APPROACHABLE AIRCRAFT CESSNA 170 A TICKET TO ADVENTURE

Choose your own adventure with this popular tailwheel mount.

- JASON MC DOWELL

Most pilots are introduced to tailwheel flying in small, two-place types such as the Piper Cub, Aeronca Champ and Cessna 140—airplanes that are perfectly suited to initial training and short pleasure flights. But as they build experience, more than a few pilots begin to recognize the limitations of these bantamweights and begin searching for an airplane that offers the satisfaction and fun of a taildragger with the flexibility and utility to unlock a wider variety of flying adventures. Lately, more and more are arriving at the conclusion that the Cessna 170 provides an optimal blend of qualities. Here, we explore what the 170 is like to own and what those owners enjoy most about it.

DESIGN

In 1948, World War II had come to an end, soldiers had returned home to the postwar prosperity of the United States, and consumers weary from years of rationing were buying airplanes as quickly as factories could build them. Cessna was selling thousands of its small, two-place 120 and 140, as well as seeing success with the larger, radial-powered 190 and 195 that seated five people. The jump from one to the other was significant, however, and it didn’t take long for the company to identify this gap in their product offerings.

To address this, Cessna opted to stick with a proven formula. The company created a larger, four-place version of its existing 140 and named it the 170. The two types shared a number of features, including spring-steel landing gear, an aluminum airframe, toe brakes, a large floor-mounted flap lever, and control yokes rather than sticks.