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Cessna 170 for a towplane?



 
 
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  #1  
Old April 29th 12, 11:10 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Scott Alexander[_2_]
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Default Cessna 170 for a towplane?

Anybody ever used a Cessna 170 for a towplane? If yes, how did it
work out? What size engine?

Blue Skies,
Scott Alexander
  #2  
Old April 29th 12, 03:39 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
aerodyne
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Posts: 63
Default Cessna 170 for a towplane?


Strip out the seats, and add a 180 HP with a CS prop, and then it
works OK at low elevations for most ships. Saw one for sale in Socal
for 35k, but it was with 145hp

aerodyne
  #3  
Old April 29th 12, 05:20 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
[email protected]
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Default Cessna 170 for a towplane?

I currently tow with a C-170B with a 145 Cont and an 80-42 prop. I have the rear seat removed and usually only tow with 1/2 tanks. It's OK, but only OK for unballasted single seaters. Further, I am towing from a long strip near sea level in Alaska where density altitude is not a problem nor are long lines of gliders all anxious to get off as soon as the thermals start popping.

I have not had the courage to tow something like a 2-33. My guess is that it would be marginal at best. The 180 hp with the CS prop would be the way to go. If you want more information, send me an email.

Pete Brown
Anchorage



  #4  
Old April 30th 12, 02:00 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
150flivver
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Default Cessna 170 for a towplane?

On Sunday, April 29, 2012 5:10:17 AM UTC-5, Scott Alexander wrote:
Anybody ever used a Cessna 170 for a towplane? If yes, how did it
work out? What size engine?

Blue Skies,
Scott Alexander


Not a fan of a 180hp towplane with CS prop--a fixed pitch (climb pitch) is lighter, simpler, cheaper. I've towed with a 172 with 180hp--it was a poor towplane. Currently use a 150 with 180hp and climb prop--I've towed max gross
Duo Discus adaquately with it at 3000 foot density altitude.
  #5  
Old April 30th 12, 03:37 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
aerodyne
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Default Cessna 170 for a towplane?


Not a fan of a 180hp towplane with CS prop--a fixed pitch (climb pitch) is lighter, simpler, cheaper. *I've towed with a 172 with 180hp--it was a poor towplane. *Currently use a 150 with 180hp and climb prop--I've towed max gross
Duo Discus adaquately with it at 3000 foot density altitude.


Fixed pitch is alway lighter and cheaper, but it would impact the
usability/resale of the aircraft. a C-170B is a much different
towplane than a C-172 because of the gear, yet it can be used for more
things than just towing... not so much for the Pawnee, where a CS prop
adds only a knot at cruise...

aerodyne
  #6  
Old April 30th 12, 06:44 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
ASM
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Default Cessna 170 for a towplane?

On Sunday, April 29, 2012 3:10:17 AM UTC-7, Scott Alexander wrote:
Anybody ever used a Cessna 170 for a towplane? If yes, how did it
work out? What size engine?

Blue Skies,
Scott Alexander


Hi there,

Finley Air Repair from Finley, WA or if you prefer the un-incorporated area of Kennewick, WA has an Cessna 170 available for sale converted to Continental O-470U which produces 230 HP. Dave Stegall is the owner of that business. Last time I talked to him he had this airplane available for sale for something around $53,000 with an overhauled engine, Sportsman STALL kit, new transponder/radio, etc. The airplane is virtually new. Look for Finley Air Repair or 509-582-3071 if someone has an interest in buying this plane (it was available in February). Since Dave is an A&P and IA he can probably do the tow hook installation and get all the 337's in order prior to the sale.. It was his personal airplane but a small surprise to the size of his family is forcing him to look for a larger airplane.Jacek, Pasco, WA
  #7  
Old April 30th 12, 03:28 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Berry[_2_]
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Default Cessna 170 for a towplane?

In article
,
Scott Alexander wrote:

Anybody ever used a Cessna 170 for a towplane? If yes, how did it
work out? What size engine?

Blue Skies,
Scott Alexander


Hi Scott,

A 170 with a 180 hp engine and fixed pitch climb prop would be an OK
towplane. Be advised though, guys with the heavily ballasted 18m
Cashflugels are not gonna want to tow behind it. Should be good with 235
hp.

MGSA used to tow with a C-180 that did a fine job. Not sure about the
engine size though. Must have been a 235. It did great right up until
the seat slid back on takeoff one day ( in spite of locks on the rails).
It ended up on it's side, on fire, and was totally destroyed. No
injuries, thankfully.

Back in my days with the NCSA, we towed with Ray Galloway's stock 172.
We had a 3700 ft paved runway. That 172 was struggling on hot days with
the 2-33.

The towplane I used to have in a partnership (Tim McGowin's C-175) is
pretty close to a 170. It has a 180 hp engine with CS prop and a STOL
kit. It is definitely not a Pawnee, but it tows two-seaters just fine at
our field with 5000 ft runways. It has also towed 2 seaters at much
shorter fields like Chilhowee and Moontown. it will tow a sports class
grid almost as efficiently as a Pawnee. However, it doesn't climb very
well at the speeds preferred by those flying heavily watered ships. That
has cut into it's contest towing.

In my opinion, the best towplane for the east, considering towing
ability, fuel burn, and maintenance costs is a 150 Pawnee converted to
180 hp. The late and much missed Jeff Cloud had a 150/180 Pawnee. The
150 Pawnee is about 300lbs lighter than the 235 Pawnee so with 180 hp it
tows about as well as a 235.

A lot of different planes can be reasonably good tugs, depending on the
situation. However, having been through the "Pick a Towplane" exercise
at multiple clubs, I can say that, when all the facts are weighed,
Pawnees ALWAYS come out as the best compromise (in the US).

Oh, also consider that the best towplane might not be a towplane. If you
have the field length and width, a winch is cheaper and more fun. If you
don't need a high launch rate. A pulley on the bumper of an old 8
cylinder automatic trans beater and 4000 ft of dacron (or
spectra/dyneema) rope will do as well.
  #8  
Old April 30th 12, 05:36 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
SF
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Posts: 214
Default Cessna 170 for a towplane?

On Apr 29, 6:10*am, Scott Alexander
wrote:
Anybody ever used a Cessna 170 for a towplane? *If yes, how did it
work out? *What size engine?

Blue Skies,
Scott Alexander


Our Club had a 300HP Ag-Wagon with a CS prop that you could pull
stumps with. For various reasons, fuel burn, and maintenance being
chief among them we decided to sell it We bought a 150 HP Citabria as
a fill in until we could find smething else. I never realized how
many trees there were around our airport, because with a 150HP tow
plane you get a good loooong look at them. We now have a Pawnee 235
and life is good again. Be very careful, it if won't pull up a
watered up glider on a hot day, Don't do it.
  #9  
Old April 30th 12, 06:32 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
kirk.stant
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Posts: 1,260
Default Cessna 170 for a towplane?

On Monday, April 30, 2012 9:28:14 AM UTC-5, WB wrote:

Back in my days with the NCSA, we towed with Ray Galloway's stock 172.
We had a 3700 ft paved runway. That 172 was struggling on hot days with
the 2-33.


With the stock cruise prop it was indeed a struggle to haul a 2-33 around. Later, Ray installed a climb prop and the 172 became a much more acceptable towplane - fine for single seat glass and 1-26/23s, OK for Blaniks and 2-33s. On really hot/humid NC summer days it paid to thermal a bit...

Downside was that cruise was limited to about 90 knots! Kinda reduced it's utility as an XC plane...

Kirk
66
  #10  
Old April 30th 12, 06:57 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Papa3[_2_]
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Posts: 753
Default Cessna 170 for a towplane?

On Monday, April 30, 2012 10:28:14 AM UTC-4, WB wrote:

The towplane I used to have in a partnership (Tim McGowin's C-175) is
pretty close to a 170. It has a 180 hp engine with CS prop and a STOL
kit. It is definitely not a Pawnee, but it tows two-seaters just fine at
our field with 5000 ft runways. It has also towed 2 seaters at much
shorter fields like Chilhowee and Moontown. it will tow a sports class
grid almost as efficiently as a Pawnee. However, it doesn't climb very
well at the speeds preferred by those flying heavily watered ships. That
has cut into it's contest towing.


I have real-world experience towing behind just such a setup. With an LS8 watered-up to just 9lbs on a hot (90F) day towing off a 5,000 foot long paved runway, it was "acceptable", but barely. While we were airborne and moving at a pretty good clip at the end of the runway, we were a good 100 feet lower than with a 235 Pawnee or even a PA-18 (180 conversion). This was tested over the course of several launches and results were consistent. What it meant was fewer options in the event of a ropebreak and a longer period of WTF-Do-I-Do-Know pucker .
 




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