Sportsman Stol Kit

KENDRURY · Post by **KENDRURY** » Fri Jan 06, 2006 5:36 pm

I am looking for feedback on the Sportsman Stol Kit for performance and on installation.

alaskan99669 · Post by **alaskan99669** » Sat Jan 07, 2006 11:08 am

Here's a copy of part of a post I posted in response to a question about STOL kit's for 170A's:

... the published numbers are very impressive for the 170B:
http://www.steneaviation.com/sportsman.htm
Especially distance to clear a 50' obstacle... 780' vs. 1625'
I don't have the kit on mine, but last month I was leaving from a short strip with four people and I would have been a lot more comfortable if a STOL kit got my wheels off the ground a few seconds earlier. I know two people that have the Sportsman on their 170B's and love them. One of them showed me how the Sportsman has a more aggressive cuff than the Horton. Although the Horton has the cool looking fence, he felt Sportsman was a far better performer.

Abe · Post by **Abe** » Sat Jan 07, 2006 6:22 pm

I've had 2604D for 2+ years now and it's a 145 hp stock Cont o-300 and it had the Sportsman STOL kit on it when I bought it...so I didn't get to fly it without...

But it's an impressive wing...the more time I get in it the more impressed I am...as has been said before by others, you can land allot shorter than you can take off and you always gotta remember that you've got only 145 horses working for you...especially when the oat temp starts to rise...

I've been playing in the snow this winter working on takeoffs in 6-8" of snow (before the county boys get out and plow the runway) and I can pop it out of the snow at about 35-38 mph and then get my airspeed up in ground affect and climb out at 62...(with this much snow have allot of runway play with) Good soft field practice...All in all the Sportsman kit is an impressive addition to my '52 170B ...

N419A · Post by **N419A** » Sun Jan 08, 2006 1:19 am

I have the sportsman kit with super drooper tips and the 80/42 prop. I have not had the opportunity to fly a stock 170B yet. But, my neighbor who has a stock 170B and is a CFI had flown mine during my last biannual and said it gets off a lot quicker? He has yet to put his skis on this winter, but when he does we plan on going out and load up the same weight and do a little comparing.
I was out last weekend messing around in the flats and found a nice little untouched slough that was aligned with the wind (about 5 kt) and did some take off and landing practice. In 8 to 10 inches of fluff snow OAT -10F and a weight of about 1764 pounds I could consistently get off in about 250 ft. As soon as my neighbor and I get out and do some comparing I'll report back.

Paul

jon s blocker · Post by **jon s blocker** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 3:33 pm

Does anyone have a price on the Sportsman kit for a 170B? Didn't see one anywhere, and Steen Aviation doesn't have it listed.

Indopilot · Post by **Indopilot** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 9:46 pm

Last I saw D&T Aircraft said they were teamed up with Marshall Quakenbush and the price was $1400 Thier Ph # is 760-373-4664 Brian

jon s blocker · Post by **jon s blocker** » Fri Jan 13, 2006 2:13 pm

Thanks for the response. I will contact them. If the numbers I have seen are even close to accurate, this kit looks interesting to me. Appears as if this might make a good plane even better. Jon

N170BP · Post by **N170BP** » Fri Jan 13, 2006 7:14 pm

I have a Sportsman kit on my '54 (it was on there when I
bought it).

See:

http://www.havasreti.com/images/sportsman_speeds.jpg

I have trouble believing a 4mph *increase* in cruise speed
as a result of installing the kit (?). The kit increases wing area,
and therefore drag. I might buy that the cruise speed is not
affected an appreciable amount (in other words not degraded)
but increased...?

The landing speed with flaps 40 I might buy (slowest I've approached
is 45mph with calm winds). My '54 quits flying at 35mph indicated with
flaps 40.

The takeoff speed with flaps 20 of 40mph I might buy also (I've
hauled it off with flaps 10 at 40 indicated).

The rest of the numbers I haven't measured / tested myself so have
no way to know if they are accurate or not.

jon s blocker · Post by **jon s blocker** » Fri Jan 13, 2006 7:33 pm

Thanks Bela. It looks like the numbers are close to what they say. I have an 0-360 and 80" C/S prop, so it might make a pretty nice airplane. My plane is heavy, so this should also help in that catagory as well. Now the question is do I pull the trigger?

N170BP · Post by **N170BP** » Fri Jan 13, 2006 7:59 pm

I agree that would make for a nice airplane. I have been
contemplating between selling the 170 and buying and early
(light) 180, doing the 210hp Continental conversion on the 170
(too expensive), or a Lyc 180hp C/S conversion. I'm leaning towards
the latter, as I love the 170s looks & handeling, and the Lycoming
180hp engines are widely available (don't necessarily want to use the
word cheap!)

Another thing to keep in mind is the Sportsman kit reportedly adds
18lbs to the airframe... My '54 weighs 1347 lbs with the back seat
out (actually weighed, not calculated). I think I read somewhere that
the weight of a 4 cylinder O-360 with a constant speed prop is pretty
close to the weight of a 6-cylinder C-145/O-300 with a fixed pitch
prop. Is that true?

jon s blocker · Post by **jon s blocker** » Fri Jan 13, 2006 8:15 pm

Bela, unfortunately when I got the plane it was in a thousand pieces. When I put it together I didn't weigh the engine/prop combination, and the engine that came off this one was in pieces. I believe you gain about 25-30 pounds. One of the gains is in the dampner you put on the prop (11lbs). I lost some though when I put on the B&C light weight starter. Along with that I added a Javelin aux tank, which added about 30lbs. I have 8 STCs on the plane along with some 337 work that all add weight.

Dave Clark · Post by **Dave Clark** » Sat Jan 14, 2006 1:09 am

Bela
Just took my logs back to the hangar but if memory serves the 180 Lyc added about 20lbs to the nose with the constant speed. We'll be back at Stuart about May 1st if you want a ride.

I've thought a few times about going back to a 180 but realistically all I'll do is burn more gas and go a little faster (still slow).

trake · Post by **trake** » Sat Jan 14, 2006 1:13 am

Anybody have the 180 hp Lycoming with the FIXED PITCH prop? It would be alot cheaper, lighter and simpler than with the CS prop and you might be able to use premium car gas. My old Cessna 175 [175 hp] would true out at 137 mph

Dave Clark · Post by **Dave Clark** » Sat Jan 14, 2006 3:23 am

Paul Pristo in Mesa AZ has one. It goes back to the fact that you can't get full rpm/hp with a fixed pitch for takeoff unless you pitch it for that and then you've got slow cruise speeds. That would be fine for special purpose such as a floatplane but not good for most of us. The constant speed is worth every penny of cost, maintenance, and weight.
Dave

blueldr · Post by **blueldr** » Sat Jan 14, 2006 5:08 am

Food for thought for Lyc. O-360 flyers.

The new certified Superior Air Parts O-360 engine is certified for operation on mogas. (If I've ever seen a knock off, this is it!)
Are there any differences between the specs on Superior and the Lycoming engine? (Not very likely.)
There is an average difference of about a dollar a gallon between avgas and mogas. (Sometimes enen more.)
The engines will burn about eight gallons per hour. (Sometimes even more.)
At a fifteen hundred hour overhaul you will have saved $12,000. (Or maybe even more, and your spark plugs will still be clean.)

The International Cessna 170 Association

Sportsman Stol Kit

Sportsman Stol Kit

price

price

Numbers

weight