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Actual Empty weights of aircraft are not found in the Owners Manual (produced by the marketing dept) but in the equipment list and/or most recent wt balance of the individual aircraft. I don't doubt the typical A model left the factory lighter than the typical B model, because the B model had more standard equipment, better and more interior appointments, and typically more and better radios. None of this is valid 50 years later,...today....when all these airplanes have changed equipment and likely gained/lost weight like the rest of us.
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"That difference jives w/ my experience"... I'll bet you base that statement upon the wt and bal sheets you've seen on aircraft you are personally familiar with......aircraft that are unlikely to have a current/accurate wt and bal ....because if you go out to the ramp, get into any 170, the odds are very high the aircraft has an obsolete wt and bal. sheet dated a long time ago. Hardly a condition to confirm any statment that "B-models are 50 lbs heavier than A models." At this stage in any 170's life, it's weight is a very individual situation, IMHO. My B model has only very basic radios, only 1 com, txdr, nav, encoder, all of which are lightweight digitals. I"ve seen A's that have dual KX 170B's (or worse considering weight, older MK 12's etc, with indicators, AND seperate, heavy power supplies mounted in the tail, ...and ADF, sometimes an old King 8000 series loran or something equally heavy, etc.
Now don't get me wrong. I'm not being critical of fellow 170 owner's radio packages. I'm only pointing out that my B model happens to have radios that weigh only about 12 lbs, and my interior is a complete removal/replacement, while I've observed lots of A and B models that have interiors covering older interiors and radio packages that weigh 25 or 30 lbs or more. My opinion is, no statement made these days can categorically be made with regard to whether A models or B models weigh more or less than the other.
You are correct regarding the flaps/slipping. (I made an unfortunate choice of words when I said "prohibiiton'.)
Legally, Slipping with full flaps in a B model is "advised" against. (But I stand by the intent of my comment: Be aware that slipping a full flap B model can give you a surprise when it rather suddently points itself straight downward and trys to roll into a spin. Remember that a crosswind involves some degree of slipping, and that full flaps in a strong crosswind is not a good technique in most any airplane, and can be especially tricky if full flaps are used during crosswind landings in a 170B model.)
RE: follow on models of aircraft....
The 172 is a different model aircraft with a different type certificate. It is technically not a 170 variant.
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RE: the stall warning: If you read the type certificate you'll see near the end of each models description a listing of "required equipment". Item 607, stall warning, is only required on the B model. It is "eligible' (not disqualifying) on all models...but is only required equipment on the B.
I've not made it a habit to inspect all A models for stall warning installation, ...I only meant to comment on it's required status on a B model. (This is possibly a good A model argument. A failed stall warning is technically a no go item on a B model.) (Shut up, Joe!)
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