Bagarre wrote:Zane, you built the cessna170guide.org?
You stopped working on that site right at the time I got my first 170 and i remember the conversations on the forum about taking over maintaining it. Small world. I remember thinking they were crazy for not helping with the wiki page as it's such a better format for storing data . I thought you turned it off for some reason.

I didn't turn it off, just let the domain name expire and then didn't really care after that. My 170 was gone, I wasn't feeling super philanthropic about it, and I was working on our house.

Late last year, akschu bugged me about it, I mean really pushed my buttons about letting him fix it because he wanted to see it. I'm glad, because he DID fix it, and we've become good friends out of it. We're each building Bearhawks.

Excellent words Greg, Zane and the moderator staff here have done a real standup job with our little niche. This has definitely turned into my favorite flying community! I am not active anywhere else as no other site has any of the goodies we have here.

To echo what Zane as said, there is a good mixture of technically competent, mechanically competent, along with people that know the history, and have been working with the 170 for decades.

If we work together we can put together a resource that far exceeds the crusty forum the 170 Assoc maintains.

Zane is really big on using the right tool for the job. The forum for discussion and working together, and the knowledgebase for organized and searchable information related to each type.

Whoever has information to share, please send it to Zane, and if you aren't computer savvy, mail it to me, I'll scan it all in, organize it into PDF's and mail it back.

schu

Coyote wrote:..... This site will never have the wealth of info any type specific site has. .....

I disagree.
When I bought my C180 a few years ago, I joined the 180/185 Club.
They have a discussion site but very limited participation.
The members must have a lot of knowledge between them, but they sure don't step up to volunteer it when you ask a question online.

They also have a monthly newsletter.
I had to laugh when the entire content of the first one I got in the mail was all about how to use the website.
So I'm guessing a lot of the members are old and even more internet-challenged than I am.
That organization seems to mainly be about socializing at the club fly-ins, and there's nothing wrong with that.
But if I have a question about 180's, I ask here or on supercub.org.
Plenty of skywagon knowledge on both these sites.

Zane, don't get me wrong here because I do not doubt your ability to create a wonderful website. You have. I just wonder how much spare time you have to take on every different backcountry type of airplane. Unfortunately the 170 site has its problems as well as the 180. The supercub site has it together. I was thinking that the moderators of these poorly run sites won't be around forever and it will eventually change. They may however scare everyone away never to return. Just trying to save you time.

BCP site is far more inclusive, accommodating and supportive then the 170 site will ever be. Their mission is in many ways MUCH different then BCP and what BCP offers to those who play here, thanks Zzz

I’m already immensely enjoying the BCP community a lot.

It gets so boring without variety. The 170 is a great plane, but being exposed to discussions about the 180/185, 206, Stinsons, Bearhawk, etc...is really refreshing and interesting.

We’ve had our 170 for 25 years and to be honest I’m kinda burned out of it and like seeing other planes.

Aryana wrote:I’m already immensely enjoying the BCP community a lot.

It gets so boring without variety. The 170 is a great plane, but being exposed to discussions about the 180/185, 206, Stinsons, Bearhawk, etc...is really refreshing and interesting.

We’ve had our 170 for 25 years and to be honest I’m kinda burned out of it and like seeing other planes.

Glad you dig. Maybe it's time to remove the pants, put on a Sportsman kit, some big tires, and a seaplane prop?

I’m sure I’ll probably invest in that stuff someday, but it’ll be on a 180/185 or something other than our 170B. Our 170B does everything I need on and off airport in its current configuration.

The wheel pants, VGs, and MDM prop haven’t limited me yet. The biggest problem is the anemic O-300 and the lack of a constant speed prop. A Conti IO-360 would be the bees knees, but it doesn’t make any sense financially. I am envious of David (bagarre) as he’s building the dream 170B!

After 25 years of flying this plane, I’m extremely proficient in landing in a much smaller area than it can ever take off from. At some point you just need more HP to make things happen.

I love the look of big tires and long props, but the cruise penalty sucks. I routinely take 3-4 hour flights which would suck with some big tires and a long climb prop slowing down what is already a slow plane.

In summary, the 170B is our family heirloom. Like a 1955 Chevy station wagon that has a 6 cyl instead of a V8. We just appreciate it for what it is and are probably going to purchase something else to fill the role of a hotrod, bee bop airplane for fun.

I’m also a open cockpit biplane with wires kind of guy. This Starduster Too with a IO-470 and a fixed pitch wooden prop is a beast! I enjoyed flying it a lot.



Then we had this hotrod 1968 150. Spring gear tailwheel conversion and an O-320 made it a pretty interesting plane. Tanks were way too small for that thirsty engine though.





Probably not your guys cup of tea, but I just love all taildraggers. The big tire and long prop thing is up there but not as a primary airplane for me.

I grew up hanging around a FBO/flight school with the motto “Real Aviators Fly Taildraggers”. [emoji16] I love the diversity here and looking forward to getting some dirt on the inside of my wheel pants at one of your events.

What’s some good ones you’d recommend for me based out of N CA? There has to be something within range of a tank of gas which will be a good way to let people make fun of my wheel pants.

My last airplane was a C150/150TD, 1964 D model with square tail, rear window, and manual flaps.
Had it for 6 years, put just under 800 hours on it. Fun airplane!!

The straight tail looks so much better than the swept tail when you convert them to a taildragger.

Nice plane!