Any Cardinal owners in the Atlanta area?

[tdager]

I am leaning heavily towards a 180hp version as our first plane and I wanted to get the lowdown by an owner, and if possible a tour of one (perhaps even a flight if someone is so inclined).

Thanks!

 

[Lance F]

See my post on the red board. There's 2 possibilities listed.

 

[Steve]

A '72 177B was our first plane. Put around 700 hrs in it over a 3 year period.

Good choice if well maintained.

 

[rpadula]

Dude who ties down next to me at LZU is selling his. It's an RG though. Were you only looking for a fixed-gear version?


-Rich

 

[CJones]

No experience with the fixed gear versions, but I have ~40hrs in a 200hp 177RG. I absolutely LOVED it. It's a nice step-up from the 172 as far as handling, speed, and load hauling without all the 'heaviness' of a 210, etc.

-Chris

 

[AirBaker]

How is the rate of climb? One apparently scared an instructor out at our club enough to convince him not to fly in it anymore.

Edit: I always thought the RGs were cool though.

 

[tdager]

Rich...I am steering away from RG's simply because as a newbie pilot that would eat me alive when it comes to insurance.

Air Baker...was it too fast in the climb or a dog? If it was a dog then I gaurantee it was the 1968 version with the anemic 150hp engine. All the other models had a 180hp engine.

 

[CJones]

I flew the 200hp 177RG out of Oshkosh with full seats and as much crap as we could pack into the rear with fuel to the tabs and had absolutely NO problem in the climb. Of course it was the 200HP, but it also had the extra weight of the RG, so I'm guessing it was close to a 'push' with the 180hp straight-leg.

I've heard the 150hp versions were death traps simply because you could VERY easily cram more stuff in the plane than it could ever even think about getting into the air.

-Chris

 

[Steve]

I suspect you've reviewed the Cardinal Flyers website.

http://www.cardinalflyers.com/

Cardinal owners are like other type specific owners/clubs, very devoted to the model. Regardless of the make they own, each of them takes a bit of pride in flying a plane others scoff at, as though they know some secret unrevealed to naysayers. Short wing Pipers, Beech Bonanzas/Barons, Mooneys, Cirrus 20/22s, etc., illustrate that every design has good points and shortcomings. But any plane flown poorly will perform poorly.

The 177 line got an early bad start with some handling quirks and performance issues allowed to reach the market for financial reasons rather than sound engineering judgement. Those issues were addressed in later model refinements and refits to the early models. But a bad first impression is hard to overcome.

Good Cardinals for sale are hard to find because most owners feel they can't get a better value for the money, providing they can afford to keep a plane in the first place.

my 2¢

 

[tdager]

I suspect you've reviewed the Cardinal Flyers website.

http://www.cardinalflyers.com/

Cardinal owners are like other type specific owners/clubs, very devoted to the model. Regardless of the make they own, each of them takes a bit of pride in flying a plane others scoff at, as though they know some secret unrevealed to naysayers. Short wing Pipers, Beech Bonanzas/Barons, Mooneys, Cirrus 20/22s, etc., illustrate that every design has good points and shortcomings. But any plane flown poorly will perform poorly.

The 177 line got an early bad start with some handling quirks and performance issues allowed to reach the market for financial reasons rather than sound engineering judgement. Those issues were addressed in later model refinements and refits to the early models. But a bad first impression is hard to overcome.

Good Cardinals for sale are hard to find because most owners feel they can't get a better value for the money, providing they can afford to keep a plane in the first place.

my 2¢

Yeah I am going to see about joining Cardinal Flyers (and Cessna Pilots) as I approach the "purchase" date. Though it does suck that they are pay sites.

I have heard all of the horror stories about the 150hp version and will avoid it like the plague.

I did look at the cost of insurance for an RG vs. FG and at least the Quik Quote from AOPA was not but about a 400 difference in insurance a year. Not too bad.

 

[imQ]

My neighbor has a 150hp cardinal and as long as you are aware of the weight limits it's a nice flying and handling bird. He flies out of a 2600ft grass strip and I can't remember ever using more than half of it on take off, even on hot days. The minute he finally gets tired of it I'm going to offer to buy it too! I like the Cardinals almost as much as I like the Grumman line. (Almost )

 

[AirBaker]

Rich...I am steering away from RG's simply because as a newbie pilot that would eat me alive when it comes to insurance.

Air Baker...was it too fast in the climb or a dog? If it was a dog then I gaurantee it was the 1968 version with the anemic 150hp engine. All the other models had a 180hp engine.

It's a 71 177RG. (n8053G)

He said it was a total dog. I'd have to try it out myself one day, but I've heard that their climb performance is the negative side to a Cardinal.