The 48 vs the rest of the 170s

[Tom-D]

Plagurized from the 170 web page.

I bought my '53 170B 25 years ago today. It has been no doubt the best investment I have ever made ($17,300). Why a 170? I was a fairly avid skydiver before I bought mine and learned how to fly. We jumped out of a ragwing 170 and I was impressed by the fact that it could haul 4 jumpers with their gear plus a pilot to 7,200' all day long. Some hot days it felt like eternity to get there and we would use up the better part of the 5,000 runway to get airborne. Nobody ever gave thought to how much any of the jumpers weighed. If I had known anything about W&B back then I'm sure that there would have been a few loads that I would have sat out. Also, I loved the looks of the round feathers. My dad also always instilled in me that"REAL pilots fly taildraggers."

I've averaged 74 hours a year on it, and it has never let me down. We had an argument with a thunderstorm once over some Idaho Mountains but other than that, hardly a close call. Its current paint job was applied 6 years before I bought it(31 years ago). The painter insisted on shooting Imron on bare aluminum, no primer. He must have known what he was talking about, as it still looks like it was painted yesterday. Also, I've used nothing but Pledge on the windshield, and it looks as good as new also.

Maybe 25 more years?

 

[txflyer]

I bet when they put many of these birds together sixty years ago, they never dreamed they'd still be flying.

I love taildraggers, but sometimes I get weak minded and wonder if a King Katmai or a 206 would be easier and just a no brainer for an old man.

The force varies with age.

 

[N801BH]

Plagurized from the 170 web page.

I bought my '53 170B 25 years ago today. It has been no doubt the best investment I have ever made ($17,300). Why a 170? I was a fairly avid skydiver before I bought mine and learned how to fly. We jumped out of a ragwing 170 and I was impressed by the fact that it could haul 4 jumpers with their gear plus a pilot to 7,200' all day long. Some hot days it felt like eternity to get there and we would use up the better part of the 5,000 runway to get airborne. Nobody ever gave thought to how much any of the jumpers weighed. If I had known anything about W&B back then I'm sure that there would have been a few loads that I would have sat out. Also, I loved the looks of the round feathers. My dad also always instilled in me that"REAL pilots fly taildraggers."

I've averaged 74 hours a year on it, and it has never let me down. We had an argument with a thunderstorm once over some Idaho Mountains but other than that, hardly a close call. Its current paint job was applied 6 years before I bought it(31 years ago). The painter insisted on shooting Imron on bare aluminum, no primer. He must have known what he was talking about, as it still looks like it was painted yesterday. Also, I've used nothing but Pledge on the windshield, and it looks as good as new also.

Maybe 25 more years?

yeah... But.....

Did that plane have the EAA autofuel STC...........

 

[Tom-D]

yeah... But.....

Did that plane have the EAA autofuel STC...........

Did you note that " real pilots fly taildraggers"……> with clean paper work?

 

[timwinters]

I don't understand your reference to a 48 in the title when the guy is talking about a 53. I don't know the ins and outs of 170s, am I missing something?

 

[N801BH]

Did you note that " real pilots fly taildraggers"……> with clean paper work?

Did you notice my "green" smiley...

 

[Tom-D]

I don't understand your reference to a 48 in the title when the guy is talking about a 53. I don't know the ins and outs of 170s, am I missing something?

Did you miss this

'We jumped out of a ragwing 170 and I was impressed by the fact that it could haul 4 jumpers with their gear plus a pilot to 7,200' all day long."

Rag wing 170s are 48s. 49 and up are all metal, heavier and slower.

 

[timwinters]

Did you miss this

'We jumped out of a ragwing 170 and I was impressed by the fact that it could haul 4 jumpers with their gear plus a pilot to 7,200' all day long."

Rag wing 170s are 48s. 49 and up are all metal, heavier and slower.

No, I didn't miss that...that's why I said "I don't know 170s", I didn't know that '48s were the only ragwings.

Thanks for clarifying.

 

[Tom-D]

Thanks for clarifying.

YAVW, the reason they could jump 4 is because the rag wing 170s, are simply an overgrown 140, no dorsal fin, and usually weight 1100+. The 49s and up are usually 1250+ I've seen the Bs as heavy as 1550# a light 170-A will show 120MPH at 2450RPM leaned. The 170-B are 105-110MPH aircraft running the same RPM.
Most of the rag wing 170s will show better than 125MPH.
All 3 of the types I've flown were loaded with half fuel, and 2 people aboard. All 3 models are full gross at 2200#