I've never flown WITH a tail ski, I fly into a very short lake on occasion & friends I fly with swear you can stop faster without the tail ski. So ive never installed it, but would like to test it both ways.
I use the same 1 wheel down turning technique in tight spots. With the AWB2500's, brakes won't affect which ski retracts first. Get out & pull down on the strut opposite of the way you want to turn (shifting some load to that side). Then get back in & pump til the turn side retracts.

I'm having a hard time turning a C180 with fli-lite skis.
I don't have a tail ski and with the tail up it sometimes
just won't turn. I will be intalling a wheel penetrating
ski this week end. Hope it helps, or maybe I just don't
have the technique right.
46tcrft

Stick FULL forward, FULL LEFT rudder, QUICK blasts of power. Get the power in, and then out quickly, repeat. DO NOT hold the power in for more than a second or so.

You need FULL control application many times to make it work. It's not pretty, but it's about all that'll work in many cases.

MTV

MTV you mentioned that earlier and I tried that, but maybe
left the power in to long? Is it good for the engine and prop
to abruptly go from full throttel to idle? Or is that the
cost of ski flying? The snow is melting ,40 degrees Friday not
many days left down here.
Thanks
46tcrft

Open door, drag foot. Left turns only.

46TCRFT wrote:MTV you mentioned that earlier and I tried that, but maybe
left the power in to long? Is it good for the engine and prop
to abruptly go from full throttel to idle? Or is that the
cost of ski flying? The snow is melting ,40 degrees Friday not
many days left down here.
Thanks
46tcrft

Well, it tends to be less expensive than stuffing the airplane into a tree..... .

SHORT blasts of power. Hold that power in there too long and the airplane accelerates and wants to go straight. Unless you have crank balancers that you could de-tune, this kind of abuse isn't going to harm your engine much.

Finally, you can make up a couple of short hanks of rope, tied in a loop, just large enough to go over the toe of a ski. Stop prior to turn, get out, drop a loop over the toe of a ski, get in, turn in that direction, stop, get out and remove or cut the rope, and go. Lots of monkey motion.

Ain't ski flying fun??

MTV

Not a 170, But a taildragger on ski's, Might take farther to turn around tho!
Puntilla Lake Friend Don sent this.
GT

Zane wrote:Open door, drag foot. Left turns only.

Jay Hammond's Memoir, Tales of Alaska's Bush Rat Governor covers the downside of this as a stopping technique quite convincingly

mtv wrote:Stick FULL forward, FULL LEFT rudder, QUICK blasts of power. Get the power in, and then out quickly, repeat. DO NOT hold the power in for more than a second or so.

You need FULL control application many times to make it work. It's not pretty, but it's about all that'll work in many cases.

MTV

Good suggestion. That technique works on floats too.

Works for a stubborn tailwheel that won't break in gravel too

Hey folks,

Wondering if anybody is running the stock earlier soft gear legs on their a or b-model 170s with straight skis... If so pics please interested in seeing what the deck angle and prop clearance looks like. Thanks.

Since this old thread was "reborn" I thought I'd explain my earlier comment about improving the 170s turning capability.

First thing to do: Order a 3214 T steering arm for that 3200 tailwheel. Here's a link: http://www.airframesalaska.com/ABI-3214 ... -3214t.htm

One of the limits of the early 170 steering is that the steering chains pull almost straight up on the stock, flat steering arms of the 3200 tailwheel. The 3214T steering arm improves that geometry greatly by raising the attach point, thus making a straighter pull. You'll need a new dust shield to go with the different steering arm as well. Call Airframes Alaska, they can get you set up.

An added advantage of the 3214T arm is that it's MUCH stronger than the original arm, so getting a bent arm is no longer on your radar, and tail skis invite tailwheels shimmy, which frequently bends steering arms.

Next, take a short (6 to 8 inches) piece of aluminum angle and attach it to the steering arm on the plane. Drill a hole in each end and attach your steering cables there. This provides MUCH more leverage and travel, and improves steering authority significantly more.

My mechanics have all said the steering arm is a minor alteration. One field approved the steering mod, but others called it a minor.
Now on skis, you'll have a turning machine!

Note that later (55 ??) 170s have a different and better steering system....Cessna recognized their error. In those airplanes, the addition of the 3214 T steering arm is all that's really needed.

MTV

MTV is right on the mark with the suggestions for improving turning on skis. I was taught the same things the very first time I ventured out on skis. 1954 is when the steering cable location changed on the 170's and 180's.

It's nice to have better steering on wheels as well.

MTV

mtv wrote:...Next, take a short (6 to 8 inches) piece of aluminum angle and attach it to the steering arm on the plane. Drill a hole in each end and attach your steering cables there. This provides MUCH more leverage and travel, and improves steering authority significantly more....

By "steering arm on the plane", are you referring to the rudder bellcrank?
I agree that you'll increase leverage, but as far as travel goes you're still limited by the rudder stops.
I do agree that installing a 3214T on the t/w assembly will improve steering.

hotrod180 wrote:

mtv wrote:...Next, take a short (6 to 8 inches) piece of aluminum angle and attach it to the steering arm on the plane. Drill a hole in each end and attach your steering cables there. This provides MUCH more leverage and travel, and improves steering authority significantly more....

By "steering arm on the plane", are you referring to the rudder bellcrank?
I agree that you'll increase leverage, but as far as travel goes you're still limited by the rudder stops.
I do agree that installing a 3214T on the t/w assembly will improve steering.

Yes, you're limited by the rudder stops, but that significantly longer arm has a lot more travel at the tips. Basic physics.

MTV

So attach the rudder cables (from the pedals) at the normal point on the bellcrank, but attach the steering chains (to the tailwheel) farther outboard on the aluminum extension you're adding? That wasn't clear in your ealrier post but vibes with what you're saying now.

CessnaDriverMichael wrote:Hey folks,

Wondering if anybody is running the stock earlier soft gear legs on their a or b-model 170s with straight skis... If so pics please interested in seeing what the deck angle and prop clearance looks like. Thanks.

I'm interested to hear about this too. I have a 170b with original gear.


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hotrod180 wrote:So attach the rudder cables (from the pedals) at the normal point on the bellcrank, but attach the steering chains (to the tailwheel) farther outboard on the aluminum extension you're adding? That wasn't clear in your ealrier post but vibes with what you're saying now.

Exactly. Thanks for clarifying. I knew exactly what I was trying to convey, but obviously wasn't conveying it well.

MTV

CessnaDriverMichael wrote:Hey folks,

Wondering if anybody is running the stock earlier soft gear legs on their a or b-model 170s with straight skis... If so pics please interested in seeing what the deck angle and prop clearance looks like. Thanks.

Here is a short video showing my 170 on skis. It is a "52" with the soft gear and a DM8042 prop. The video is not really that great except to show the skis and stance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrcXENznPsc