The International Cessna 170 Association

It is so amazing…. Every time you think you are familiar with our “simple” airplanes…. and then you discover a tidbit you never knew-before.

While revisiting the required placards or our airplanes …a new limitation I’d never considered previously was discovered.

If one is operating a “ragwing”…. one cannot put your two grandkids in the backseat, kiss your wife good-bye….and take them back to their parents… unless you have someone sit in the right front seat!

Where did you find this tidbit? I have been flying my ragwing for 25 years, and have never run across this.

It's in the TCDS and AFM. Every '48 should have a placard that says, among other things, "with 2 people in the rear seat both front seats must be occupied".

I had some of these placards made last year when I did a panel upgrade. See attached. They measure 4"x1.25". I have a bunch extra, happy to send them to members while supplies last. I have also attached the SVG file in case somebody wants to print their own.

Looky at that. If I saw that before, it didn't sink in. For those looking, it is the second and third line under Normal category for a 170 only.
Of course it would make more sense to limit the load in the back by weight rather than persons and also specify a weight at the front seat stations. For example a 300lb pilot with 2 - 30lb kids in the back may actually be forward of the CG limit with fuel fuel.

I’m only guessing at the reason…. No data to support it at all….

BUT…the ragwing did not have the dorsal fin…. which would improve spin recovery… and perhaps with the rear seat occupied with that “square” planform wing it might be a bit trickier. (It would make more sense if they’d specified specific weight/bal numbers-solution however.)

Finally made it out to the airport over the weekend. Checked the placard and by golly it does say that! Like Bruce, I guess it never sank in before. That line starts out stating no acrobatics, so I guess I just skipped over the rest.