The International Cessna^® 170 Association

Where can I get a clear picture of the side of a 170 showing the CESSNA block lettering on the door, or can the decals be purchased? Spruce has decals but they are the wrong fonts.


Pete Smith 1320B

For all of your Cessna Propeller Aircraft publication and technical needs - 316-517-5800.

Per the owner advisory that came in the mail today. the enclosed flier lists everything from paint scheme drawings to data plates, etc.

Page 12 of the Cessna 150 IPB it gives the fonts for left and right letters, & Numbers both in block and slant. See your local Cessna dealer or any Mechanic that has a copy, photo copy it and take that to you local sign shop they can make a painting stencle for you.
OR
You can buy each letter from Cessna.
The Part number is
S1500-10- A-R
that's a 10 inch high "A" with a right slant.
S1500-12-Z-L
Is a 12 inch high "Z" with a left hand slant.
See the book it is easier.

Tom,
Thanks for your help. I will plan to go your route but in vinyl. Thanks again.


Pete

Drop me an email for a contact here in Texas that made my vinyl lettering for my '56 model. I found factory drawings and then had the lettering made so my contact should still be able to make them. I can email you pictures of the results. What year model is yours?

Blue Skies, Dan

c170bdan@aol.com

Dan,that's your 170B in the 11/99 issue of Flying magazine? That is one pretty airplane! I kept the magazine just cuz of those pictures. Is that the original factory colors & scheme?

Eric

Thanks... it is a great airplane. It came out of the factory with the cream and light blue and at somepoint was repainted with the same cream and the dark blue. I just added the factory lettering right before those pictures in FLYING were taken. Makes it look just like the pictures out of the brochures! On a side note just on the other side of town from me is a 170B that is 10 serial numbers from mine and is still in its original cream/red scheme.

Some cool paint schemes on those mid/late 50's Cessna's. I know 2 guys with 1958 180's,one is tan & teal over polished & one is yellow & white over polished. There's also a late 170B around here with a paint scheme similar to yours--I think it's blue & white over polished.
i'm too lazy to own a polished airplane,but I sure do like their looks!

Eric

Are there rules on the size of our N numbers? Mine are about 3 inches tall on the rudder and I like it this way. Slipping in and out of some places, I don't won't those HUGE indentifying numbers out there for everyone to see! However, I'm not in AK any more.
Reason I ask is that, once I was told if I ever repainted the plane, I'd have to get big ones. Tell me it's not so?

It's not so. I had the same question and here's what I found....

It's true that most certificated aircraft have to display 12" numbers, but not in all cases. This is one situation where age is on our side. FAR 45.22(b) seems to be the deciding factor.....

"A small U.S.-registered aircraft built at least 30 years ago or a U.S.-registered aircraft for which an experimental certificate has been issued under Sec. 21.191(d) or 21.191(g) for operation as an exhibition aircraft or as an amateur-built aircraft and which has the same external configuration as an aircraft built at least 30 years ago may be operated without displaying marks in accordance with Secs. 45.21 and 45.23 through 45.33 if:
(1) It displays in accordance with Sec. 45.21(c) marks at least 2 inches high on each side of the fuselage or vertical tail surface consisting of the Roman capital letter "N" followed by:
(i) The U.S. registration number of the aircraft; or
(ii) The symbol appropriate to the airworthiness certificate of the aircraft ("C", standard; "R", restricted; "L", limited; or "X", experimental) followed by the U.S. registration number of the aircraft; and
(2) It displays no other mark that begins with the letter "N" anywhere on the aircraft, unless it is the same mark that is displayed under paragraph (b)(1) of this section.

Here's the link to FAR 45.22:
http://www.airweb.faa.gov/Regulatory_an ... enDocument

And here's the link to the Regulatory & Guidance Library which contains the FARs among other things:
http://www.airweb.faa.gov/Regulatory_an ... enFrameSet

I like the 3 inch numbers on my vertical fin as well. Makes it harder for the FAA inspector on a duck hunting trip to ID me while flying LOW and slow! It really happened when I was a student pilot flying my dad's C-150 with 12 inch numbers! I was all set to plan a trip to the Bahamas until I found out about their requirement for 12 inch numbers. Anyone know if there is a loophole to fly in the Bahamas with an aircraft with 3 inch numbers?

Actually the reason for the change in 1961 to the 12 inch fuselage numbers was because the 20 inch wing numbers were difficult to read from the ground, believe it or not. The only time they are properly oriented for a quick identification is when the airplane is directly headed for the observer. At any other angle they are sideways, upside down or a combination thereof.

The large vertical fuselage numbers are always vertical, or nearly so. They came from the Air Force, and were known as "buzz numbers". The first FAA chief, Pete Quesada was responsibile for the change: he was a former Air Force general.

Now, if you have the small numbers only, that's perfectly legal on a 170, it's certainly old enough! But all 170s were oringinally delivered with the large wing numbers and the small tail ones. That's how my airplane is, and I think it looks cool (and authentic.) But I happen to like the stock look.

I remember a few years ago at Sun-n-Fun I got into a sprited discussion with an old guy with an absolutely beautiful, dead stock Cessna 140A. The only thing it lacked was the wing numbers. When I commented on this, he tried to convince me that it was "optional" to not have them, back in 1950!
It's optional now, but not then...he later got mad when the judges didn't buy it either and knocked off a few points.

Just a little history...enjoy your airplane, whether it has 12 inch, 20 or whatever size N numbers...Russ Farris

John, here's your loophole; paint the 20 inch numbers on the wing!

Actually, I've heard that a roll of tape makes nice 12 inch numbers, as a temporary gesture. Russ Farris

I don't think there is a loophole for the Bahamas re:12 inch numbers. The real issue is the U.S. If you are going to cross the ADIZ you have to have 12 inch fuselage numbers... even if they are temporary ones (see FAR 45).

Like Russ said,a roll of (electrical) tape makes for a nice set of temporary numbers. Actually,a better choice would be the blue masking tape used by painters,it'll come off without peeling any of your paint job with it.
For crossing a border,especailly in our post-9/11 world,taped numbers may be frowned upon. A few years ago,The 170 News had an article written by a member who flew to Mexico,and used water-based paint to apply 12" numbers as required to re-enter the US. He also used the paint to do some fancy artwork on the vertical!

Eric