The International Cessna 170 Association

WOW lots of good info, Thank you all. I guess I should've been more specific in my original post. I am dead set on a 180HP 170B but was curious on the performance compared to a C180 if i had to settle. I love the lines and the nimble handling of the 170 and currently have a cream puff 48 model that I will be selling soon. I dont have any time in a 180 so i wanted a good comparison on what i might expect.

Gary, I agree and I have been fortunate that I have had to buy few parts from Cessna. It is the hidden cost that most people don't catch. For example I wanted/needed three STC's from Kenmore Air Harbor, the 3190 gross weight increase, 8.50x6 main tires, and installation of 206 mid row seats, those three were $850 plus $10 shipping, not complaining, I am glad they have the STC's available. Somethings just need to be done like replacing the fuel bladders that were repaired and installed in 1995 and haven't had fuel in them in 20 years, I don't want to replace them in the first month of flying my newly painted airplane. Or the exhaust risers that might last a year or two. I could have saved maybe a $1000 by using vinyl and fabric on the seats and to be honest if they were going into a 170 I would have to save the weight. Some cost are just me like the top cowl skin with the crease in it that I will replace rather that repair and bondo, then paint. I will spend what it cost to get an airplane that is equipped and finish the way I want it, rather than buy a flying airplane that is really a flyable project that the money will be spent on anyway over the next few years. I made some choices to save, for example a stock O470R and McCauley 203 rather than spend the additional $20,000 (O470R needs different crankshaft) for the pPonk conversion and prop, though I believe that more power is always your friend, I still think about it and haven't spent any money on the engine yet .

Tim

hilltop170 wrote:... Air Repair now has the Type Certificate for the L-19 and Pete Jones is still building new ones from NOS parts.

Richard, According to the FAA Regal Air has the type certificates for the L-19. Under Air Repair I only find type certificates for Jacobs engines. Old data?

That might indeed be true, I’ll ask them tomorrow. They are building new L-19s but it could be under license of some sort.

I’m in Shreveport tonight enroute to witness the test stand run on my new Jacobs 300hp for the C-195 on Tuesday and bring it home to install on Wednesday. Pete Jones still has enough new and NOS parts to build completely new Jacobs radials!

OK Jeff, here you go, the perfect answer to your question: looks of a 180, handling and performance of a 170B/180hp plus lots of gas and 2350# gross wt.

https://www.barnstormers.com/ad_manager ... ID=1339471

I wonder if Pete Jones is building them under the provisions of FAR 21.183(d):

From what I understand, Air Repair does not manufacture new L-19s but rather does an incredibly extensive repair of an existing data plate.
Thats how the warbird folks do it. They have a drawer full of legal data plates and 'repair' one when someone comes along with enough money.

bagarre wrote:From what I understand, Air Repair does not manufacture new L-19s but rather does an incredibly extensive repair of an existing data plate.
Thats how the warbird folks do it. They have a drawer full of legal data plates and 'repair' one when someone comes along with enough money.

Although that is done in the business... it is technically illegal if original/previous maintenance records of that datatag is destroyed or "lost'.

gahorn wrote:

bagarre wrote:From what I understand, Air Repair does not manufacture new L-19s but rather does an incredibly extensive repair of an existing data plate.
Thats how the warbird folks do it. They have a drawer full of legal data plates and 'repair' one when someone comes along with enough money.

Although that is done in the business... it is technically illegal if original/previous maintenance records of that datatag is destroyed or "lost'.

How is it illegal?

jeffpohl4 wrote:…I love the lines and the nimble handling of the 170 and currently have a cream puff 48 model that I will be selling soon. …

That used to be Dave Rosol’s ragwing. It won Best Original 170 at the 2001 Convention in Shelbyville Indiana. I’m glad to see that it’s still looking great!

Hi Miles, you know my old bird well it sounds. It is still a beauty and fun to fly! Jeff

Hi Jeff, I knew Dave better than his airplane, but I did know it was one of the best cared for airplanes out there. If you go to the Members Only page of the Association’s website, there is a page of photos from the 2001 Convention. You’ll find a picture of 88V on the flight line, and another of me presenting Dave with the award.

bagarre wrote:From what I understand, Air Repair does not manufacture new L-19s but rather does an incredibly extensive repair............

That is correct, they repair existing airplanes. I had incorrectly been told they were making new ones.

Getting way off topic, but you might be interested to know that once upon a time a fellow named John Vansant, who's family owned an airport near my in PA well known to locals as Van Sant (9N1), use to build L-19s from surplus parts. At least he built one which is still on the FAA registery as a Cessna-Van Sant 305A. (It is located in Texas according to the FAA) John was, I understand, what Air Repair is today to the L-19 the Cessna 195 and Stearmans. In fact I wouldn't be surprised to hear Air Repair may have bought Johns remaining vast stock in L-19 parts. I understood he built several 305As but perhaps only the one still on the registry. Our current President John Hess probably knows this. His '48 was rebuilt by John Vansant for his daughter and it apparently won some awards at Oshkosh when it was done.

Bruce, you're bringing back memories. Van Sant (9N1) was one of those magical airports when I was a kid. I grew up about 20 mi south of it. Every once in a while we would "take a ride in the country" and if we ended up near that airport, I would convince my parents to stop in. It was the prettiest little grass strip at the top of a hill with treasures in the hangar. You had to drive through beautiful rolling farm land dotted with iconic PA stone houses to get to it. Last time I was there two years ago it was still a beautiful grass strip with the magic still there (and treasures still in the hangars). It's a nice cross country destination. http://vansantairport.com (The current website's a bit hokey though.)