The International Cessna^® 170 Association

I'm searching for he correct latch and how to install it to the underside of the left wing in my 170B so I may lock the window open during flight for photography. If anyone has done this and has some words of wisdom, please reply to this. Thanks so much.

The window is self locking
If you release the latch, the window naturally lifts open in flight.

I've been doing aerial photography out of my 170B for 11 years and you don't need to latch it up against the wing. It will stay up by itself if you are over 70 mph easily. Drill out the rivets on the latch where it pivots on the piece that is riveted to the window frame, and put a hitch pin in their place. All you have to do is open the window, pull out the hitch pin, and the window will sail up out of the way. I put a piece of sticky-back velcro (the fuzzy side) on the wing so that it doesn't scratch while open. Also nice on hot days so you can rest your arm there as though you were cruising around in your sports car(:

Joe

Joe, can you post a picture of your latch? Thanks.

Next time I'm at the airport I'll take a picture.

Joe

A few years ago I took a teenager and 2 of his brothers on a long flight back to there home town (to there parents) from a large city . As a treat , I purchased a big bucket of KFC /drinks . It was the middle of summer and the heat was unbearable . So after levelling out at about 3000ft , I opened my window to the amusement of my passengers. It was a slow climb to 9000ft to beat the thermals . Lunch was eaten and all was good. The window was left open for the entire flight .
After landing and the boys were getting all their gear out of the plane ,I asked where is the trash from lunch? The back of the aircraft was spotless. The youngest very sheepish answered " er er we threw it out " WHEN , I asked ? When we were flying along came the answer. So chicken bones , paper cups , etc all rained down on some part of the outback over a stretch of 400 miles. I tried to explain it was dangerous and illegal and said " how would you like to be a cow munching on grass and get hit in the face with a chicken bone from above. They all burst out laughing including the their parents . I knew then I had lost my case .

Here's a picture of my window latch.

Joe

Lol at ghostflyer!

Joe, how could I make this work with 4" bubble windows? Maybe a suction cup on the window where it would contact the wing?

Heflin wrote:.......how could I make this work with 4" bubble windows?.......

I don't know how the bubble window flies if detached from the latch, I never tried it when I had them. If they fly up toward the wing like the flat windows do, you might be able to make a removable check cable between the window latch attach points that would keep the bubble just off of the wing.

hilltop170 wrote:

Heflin wrote:.......how could I make this work with 4" bubble windows?.......

I don't know how the bubble window flies if detached from the latch, I never tried it when I had them. If they fly up toward the wing like the flat windows do, you might be able to make a removable check cable between the window latch attach points that would keep the bubble just off of the wing.

Or maybe just a small suction cup on the window or the wing at the point of contact to serve as a bumper.

Heavy Duty Industrial Velcro is sold in the fabric sections at WalMart. I've used it to hold ladders to the sides of vehicles it's so strong, and the glue has got to be made by the Gorilla-Glue folks.

I have a friend with this mod, it is just a cabinet latch used like on the super cub, attached with 2 screws to the wing.

Heres a better idea. Remove the folding window mechanism entirely and replace it with one of those old school automobile wind-wing latches to keep it in the shut position. . Then you won't have to fight with the big latch or a pin.

bills idea works great for me.

Cessna makes those latches for 180s and 185s with the same style windows.