Required Documents Binder
Moderators: GAHorn, Karl Towle, Bruce Fenstermacher
- Ryan Smith
- Posts: 1210
- Joined: Tue Nov 25, 2008 4:26 am
Required Documents Binder
I just (for the most part) finished a pretty long project and felt compelled to share.
I taught myself Adobe Illustrator several years ago as a means to manipulate and create custom sponsor graphics when I was heavily involved with R/C aerobatic competition. I have since kind of started doing work in Adobe Creative Suite as a hobby and freelancer some technical documentation for a while before I got into flight instructing full time.
I have always had a fascination with preserving things, and I felt that this would be a good outlet for me to try my hand at doing something 170 related. I am not the only person that flies my airplane, and I do varying amounts of flight instruction in it—both initial primary training and tailwheel endorsements. As such, the aircraft documents do see quite a bit of use and were kind of tattered to begin with. We did have some pretty horrible photocopies of the Owner’s Manual/AFM/weight and balance, but I was not satisfied.
So, I embarked on a mission to recreate the 1952 Cessna 170B Owner’s Manual in its entirety...using the original fonts and even creating some typefaces, and measuring out, to fractions of a millimeter, the placement of text and images. It was fun, but I began to question my sanity about the 200 hour mark.
I’m happy to say that, save for replicating the 170 on the front cover, the project is complete. While I was at it, I cleaned up the AFM and the weight and balance as well.
Once I have the cover artwork in place, I’ll be happy to release it as a high-quality replacement for the original owner’s manual. Digging through the other B model manuals, this shouldn’t be too hard to replicate for other year models; but it’ll be a while before I get to it.
Anyway, I was feeling extra proud of the final result and wanted to share. I much prefer having a three-ring binder with full-size sheets for the paperwork rather than a small, odd sized manual and other paperwork. Plus, I see the manual as a collectible, and I don’t want to see it damaged or lost in use.
Thoughts? Anybody do anything similar for their airplanes?
I taught myself Adobe Illustrator several years ago as a means to manipulate and create custom sponsor graphics when I was heavily involved with R/C aerobatic competition. I have since kind of started doing work in Adobe Creative Suite as a hobby and freelancer some technical documentation for a while before I got into flight instructing full time.
I have always had a fascination with preserving things, and I felt that this would be a good outlet for me to try my hand at doing something 170 related. I am not the only person that flies my airplane, and I do varying amounts of flight instruction in it—both initial primary training and tailwheel endorsements. As such, the aircraft documents do see quite a bit of use and were kind of tattered to begin with. We did have some pretty horrible photocopies of the Owner’s Manual/AFM/weight and balance, but I was not satisfied.
So, I embarked on a mission to recreate the 1952 Cessna 170B Owner’s Manual in its entirety...using the original fonts and even creating some typefaces, and measuring out, to fractions of a millimeter, the placement of text and images. It was fun, but I began to question my sanity about the 200 hour mark.
I’m happy to say that, save for replicating the 170 on the front cover, the project is complete. While I was at it, I cleaned up the AFM and the weight and balance as well.
Once I have the cover artwork in place, I’ll be happy to release it as a high-quality replacement for the original owner’s manual. Digging through the other B model manuals, this shouldn’t be too hard to replicate for other year models; but it’ll be a while before I get to it.
Anyway, I was feeling extra proud of the final result and wanted to share. I much prefer having a three-ring binder with full-size sheets for the paperwork rather than a small, odd sized manual and other paperwork. Plus, I see the manual as a collectible, and I don’t want to see it damaged or lost in use.
Thoughts? Anybody do anything similar for their airplanes?
- Ryan Smith
- Posts: 1210
- Joined: Tue Nov 25, 2008 4:26 am
- brian.olson
- Posts: 229
- Joined: Mon Aug 14, 2017 12:04 pm
Re: Required Documents Binder
Nice work, Ryan, and it's obvious the amount of time, attention and detail that you invested in this project. I'd love to see a copy once you are done. While I haven't attempted anything so time-consuming, I did catalog and digitize every log and scrap of paper that I received when I purchased 62C last fall, all 337s, W&Bs, etc., all back to day 1. This also allowed me to trace back all the major maintenance items, yearly flight hours, owners, etc. back to the date of delivery. Fun reading, yes, but it has also given me insight and depth into the history of this lovely aircraft. And I have everything available to me on my phone when meeting with my maintenance shop, too.
Great job with this project - I look forward to watching the rest of your progress with it!
Great job with this project - I look forward to watching the rest of your progress with it!
Brian
1950 170A
N5762C s/n 19716
1950 170A
N5762C s/n 19716
Re: Required Documents Binder
NIce Work, Ryan! Can I get a ticket for the Book-Signing at Barnes & Noble?
Seriously,... I think that's superb! May I suggest you donate one for the Auction at this year's Convention? (Jim Wildharber is Hosting along with Jan Billeb.)
Seriously,... I think that's superb! May I suggest you donate one for the Auction at this year's Convention? (Jim Wildharber is Hosting along with Jan Billeb.)
'53 B-model N146YS SN:25713
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons.
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons.
- Bruce Fenstermacher
- Posts: 10320
- Joined: Tue Apr 23, 2002 11:24 am
Re: Required Documents Binder
As a printer and graphic arts person who knows to well the amount of time you spent to do that I only have to say, it's no wonder you forgot the birthday of the 170 you cherish. The project has driven you silly.
Most people just do not appreciate the amount of work involved to do this and do it right.
Very nice.
Most people just do not appreciate the amount of work involved to do this and do it right.
Very nice.
CAUTION - My forum posts may be worth what you paid for them!
Bruce Fenstermacher, Past President, TIC170A
Email: brucefenster at gmail.com
Bruce Fenstermacher, Past President, TIC170A
Email: brucefenster at gmail.com
- Ryan Smith
- Posts: 1210
- Joined: Tue Nov 25, 2008 4:26 am
Re: Required Documents Binder
Do I send to Jim/Lolly or Jan? I’d be happy to.gahorn wrote:NIce Work, Ryan! Can I get a ticket for the Book-Signing at Barnes & Noble?
Seriously,... I think that's superb! May I suggest you donate one for the Auction at this year's Convention? (Jim Wildharber is Hosting along with Jan Billeb.)
Last edited by Ryan Smith on Thu Mar 08, 2018 10:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- Bruce Fenstermacher
- Posts: 10320
- Joined: Tue Apr 23, 2002 11:24 am
Re: Required Documents Binder
Ryan, send it to Jan at HQ in Cody, otherwise Jim will have to transport/ship it there.
CAUTION - My forum posts may be worth what you paid for them!
Bruce Fenstermacher, Past President, TIC170A
Email: brucefenster at gmail.com
Bruce Fenstermacher, Past President, TIC170A
Email: brucefenster at gmail.com
Re: Required Documents Binder
Great thought Bruce. Ryan, if you agree, might get some fierce bidding during the auction. LOL
Jim Wildharber, Kennesaw, GA
Past President TIC170A (2010-12) and Georgia Area Representative
'55 170B, N3415D, SN:26958, O-300D; People's Choice '06 Kelowna, B.C., Best Modified '07 Galveston, TX, Best Modified '08 Branson, MO.
Past President TIC170A (2010-12) and Georgia Area Representative
'55 170B, N3415D, SN:26958, O-300D; People's Choice '06 Kelowna, B.C., Best Modified '07 Galveston, TX, Best Modified '08 Branson, MO.
- Bruce Fenstermacher
- Posts: 10320
- Joined: Tue Apr 23, 2002 11:24 am
Re: Required Documents Binder
Ryan, if you attach it to a quilt or a piece of jewelry, to get the wive's interested, you surely will create a bidding war.jlwild wrote:Great thought Bruce. Ryan, if you agree, might get some fierce bidding during the auction. LOL
CAUTION - My forum posts may be worth what you paid for them!
Bruce Fenstermacher, Past President, TIC170A
Email: brucefenster at gmail.com
Bruce Fenstermacher, Past President, TIC170A
Email: brucefenster at gmail.com
Re: Required Documents Binder
Seriously Bruce? I'm a wive AND the pilot and I would bid on it--and be quite interested in it already--without a quilt or a piece of jewelry. Comments like these are one reason I have not been to another convention since Kelowna.Ryan, if you attach it to a quilt or a piece of jewelry, to get the wive's interested, you surely will create a bidding war.
Wendy Frazer
N8301A
“I can do it fast, I can do it well, I can do it cheap. Pick two”
N8301A
“I can do it fast, I can do it well, I can do it cheap. Pick two”
- Buzzkill82
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2015 9:48 pm
Re: Required Documents Binder
Absolutely well done. I would gladly pay for a digital copy that I can update to my serial number. Spent a few hours trying to find the font to do something similar and would rather not reinvent the wheel.
Re: Required Documents Binder
Wendy, I'm certain you realize that the internet does not reliably reflect the true person behind posted comments. I remember the Kelowna convention as a very nice one, but agree with you that some feelings were hurt due to some poorly-made comments. I hope you'll realize that we and you are stronger/better than those sometimes ill-placed comments and that you will not be further dissuaded from coming to join all those who share your love of this airplane and those that operate them. We'd all love to see you again!wendy170b wrote:Seriously Bruce? I'm a wive AND the pilot and I would bid on it--and be quite interested in it already--without a quilt or a piece of jewelry. Comments like these are one reason I have not been to another convention since Kelowna.Ryan, if you attach it to a quilt or a piece of jewelry, to get the wive's interested, you surely will create a bidding war.
'53 B-model N146YS SN:25713
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons.
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons.
Re: Required Documents Binder
Thank you George, I appreciate your comments. I and my family have fond memories of the Kelowna convention as well. I do love the 170 community and hope to see you soon. -Wendy
Wendy Frazer
N8301A
“I can do it fast, I can do it well, I can do it cheap. Pick two”
N8301A
“I can do it fast, I can do it well, I can do it cheap. Pick two”