The International Cessna^® 170 Association

For what it's worth, I just completed my first annual. The AI was a guy with gray hair referred to me by a Bonanza driver in the next hangar bay. He had no discrepancies. Only one I had from the 100 hour inspection I signed off was a rat nest in the right wing at the aileron outbd hinge fitting. The critter had to have built it between the time I brought the wings to the hangar and when I installed 'em. I don't know how I missed it but I did. No damage noted just lots of paper shreds.

Went flying last evening after putting aircraft back together. Six weeks since last flown. I'm still challenged by wheel landings and crosswinds. But as I told one person, "I'm nervous, not scared and you can almost always go-around."

Here's some general info from operating mine for a year:

Total fuel used in C170 880.37 gal
Total Hobbs Hours flown 115.60
Total Tach hours flown 99.99 (not kidding)
Avg GPH Hobbs 7.62 gal
Avg GPH Tach 8.80 gal
Total oil burned 4.00 qt
Avg Hobbs hrs per qt of oil used 28.90
Avg Tach hrs per qt of oil used 25.00
Total X-C Hobbs hours 39.00
Total X-C Tach hours 37.26
Avg cost/gal fuel 2005 $3.22
Avg cost/gal fuel 2006 $3.36
Last fuel purchased, LXT $3.84
Highest fuel $4.15 CXO, Nov '05
Cheapest fuel $2.84 FSK, Jul '05

The B-17G "Aluminum Overcast" is at KLXT this weekend. I'd hate to buy the fuel for that one. Sure sounds nice though. It first arrived (low pass) Wednesday while I was finishing the 100 hour. I had no idea there were so many people at the airport - they all came out to watch.

Steve

You're kind of lucky with the fuel prices. I'm in Northern California and the price I paid today was 3.99/gallon ... which is 6 cents cheaper than at my home 'drome. Now that your bird is all inspected it sounds like you're in for a summer of fun

Happy Flyin' !!

Just paid $4.50 self-service 2R4 Milton, Fl. I thought that was too high for self serve. Guys it is just gonna get worse. And after what I have been spending to improve my bird it is like salt in an open wound just to paid for fuel to get out and enjoy flying.
I hope my next annaul is an easy one. Last one was Sept. 05 about 6K.
Another reason is that I just invested more than I care to share to upgrade my 1950A to IFR. She has been under going a flying restoration so to speak for a few years as the money come to me. First an engine overhaul 380 hrs ago. Various airframe work, interior work including panel clean up, exterior paint and now the IFR avionics.
Just flow to Fla. this weekend from Tupelo, Ms. I must say "I do like what I have done". Nice to have two radios, panel mount GPS and some redundant systems. I been flying around with a Val com, Garmin 195 on the yoke and portable intercom for years. Not even a DG to help.
NO MORE.
I just hope this next annaul is easy... it should be with all I have done by now.
I also keep a spread sheet in excel of every dime and where it has gone.
Man it mounts up$$$$$$$

When fuel was $2/gal it cost $16/hr to fly. When fuel went to $4, it cost $32/hr. If it goes to $6 it'll cost $48/hr. It's all still cheaper'n renting airplanes and trying to get on the rent-schedule on a holiday weekend, but when it comes time to retire from the hobby, you'll get all your investment back and then some if you simply take care of it and don't spend excessively on bells/whistles the next guy won't want.
I quit worrying about it when I realized it just took the fun out of my hobby, and I remembered that I always got more than my money back when I sold the airplanes I've owned.

gahorn wrote:When fuel was $2/gal it cost $16/hr to fly. When fuel went to $4, it cost $32/hr. If it goes to $6 it'll cost $48/hr. It's all still cheaper'n renting airplanes and trying to get on the rent-schedule on a holiday weekend, but when it comes time to retire from the hobby, you'll get all your investment back and then some if you simply take care of it and don't spend excessively on bells/whistles the next guy won't want.
I quit worrying about it when I realized it just took the fun out of my hobby, and I remembered that I always got more than my money back when I sold the airplanes I've owned.

I figure that the total hourly cost is somewhere around twice the cost of fuel, but I just suck it up and have decided that it's still a cheap form of therapy . Besides, where ya gonna rent a 170? The "straw that broke the camels back" when I was deciding whether or not I wanted to own an airplane was arriving at the airport just to see the flying club airplane that I had on the schedule lifting off the runway being flown by someone NOT on the schedule .

Miles

Miles

Let me sum up Sundays flight to Genseo

1948 C170 ............................ $29,000
36 gals 100LL ...........................$165
snacks and frosty beverages .......$20
One of the best wheel landings
for hundreds to see.................PRICELESS

I second that motion!!!!!