it any time soon what it cost really isn't the issue.
I understand the family connection, I bought a Bonanza two years ago that belonged to my dads best friend when I was kid, both of whom are no longer with us. It had been sitting in a hangar for 7 years because the current owner refused to deal with the FAA and couldn't get anyone to annual it, plus his wife decided he was too old to fly. It was the most beautifull hangar queen with a new engine that was completely unairworthy due to the fact that firewall forward had no STC's for the airframe. Having friends at the local FSDO, a very good DER and a husband that is good at computer searches, research and familiar with Bonanzas we had a legal flying airplane 8 months later after lots of paperwork and a one time STC. My friends continued to think I was nuts, including my husband initailly, but we now have a wonderfull flying aircraft while I finish the 170 and, in the case of the Bonanza, it actually made sense financially. I figure maybe the positive from the Bonanza will help equal out the 170 but of course that means I have to sell one and I don't plan to do that anytime soon.
Good Luck!!
Kim

[runerider]

I know some time money is no option, and love of a project is the only thing that matters, but what was the cost? We need to look at all the corners. Enough of the romance, what was the cost of putting the Bonanza back together to make it flyable. I've restored motorcycles, street rods, airplanes and tractors, 95% were bought from people that got the idea they could pull this restoration off only to find out they were way over their head in lala land. Just put the facts out there for this guy without trying to BS him into thinking this is a great idea and he must be the first person to think he can turn a pigs what ever into anything but a pigs pa tut

[voorheesh]

Old airplanes along S.R. 152 in Merced County: A crop duster who has a strip across from the Red Top next to 152 has a 170A you see now and then (aluminum with blue trim). I've never seen it fly but occasionally its on the ramp. The Red Top Cessna 170B was picked up by Jack McCullough (sp?) brand new from the factory in '53. It still has the same paint job with Red Top logo on the side. Jack who was a really good pilot passed away about a year ago but his wife Gail, who is a CFI still has it and an air knocker at Merced Airport. I'm pretty sure they still fly. The Red Top was a well known ranch right on 152 and you can still see the hangars of the now abandoned strip with their red/white striped doors south of highway and across from gas station. That strip had a real short runway (now gone) with a built in Xwind. Both the 170 and champ used to be in those hangars. Red Top got its name from the owner who's wife and daughters (including Gail)were red heads. My favorite airplane on 152 is (or was) the yellow Bonanza that a rancher parked next to his entrance road just east of the SanJoaquin River. It looked good from about 30 to 40 feet away but a closer inspection revealed it was a gonner, a road ornament. I have to admit that I take that way when I am going back and forth to 'Frisco just to be reminded of the good old days.

[royeckart]

I recently acquired a 1952 170B and am relearning (with an instructor) how to properly fly this nice old bird. I want to change the flap ratchet to the one that has the 10 degree notch. I purchased the ratchet but the shop that has done some maintenance for me doesn't know if this change is permitted. Does anyone know if/where this might be documented? Thanks for anyone's help in this matter.

[KG]

That flap ratchet approval is in the Type Certificate Data Sheet (TCDS). It says:

Wing Flaps
All Serials S/N 20267 and up eligible
Takeoff
Retracted
0°
1st Notch
10°
2nd Notch
20°
Landing
3rd Notch
30°
4th Notch
40°
Note: S/N 20267 through 26504 were delivered without the 10° Notch.

[GAHorn]

I recently acquired a 1952 170B and am relearning (with an instructor) how to properly fly this nice old bird. I want to change the flap ratchet to the one that has the 10 degree notch. I purchased the ratchet but the shop that has done some maintenance for me doesn't know if this change is permitted. Does anyone know if/where this might be documented? Thanks for anyone's help in this matter.

The type design specifically allows this part replacement when "stocks are depleted" of the earlier type. It is also a very simple installation...taking maybe 10 minutes. (I'll offer you an opinion however... It's largely a useless thing to do. The performance is unchanged and now that I have the 10-degree ratchet in my airplane...I have reverted to always using 20-degrees on takeoff for short-field ops.)

[cessna170bdriver]

I like the 10 degree notch for short/soft field take offs. The performance is about the same as as with 20 degrees, but it just seems (probably just psychological ) that there is less drag.

[lowNslow]

I like the 10 degree setting for loitering when doing scenic flights. 70-75mph and about 2100rpm and it is really stable without the high nose attitude. It is also a good setting for shooting an ILS.