The International Cessna 170 Association

I'd certainly recommend you obtain the genuine PMA'd 170 mainspring from either Univair or Spruce (which is made by Univair but priced more modestly).

When reassembling, take the edge off the lower/rear spring above the mainspring to avoid that "lip" or "stress riser" which only encourages breakage at that place. We generally came to the consensus years ago that 500 hours is a reasonable time-in-service for these main springs in order to avoid the expensive damage created when they break.

Cessna originally painted them "Gull Grey". Pay close attention to assemble them with the chain guard as depicted in the IPC. Use a new main bolt. If you use the L-19 "eyebolt" be certain to add sufficient washers to allow the nut to properly tension the bolt, otherwise it will never stay tight and in position.

Figured I would share with the group what would have been a once in a lifetime chance. That unfortunately didn't work out.

I fly corporate for work. I was in DC today with a flight to Orlando and then home to Fort Worth. We were supposed to leave DC at 14:00 local. We anticated we would be very close to the eclipse shadow as it passed off the east coast. We planned the route at 43,000 and expected to see shadow on the ground or on the clouds. We have onboard high speed internet and we could use to help keep pace with the event.
But unfortunately the Exec we were hauling today was late and the eclipse was gone before we even left. Planning it all out was fun. But would have been amazing had it worked out.

WHAAaa.... LATE EXEC PASSENGERS...??? WHO's ever HEARD of such a thing?

We fly for free.
We get paid to wait.

G280driver wrote:We fly for free.
We get paid to wait.

Yeah... That. (And the expense-account.)

Unless someone or something messes up my plans I'll be making my first 170 fly in this Saturday at Hilltop Lakes.

Really looking forward to it.

Made the Hilltop Lakes fly in. Lots of planes. I think 10 170's. Great lunch.
Was nice to meet several 170 people.
Looking forward to the next one.
Jim

I had planned to make it..but the all-week rains made my field too soggy for takeoff.

Glad it went well otherwise.

Well I haven’t posted anything in a while and thought a quick update was in order.
Thru a turn of events I sadly sold my 1951 170A that was a joy of a project to get back in the air. I really had no intention of ever selling the plane for several reasons but especially because it was the first plane my son had ever flown and solo’d in.
But sometimes plans don’t work out.
I sold the plane November 8th and immediately went to looking for another plane, either project or flying. I did consider other types of planes but settled on a 1953 170B flying plane straight out of Annual. I actually looked at it during the annual with everything opened up. I brought it home yesterday and am very happy with the new plane. I loved everything about my A model and just couldn’t get something besides another 170.

Some pics of the new plane.

Wow! Another BLUE ONE! Glad to see it! What serial number? ('53 is the BEST year in my personal opinion* for a 170...and the first one that offered pressure-cowl-cooling, improved cabin heat, and LadyLegs (after 25612, but anyone can convert to them if you can find them.)

* Each to his own, but I deliberately chose to look primarily at/for '53 models because of those improvements plus I prefer the instrument panel layout with radios on the left and most control knobs to the right of the throttle. I also like the embedded compass but admit that can be a problem with magnetic-fluxes in some cases, especially if the control yoke has become magnetized. (Degaussing may alleviate some of that.)

Yea I like blue.
25582, an early one but legs were changed to Lady Legs a long time ago. Lands nice with this gear.
I also like the improved heater, I made use of that as it was 27 when I departed.
I also like the layout of the panel with the additional space. Things are scattered about in the panel so I may move things around to my liking soon. Currently the “scan” is a little crazy.
I’m headed out on a 4 day work trip. But when I get back I’m gonna get busy burning av gas and wearing a smile again.

Is that Ev Cassagneres’ airplane?

Thats not who i bought it from. But yes its his old plane.

Did you know him.

Ev was a talented author/biographer from his personal interviews with Chas. Lindbergh. He was a really good guy!

I received a file box full of paperwork along with the logs. The file box contains a bunch of recepts etc, but also a bunch of letters he had written to various venders. They were very interesting and well written. In reading thru all the information he seems like he would have been a very interesting guy to talk with.