Back in the day, so long ago, when I was airplane shopping, I saw a few models of C-180 and C-170 that were equipped with patroller doors. I can't really remember clearly just what these patroller doors looked like. How much extra plexiglas do they have and is the increased visibility downward really that cool? What's involved in get a mod done?

I saw a C-180 down in Camarillo one time that had these bubbles on the windows, I assume those were considered patroller doors too, so the law enforcement pilot can stare straight down at perps or speeders. I have yet to see anything as cool as Greg's Bushwhacker doors.

I'm just sitting here dreaming about random stuff. Somebody post a photo of a patroller door.

I have no idea what it takes to do the mod on a Cessna, but it was pretty easy to do on my Maule. Wished I'd done it a long time ago, the view is spectacular.

That is cool, Doug. Where'd ya get it? Probably an approved Maule accessory given their adventurous attitude.

That was plans built with drawings purchased from Maule. The materials were purchased at the local hardware store - extruded aluminum 'L', 0.80 plexiglass, etc. The most difficult part of the job was cutting the door skin. The whole job took about a week of after work evenings including the paint work.

While an airplane with only one (RH) patroller door looks funny (unsymetrical), I don't see any use for a LH patrol door ubnless you fly solo from the RH seat. The reason I mention this is that I've only seen one airplane with a single-side patrol door.
I sure wouldn't mind a RH patroller door- that'd sure eliminate or reduce the banked-way-over-opposite-rudder flying I have to do to get a good look down on the RH side of the airplane.

Eric

Nice thing about the 170 is that the window locks open, which allows you to look straight down in level flight if you crane your head a little. That might not be so desireable in the winter though. I wouldn't mind having both L and R patroller doors.

Eric, I think you'd be surprised by how much you can see through the lower half of the left door, even on a straight sided Cessna.

In the Maule you can almost look straight down.

I have the patrol doors on my 185.I can't see much out the pilots side.I can see better out the copilots lower half if i am flying alone.The rear passengers love em.I had them on my old maule and i could see out both sides much better than on cessnas.

The seating position is quite different in relation to the doors in a Cessna compared to a Maule. In the Cessna, the pilot seat MOVES, in the Maule, it doesn't. Unless you are 9 feet tall, when you get in the Cessna, you'll slide your seat forward and the window in the lower door half is way back past your rear. If you have a right seat pax, their legs block the view out the right. As the man said, the rear seat pax like em.

I've only seen them approved on the 185, where they were an option. May have been an option on the later 180 as well, though. You'd have to do a field approval on a 170, but the doors are basically the same.

I wouldn't bother if twas me.

Now, bubble windows are an easy mod, if you don't mind changing your side windows. There are big bubbles and little bubbles, though. They will slow you down a couple knots, though.

I like em, cause I run retractable skis in winter, so its easier to see the skis.

MTV

The last time I checked you could move the seat in a Maule, it's just that you wouldn't want to because your knees would be in your chest if you did (if you're over six ft tall).

I was looking at that picture of Zane on the homepage in his 170 this morning and realized the error of my ways. Haven't been in a Cessna in years and had forgotten how the seating worked in them, which explains the bubble windows instead. [/lame excuses]

In a Cessna, you have to slide the seat back from the position you have it in to fly or you cannot get out of the door. You also have to coordinate with the people in the back seat as to who get's out first. In the Maule you can get in and out without having to move the seat and the back seat passengers have their own door

Great Lakes Aero makes 'bubble' windows for Cessna models, check them out at http://www.glapinc.com/

Haven't checked if they have a STC for the 170 or 180 or not, but there are certainly a lot of both models flying around with them up here.

Our 185 at work has patroller doors and no bubble windows. I have to agree that the doors are not nearly as useful as on a Maule but are better than standard. We fly with retract skis which is probably why the government installed them. The pilot can crain his neck, look through the bottom of the door to see the wheels, but mostly useful for back seaters. I'll look in the log to see if they were installed on approval or under a STC.

I make all my own "bubble" windows... nothing to it.. just an oven big enough to "bake" the plex, and a suitable mold. If you look at the Goose on my avatar, I made the right and left bubbles on that, and I made the ones on the Stinson in my photo gallery. We got them approved on a field approval with no problems. I've done them for Tcrafts, 180's, and a bunch of others as well as helicopters.. it's really not too tough. If you're going to do it, get your mechanic to submit a 337 for the approval before you mess with anything, and see what the "locals" say...
JH

As I recall, WagAero sells bubble windows for Cessna 180/185's that are STC'd. Not STC'd for 170's but I have the feeling they'd fit- then it's just the small matter of getting approval. Or not.....

Eric

We put Great Lakes Aero 2" bubble windows on our 170b. They don't advertise it on the website as STC'd for any of the 170s, but the STC paperwork includes the 170B. The 2" bubbles are nice. They didn't noticeably slow us down, and it is surprising how much better the visiblility is. You can look almost straight down with wings level. There is no noticeable distortion for photos, and lots more shoulder, elbow and camera maneuvering room. I LOVE 'em.

There's a 172 on the ramp at Columbia that has a patroller window in the right hand door. I'm not sure if the 172 airframe is much closer to your 170 than the other a/c discussed here, but if it is, maybe the owner of that 172 can put you in touch with whoever did the install and approval. FWIW.

punkin170b wrote:We put Great Lakes Aero 2" bubble windows on our 170b. They don't advertise it on the website as STC'd for any of the 170s, but the STC paperwork includes the 170B. The 2" bubbles are nice. They didn't noticeably slow us down, and it is surprising how much better the visiblility is. You can look almost straight down with wings level. There is no noticeable distortion for photos, and lots more shoulder, elbow and camera maneuvering room. I LOVE 'em.

Matt,

Is this the one?
http://www.glapinc.com/Cessna/172/c-172a.htm

The 170 page has no mention of bubble windows, but they have one for the early 172, which I assume includes the 170B STC you're talking about.

Was there any difference in the forward windows between the early 170B's and the '56 172?

Yup, That's the one. P/N 2901 & 2902. It is odd that the website does not mention anything about the Cessna 170. The STC paperwork, however, specifically calls out "Cessna 170B" under the FAA approved model list. If you want a copy of the STC, I can fax it to you... Send me an email.

M

Does any one no a patroller door for a pacer&WOULD like to know a stc to put a pilot door in.beagle

DOES any one knows if green or clear better.beagle