I'm only a part owner, but I guess this makes me an official member of the TWPA (thin wallet pilot association). We picked her up in Kansas City just a week and a half ago so i'm still getting used to her but she makes for comfortable cruising with a huge cabin.

I’ve always thought Cardinals were good looking planes. I see yours has the PowerFlow exhaust: does that mean it’s an early model with the O-320?

It seems like a Cardinal would be a good float plane since it doesn’t have wing struts to negotiate around. But Cessna never developed a float kit for the plane, unfortunately.

Have fun with it!

Cool! I looked a buying a Cardinal a few years back. I loved the huge doors making getting in/out easy. The cabin is huge. Good speed for the fuel burn. I'll be interested to see how you like it as you get more familiar.

Its a 68' model with an O-320 and based on my rather limited experience in the plane I would say that without the powerflow it would definitely be underpowered. I'm up to 5 hours in it now and love it. Its not any faster than the Cherokee that most of my time is in but it sure beats it for comfort and ease of ingress/egress. One thing I really like is that the wing is further back than on most high wings which makes it much easier to look around.

I did read quite a lot online about pilots having trouble landing the early models but i've come to the conclusion that the problem wasn't with the airplane. I just recently passed the 100 hour mark and she gave me no trouble at all.

I have hundreds of hours in Cardinals, mostly an RG but also both 150 and 180+CS fixed gear
The early 150hp was purchased by one of my former students for about what a C150 costs. It was a two person plane before he added the exhaust (very noticable improvement with). He still has that plane and had since added vortex generators and some fairings.
All the early 68s have had the mandatory slots in the stab leading edge added many years ago. I really never did understand where it got a bad reputation in landing from.
You got an under rated plane that is great for cross country and comfortable.
They slip beautifully. In the RG I used 20 degrees flaps and then slipped as required. Once you get used to the feel in roll and get back into a C172 you'll think something is jacked up with the controls.
Because of the stabilator you can pick up some cruise speed by loading towards (not beyond or even at) aft CG. Do your own W&B and you'll probably find it is not aft CG sensitive. The RG would get at easy 10 knot boost by having two passengers in back instead of one up front with me (discovered by accident)
The RG doors had been bent wide open more than once in it's life from wind gusts. You've been warned. The others have been closely guarded and close with finger tip pressure.

That is a VERY nice looking airplane! Love the paint scheme! Congratulations on your nice airplane, enjoy!

I flew one of the 180hp models. Damned nice airplane, very comfortable seating. I’d take one for a back and forth rig any day.

Are you gonna be the first to get 8.50-10’s and a Landis fork on a Cardinal?[emoji1]

Nice airplane!

If it doesn't already have them, I'd suggest having Door Stewards installed. If you're not familiar with them, they're gas springs that keep the doors from opening to quickly or too far. I have them on my P172D, and I highly recommend them--saves hinges and doors and frustrations! Especially with Cardinals, which have such large doors, they're well worth the expense ($413 for a pair from Aircraft Spruce, plus installation). Since you're new to airplane ownership, let me assure you that repairing one door would be a lot more than the cost of Door Stewards! I had to replace a hinge on my pilot side door, and luckily my IA found a serviceable one from a wrecked 172--Cessna wanted $600 for a new one!

Cary

gbflyer wrote:I flew one of the 180hp models. Damned nice airplane, very comfortable seating. I’d take one for a back and forth rig any day.

Are you gonna be the first to get 8.50-10’s and a Landis fork on a Cardinal?[emoji1]

Do it!!!!!

Welcome to the Cessna clan.

The 150 hp O-320 does fairly well, I think. That said, the powerflow does help. I would like to put them on mine, but the $4000 price tag stops me.

That looks like a great airplane. Congrats.

ShadowAviator wrote:Welcome to the Cessna clan.

The 150 hp O-320 does fairly well, I think. That said, the powerflow does help. I would like to put them on mine, but the $4000 price tag stops me.

I'm from Wichita so I guess it makes sense to have a Cessna. The only problem with them is the parts prices.

I'm a fan of O-320's but I think the Cardinal would be a dog without the powerflow. Its performance with the powerflow is similar to the stock Cherokee 140 that I got my license in and I would probably give a slight edge to the Cherokee in climb. I can see why Cessna changed to O-360's early in the production run.

As for putting the big tires on I don't think that's what my partner has in mind although that would be fun. I've had her in and out of a couple of grass strips already which she handles ok but I think she would need to have a bigger engine before doing any sort of serious backcountry flying. I still hope to build or own a Rans someday to help scratch that particular itch.

Kansas Flyer wrote:As for putting the big tires on I don't think that's what my partner has in mind although that would be fun. I've had her in and out of a couple of grass strips already which she handles ok but I think she would need to have a bigger engine before doing any sort of serious backcountry flying. I still hope to build or own a Rans someday to help scratch that particular itch.

I don't know much about the C-177 in the mountains, but if its anything similar to a 172 then it might not be too bad.

My 172 is only 150 hp, but lightly loaded, it did okay out at La Garita (near Alamosa, CO).

I talked to a couple CFI's out there that felt a lower-powered aircraft was better for learning to fly in the mountains (though not TOO low-powered). I think the point was to make you use your head more and not rely so much on the engine.

That said, more horsepower is always nice.

Be nice to get a closer look at your bird! Any Kansas fly-ins coming up?

ShadowAviator wrote:

Kansas Flyer wrote:As for putting the big tires on I don't think that's what my partner has in mind although that would be fun. I've had her in and out of a couple of grass strips already which she handles ok but I think she would need to have a bigger engine before doing any sort of serious backcountry flying. I still hope to build or own a Rans someday to help scratch that particular itch.

I don't know much about the C-177 in the mountains, but if its anything similar to a 172 then it might not be too bad.

My 172 is only 150 hp, but lightly loaded, it did okay out at La Garita (near Alamosa, CO).

I talked to a couple CFI's out there that felt a lower-powered aircraft was better for learning to fly in the mountains (though not TOO low-powered). I think the point was to make you use your head more and not rely so much on the engine.

That said, more horsepower is always nice.

Be nice to get a closer look at your bird! Any Kansas fly-ins coming up?

What part of Kansas are you in? I try to make a pancake breakfast or local flyin at least once a month during the warm season so you just might run into me at one of them.

Kansas Flyer wrote:What part of Kansas are you in? I try to make a pancake breakfast or local flyin at least once a month during the warm season so you just might run into me at one of them.

I am up near Russell.

ShadowAviator wrote:

Kansas Flyer wrote:What part of Kansas are you in? I try to make a pancake breakfast or local flyin at least once a month during the warm season so you just might run into me at one of them.

I am up near Russell.

I do the 38K breakfast run a few times a year. I'm just a hr by air north of you.

Abilene Ks (K78) Pancake Breakfast and Fly-in - Saturday May 5, 2018 7:00 to 12:00

Well, I won't be able to do too much for a bit. My bird's getting the annual done. (I usually try to make the Abilene breakfast)

Also,my dad's going in for open heart surgery tomorrow, which means I have to manage the farm by myself for awhile. Hopefully I won't be too busy, but time will tell.

Oh, and hope all you others in Kansas and Nebraska didn't get eaten by the tornadoes and hail we had the past couple of days.

jrb2 wrote:Abilene Ks (K78) Pancake Breakfast and Fly-in - Saturday May 5, 2018 7:00 to 12:00

That normally could have been doable, but this year we're 2 1/2 weeks behind on planting.