The Cessna 177 and 177RG

My Marvelous Mechanical Matriculation by Kevin Garrison 30 South St. Paul, MN (KSGS) - 651.451.1205 Leesburg, FL (KLEE) - 352.323.4809 wipaire.com More reliable than magnetos, electronic ignition measurably improves aircraft performance and efficiency by creating a hotter, longer-lasting ignition source that increases power output as well as making hot starts easier and reducing plug fouling. Electronic Ignition Now Available at Wipaire South St. Paul, MN (KSGS) - 651.451.1205 Leesburg, FL (KLEE) - 352.323.4809 wipaire.com More reliable than magnetos, electronic ignition measurably improves aircraft performance and efficiency by creating a hotter, longer-lasting ignition source that increases power output as well as making hot starts easier and reducing plug fouling. Electronic Ignition Now Available at Wipaire Jennifer Dellenbusch THE VIEW FROM HERE Some Things Never Change – Redux To commemorate 15 years of writing this column, I’ll be pulling old columns out of the archives to see how much things have (or have not) changed. This one comes from our February 2008 issue: “Fly one of our planes and you’ll never fly another.” —Robert R. Osborn ...Recently I was leafing through the pages of Aviation magazine from June 21, 1926, when I came across a wonderful editorial by Robert R. Osborn. Mr. Osborn was lamenting the lack of advertising acumen in the aviation industry: “When one stops to think it over it is surprising that a business as romantic and colorful as aviation should indulge in advertising so pro- saic and commonplace. Looking through the pages of this magazine you will see that the manufacturers who have airplanes for sale give all sorts of statistics on high speed, stalling speed, climb, range, capac- ity and other data along this line. In 10 issues of Aviation or any other aeronautical magazine there would probably not be a single picture of a pretty girl!…The wrong points are being stressed in our aeronau- tical advertising we fear.” Some things never change. I’ve felt for a long time that General Aviation does a very poor job of selling itself. Open most aviation magazines today and you’ll find pages of NTSB reports, tales of near-death experiences, and admonishments against all the things you shouldn’t do. What’s the message we’re sending? Should our slogan be “General Aviation—Try Not to Kill Yourself?” We’re being legislated and litigated to near-extinction, it’s true. (Which reminds me: The information in this magazine is presented for information and entertainment. This material is not intended to take the place of flight planning or of training with a qualified instructor.) But we may be our own worst enemies. Mr. Osborn ends his discourse with the following: “Commercial aviation may be well ‘on the way,’ but it certainly can’t be said to have ‘arrived’ until it employs more artists and pretty girl models than the automobile industry.” 2019 notes: 11 years later, it’s hard to say if General Aviation is doing a better job of advertising itself. I still don’t see much advertising in non-aviation media, which is where it needs to be to entice non-pilots to become pilots. I don’t think that more “pretty girl models” are the answer. Additionally, with the level of oversight that General Aviation is subjected to, it can be difficult to highlight the positives without seeming indifferent to the risks. As prosaic as airline travel can be to some, “little airplanes” are often viewed as scary or intimidating. It’s a challenge the auto industry does not face. And yet, it’s a challenge we need to meet. The future of General Aviation depends on even more (and not less) people getting involved. Driving prices down and increasing the availability of parts will require achieving efficiencies of scale. Perhaps more effective advertising can help to get us there. Blue skies, LETTERS to the EDITOR Send your letters to editor@cessnaflyer.org Longtime member appreciates new look on the cover of Cessna Flyer Hello, Jennifer! Happy New Year! Love the new magazine cover font. Tom Saxon Leesburg, Virginia Navigation The High and the Writey by Kevin Garrison, December 2018 Jen, Please pass on my kudos to Mr. Garrison for his December column. I haven’t been that amused since I read Gordon Baxter’s “Bax Seat” column, “Old Pilots, Old Values,” way back in the day. (The column was published in the August 1991 issue of Flying. —Ed.) You might remind Mr. Garrison that according to Mr. Baxter, yet another method of navigation was to land, buy gas and look at the name on the receipt. Regards, Mike Ford Winter is Coming Questions and Answers by Steve Ells, December 2018 Steve, I really benefit from your concise comments. Thank you. Regarding the December 2018 issue and your comments about slow prop spinning on start: I bought a Cessna 182A about three years ago. I had the same issue—a reason- ably good start in warm weather, and no start below about 30 F. I don’t recall all the research, but my A&P/IA and I decided it was the starter adapter. We replaced the starter adapter and starter, and all has been fine. Letters continued on Page 73... CES SNA F LYE R (08) F E BRUARY 2019 support scholarship programs for youth seeking careers in the aerospace indus- try. Free admission. For more informa- tion, visit copperstate.org. Feb. 23–24 — Puyallup, WA. Washing- ton State Fair Events Center. Northwest Aviation Conference & Trade Show. The Washington Aviation Association has been hosting this event for over three decades. It has grown to offer more than 75 hours of safety seminars and 122,000 square feet of aviation displays. Saturday 9 am to 5:30 pm, Sunday 10 am to 4 pm. Entry is $5 per day, kids 17 and under get in for free. Free parking. For more information, visit washington- aviation.org. March 14–16 — Long Beach, CA. 2019 International Women in Aviation Confer- ence. For more information, visit wai. org/events/2019-international-women- aviation-conference. April 2–7 — Lakeland, FL. Sun ‘n Fun Expo Campus. Sun ‘n Fun International Fly-in and Expo. For more information, visit flysnf.org/sun-n-fun-intl-fly-expo. April 10–13 — Friedrichshafen, Germany. Aero Friedrichshafen, The Global Show for General Aviation. More than 600 exhibitors from 35 countries, 33,000 visitors and 600 journalists from all over the world gather for this annual event. Numerous companies display their latest products and innovations for all types of aircraft from ultralights and gliders to business jets, helicopters and electric aircraft. Attendees can participate in workshops, presentations, and obtain information about avionics, engines, maintenance, drones and much more. For more information, visit aero-expo.com. May 4–5 — Anchorage, AK. 2019 Great Alaska Aviation Gathering. Now in its 21st season, this is Alaska’s premier, CFA EVENTS July 20–21, 2019 — Waupaca Municipal (KPCZ). The 15th annual Gathering at Waupaca. Save the date for CFA’s annual pre-OSH event with fun, food and friend- ship. Watch this space and CessnaFlyer.org in the coming months for more details. FEATURED EVENTS Feb. 8–10 — Buckeye, AZ. Buckeye Municipal Airport (KBXK). Copperstate Fly-in Aviation and Education Expo. Copperstate has been bringing aviation enthusiasts together in the southwest United States since its first event in 1973. This volunteer-run, nonprofit organization is dedicated to promot- ing recreational and General Aviation through events, scholarships and public education. Proceeds from the fly-in help SEND EVENTS to editor@cessnaflyer.org As the LARGEST Single-Engine Cessna Used Parts Dealer IN THE WORLD, we’ll help you find everything you need ...with only ONE call! AIRFRAME Wings, Cowlings, Interiors, Control Surfaces, Landing Gear, Tail Surfaces, Engine and Flight Instruments AVIONICS King, Narco, ARC, Collins, Nav/Com, Transponder, AME, DME, Autopilot Trays and complete harness included! All units 100% satisfaction guaranteed Wentworth Aircraft Inc. • 6000 Douglas Drive N. • Crystal, MN 55429 CESSNA | PIPER | HOMEBUILTS WENTWORTH AIRCRAFT, INC. Huge Volume | Fresh Stock | 80,000 Sq. Ft. of Indoor Storage | 30-Day Satisfaction Guarantee RFQs Online, Fax or Phone Hard-to-find parts aren’t hard to find here! Phone 763-231-8484 Fax 763-231-8482 Email wentacpart@aol.com ENGINES LYCOMING O-235 to IO-540 CONTINENTAL O-200 to IO-520 Complete engines with accessories and complete logs! Also Cylinders, Mags, Accessories CES SNA F LYE R (10) F E BRUARY 2019 BEST CESSNAS! BEST PRICES!! BEST FINANCING!!! 4912 SOUTH COLLINS • ARLINGTON MUNICIPAL AIRPORT • ARLINGTON, TX 76018 800-759-4295 • FAX 817-468-7886 • e-mail: acsales@vanbortel.com • www.vanbortel.com follow us must-see aviation event with nearly 300 exhibitors and 25,000 attendees! For more information, visit greatalaskaavia- tiongathering.org. May 10–11 — Frederick, MD. Frederick Municipal Airport (KFDK). AOPA Fly-in. In celebration of its 80th anniversary, the AOPA will host three grand, two-day fly-ins for the 2019 season. Returning to two of our favorite fly-in locations and one brand-new destination, these avia- tion celebrations will run all day Friday and Saturday, and will feature expanded exhibit hours, seminars, workshops, aircraft displays and special aerial dem- onstrations. For more information, visit aopa.org/fly-ins. June 18–21 — Jackson, TN. McKellar- Sipes Regional Airport (KMKL). 43rd annual Air Race Classic. In this cross- country race, women of all ages, back- grounds and professions fly a wide variety of airplanes, continuing the tradition of women’s air racing. For more informa- tion, visit airraceclassic.org. June 21–22 — Livermore, CA. Livermore Municipal Airport (KLVK). AOPA Fly-in. In celebration of its 80th anniversary, AOPA will host three grand, two-day fly-ins for the 2019 season. Returning to two of our favorite fly-in locations and one brand-new destination, these aviation celebrations will run all day Friday and Saturday, and will feature expanded exhibit hours, seminars, work- shops, aircraft displays and special aerial demonstrations. For more information, visit aopa.org/fly-ins. July 16–21 — Dayton, OH. The 99s International Conference 2019. The Ninety-Nines International Organization of Women Pilots promotes advancement of aviation through education, scholar- ships and mutual support while honoring the unique history of women in aviation and sharing their passion for flight. The conference offers mentorship opportuni- ties and leadership seminars that cover all facets of aviation, professional and personal development. For more informa- tion, visit ninety-nines.org/conference. htm or contact Minnetta Gardinier, Deb Heinrichs or Paula Rumbaugh at day- ton2019@ncs99s.org. July 20 — Oshkosh, WI. Cessnas 2 Oshkosh 2019. The mass arrival is Cess- nas 2 Oshkosh’s main annual event. The aircraft depart Dodge County Airport CES SNA F LYE R (12) F E BRUARY 2019 1-800-264-6019 WWW.PROGRESSIVEAIR .COM CERTIFIED LYCOMING & CONTINENTAL PISTON ENGINES & ACCESSORIES GLOBAL DISTRIBUTOR OF CERTIFIED PISTON ENGINES & PARTS CONTACT US TODAY FOR YOUR QUOTE AND ASK ABOUT FREE SHIPPING STOCK PARTS SHIP WITHIN 24 HOURS 1-800-667-0522 • REPAIR • OVERHAUL • NDT • COMPONENT PAINTING • AIRCRAFT SERVICE WWW.PROAEROAV.COM Texas Skyways engine conversions provide you with more horse power & better performance GO FURTHER , FASTER ! 308 BOERNE STAGE AIRFIELD BOERNE, TX 78006 800-899-7597 WWW.TXSKYWAYS.COM IO-550 • A NNUAL & PRE- PURCHASE INSPECTIONS • A IRCRAFT ACCESSORIES • P ROPELLERS & AIRFRAME REPAIR E N G I N E C O N V E R S I O N S D O N E (KUNU) in Juneau, Wisconsin, in close sequence, join in formation elements of three aircraft during the initial climb, shift to trail formation on short final and land in close sequence at Wittman Regional Airport (KOSH) in Oshkosh. Each ele- ment in the flight consists of three aircraft of the same model or similar performance arranged in a triangle, one in the lead position and one in each of the wing posi- tions stationed at 45 degrees to the lead. Visit cessnas2oshkosh.com. July 24–26 — Clinton, IA. Clinton Municipal Airport (KCWI). Cessna 150- 152 Fly-in. For three days, the airport is filled with the largest concentration of Cessna 150s and 152s you’ll find anywhere (although other makes and models of aircraft are indeed welcome). Something is always happening, whether it’s flying contests, seminars, impromptu aerial excursions to points of interest in the vicinity or around the pattern, or just relaxing on the grass under the wing on a warm summer day getting reacquainted with old (and new) friends. The Cessna 150-152 Fly-in has some- thing for everyone. For more informa- tion, visit cessna150152flyin.org. July 22–28 — Oshkosh, WI. Wittman Field (KOSH). EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. Experience the largest annual gathering of aviation enthusiasts. From unique, historic aircraft to world-class daily air shows, you don’t want to miss the World’s Greatest Aviation Celebration. For more information, visit eaa.org/en/airventure. Sep. 13–14 — Tullahoma, TN. Tullahoma Regional Airport (KTHA). AOPA Fly-in. In celebration of its 80th anniversary, AOPA will host three grand, two-day fly-ins for the 2019 season. Returning to two of our favorite fly-in locations and one brand-new destination, these aviation celebrations will run all day Friday and Saturday, and will feature expanded exhibit hours, seminars, workshops, aircraft displays and special aerial demonstrations. For more informa- tion, visit aopa.org/fly-ins. OTHER EVENTS Feb. 14 — Omaha, NE. Oracle Aviation at Milliard Airport (KMLE). Omaha IMC Club. The IMC Club’s purpose is to promote instrument flying proficiency and safety. Omaha IMC Club meets the sec- ond Thursday of the month from October through May from 7 to 8 pm in Oracle Aviation at the Millard Airport. Anyone is welcome to attend, even if you’re not cur- rently instrument rated. Hope to see you there and fly safe! For more information, contact Jim Beyer at 316-213-7093, oma- haimcclub@gmail.com or visit facebook. com/omahaimcclub. Feb. 15 — Cleveland, OH. International Women’s Air & Space Museum at Burke Lakefront Airport Cleveland (KBKL). Dinner with a Slice of History Featuring Gigi Coleman. Don’t miss the chance to meet the great-niece of Bessie Coleman and hear the story of this aviation pioneer who refused “to take no for an answer!” After being denied access to American flight schools because of her race and gender, Bessie Coleman traveled to France, where she became the first African-Amer- ican woman to obtain a pilot’s license. In honor of Black History Month, Gigi Cole- man will be at IWASM to perform her one-woman show based on the life of her great-aunt. Dinner will begin at 6:30 p.m. with presentation to follow. For more in- formation, contact Katie at 216-623-1111 or visit iwasm.org. continued on Page 74... CES SNA F LYE R (14) F E BRUARY 2019 • Spark Plugs • Oil Filters • Dry Air Pumps • Regulators and Manifold Valves • Pneumatic Filters and Fittings and Fittings • Carburetors • Replacement Components ® ™ • RSA Fuel Injection Systems • Replacement Components ™ • Starters • Alternators • Temperature Probes • Instruments • Test Equipment www.tempestaero.com 800.822.3200 Quality, Innovation and Performance from the Brands you Trust. Kevin Garrison’s aviation career began at age 15 as a lineboy in Lakeland, Florida. He came up through General Aviation, retired as a 767 captain in 2006 and retired from instructing airline pilots in 2017. Garrison’s professional writing career has spanned three decades. Send questions or comments to editor@cessnaflyer.org. THE HIGH AND THE WRITEY KEVIN GARRISON Instrument ratings are for life. You can only lose currency; you can never lose the license... Flying in Fog A practical argument for getting an instrument rating —even if you never plan to use it. “Instrument flying is an unnatural act, probably punishable by God.” —Gordon Baxter Many pilots pride themselves on their flying-by-the-seat-of- their-pants skills. Some go as far as to say that they have no inter- est in learning how to fly on instruments because “real” flying has to do with stick-and-rudder manipulation, not gauge-gazing. Somebody said that to me just the other day. He is a friend of mine who has no interest in flying through weather. He said his lifestyle is such that he can wait a few days for things to clear up before he aviates. I imagine that many of you are in a similar position. Why spend time and money learning instrument flying skills and getting the rating if you never intend to fly though weather? There are some very good reasons why pilots turn away from getting their instrument rating. Here are just a few: • The training costs too much. • Staying instrument current is a pain in the rear. • I’ll be embarrassed if I don’t learn quickly enough and I’m comfort- able where I am. • It will take away my “freedom of flight” if I have to follow clearances from controllers. • I only travel cross-country every now and then, so I don’t think I need to be instrument qualified. These are all valid reasons and I am certainly not in a posi- tion to talk you into doing something that you don’t want to do, but I hope you’ll stick with me for a while as I tell you why instrument flying and being instrument rated is the way to go. You don’t need the fear My pre-solo instructor told me to consider clouds to be “poison gas.” Encountering them as a VFR-only pilot would lead to doom and disaster. He had a point, but I am not sure that scaring pilots about naturally-occurring things like clouds is the most effective way to promote safety. Continued flight into deteriorating weather conditions is one of the top causes of accidents in aviation. When was the last time you ran into weather when you were flying that you didn’t think was going to be there? When was the last time your flight extended into the darkness even though you thought you would be done and on the ground while the sun was still shining? The FAA recognized that these things occur, and decades ago they began requiring that private pilot students undergo at least three hours of instrument training. That training was aimed at preparing VFR pilots to do a level turn out of weather they might encounter in a future flight. The FAA had the right idea. A little instrument training is better than no instrument training, but it was kind of like train- ing a person to read the legal disclaimers on a food wrapper and then argue a case on consumer law before the Supreme Court. It just wasn’t enough training to do much good. In an emergency encounter with bad weather or very low vis- ibility, nobody cares if you are legally cur- rent. What matters is whether or not you have the instrument flying skills to save the day. In my opinion, having an instru- ment rating is a side effect of good and complete instrument training. Any instru- ment flying instruction, if done seriously and properly, can only benefit you—even if you never get the rating. The money question There is no doubt or argument: the flight training required to get an instru- ment rating is costly. So were your last car and your kid’s braces. I have no logical argument to convince you to invest the money in your future aviation fun and safety to get an instrument rating. Getting trained to be a proficient and safe gazer-of-gauges costs thousands of dollars. The skills you will learn will stay with you for life, as will the rating. Instrument ratings are for life. You can only lose cur- rency; you can never lose the license once you get it. One save of your aircraft and passengers from an encounter with low visibility in flight will more than pay for that training. If you travel in your aircraft, think of the motel rooms you have paid for and the work you have missed just because you could not fly when it was below a thousand overcast and 3 miles. Personally, I think the training pays for itself. CES SNA F LYE R (16) F E BRUARY 2019 Current or competent? I had the luxury of not worrying much about instrument currency when I was flying professionally. Somewhere in the 80 hours a month I was flying, I was sure to encounter enough clouds, weather and low visibility to meet the currency require- ments in the regs. I don’t have that kind of exposure to the IFR system any more. Currency requirements are something that have to be kept up with and thought about, but in addition to remaining legal, I suggest that we should consider how competent we are, rather than how many approaches we shot in the past six months. You can maintain legal currency using instrument trainers or by flying under the hood an hour a month with a friendly safety pilot. Maintaining your competency is a different matter entirely, and it’s totally up to you. I suggest you practice and hone the skills you need to accom- plish the flying you do. Practicing ILS approaches and get- ting three of them is fine for currency, but if you only fly GPS approaches, I’d concentrate my efforts on those. This may sound weird to you if you aren’t an instrument pilot yet, but approaches and practice holds can be as fun as doing touch-and-go landings on a sunny day. The training is… hard? Everything you have ever learned was difficult—until you learned how to do it. You don’t remember learning how to walk, but I bet it wasn’t easy at first. I know you remember how challenging it was to learn sim- ple piloting things like steering the airplane on the ground using your feet. I remember my legs shaking from nervous- ness the first time I tried that. Instrument flying is no different. If you learn this skill, a whole new world will open for you, and piloting your plane using only the visual cues in your cockpit will become sec- ond nature. You will be a more accurate and safe pilot in one of the big- gest and most frightening areas of aviation—flight into clouds and low visibility. These conditions will no longer be something you worry about. The air traffic control system becomes a thing for you to utilize to improve your speed and safety and you will no longer have worries about avoiding certain airspaces or maintaining VFR in them. Oh, the things you will see and do The best part about being able to fly on instruments is the freedom you will have and the things you will see. Imagine feeling totally comfortable in your aircraft as you fly though the light bumpiness of a solid cloud deck. Think of what you will see at dawn as you break out on top of those clouds on your way to your destination. Most of the cool things I have seen in my flying life were seen when I was flying on instruments. Saint Elmo’s fire on my windshield, the purple buildups of an easy-to-avoid thunder- storm atop a layer of dark clouds backed up by the sunset, and the Northern Lights were all things I never would have seen if I had limited myself to VFR-only flight. I cannot and would not presume to tell you to go out and get an instrument rating, but I will tell you that there is no bet- ter feeling in this world than flying a difficult approach though weather, breaking out at minimums and seeing those approach lights and runway. CES SNA F LYE R (18) F E BRUARY 2019 Call us for Tip to Tail Support. (800) 777-4926 www.westair.com/parts Western Aircraft is known around the world for providing fast, quality parts service for a variety of aircraft. We have an extensive range of parts as a Textron Authorized Parts Distributor. As you’ve come to expect from us, our service is fast and reliable, and our buying power means our prices are very competitive. We stock our parts, tip-to-tail, and they are ready to ship when you call. We’ve added a second shift to better handle our global customer base and we’re always happy to welcome new customers. For Cessna parts support, we’ve got you covered. WE’VE GOT THAT COVERED. Advice in the member forum for a T210 buyer, jack pads for a 182, swapping wheels from a 1974 210. I just joined [Cessna Flyer Association], mostly for access to resources. My wife and I are considering purchasing our first aircraft, and the Cessna T210 Turbo Centurion made the short list for the kind of trips we want to do. We live in southern Colorado, and I fly freight for work on a daily basis. I’ve got about 7,000 hours of flying other people’s airplanes around. I have an ATP, CFII and a couple of type rat- ings from stints at regionals. If you’re in my area or want to help out as I ask silly questions, please chime in! Everything I know about purchasing an airplane, and turbocharged engines (aside from the general concept) is listed below... Jeff B. Hi Jeff, I wrote an article on the Cessna 210 series a few years ago called “Cessna 210: King of the Singles.” You can find it in the Cessna Flyer magazine archives. (See link in Resources. —Ed.) As a member, you have access to a wide range of helpful articles. You’ll be able to read articles such as the piece Michael Leighton wrote in December 2014, “The Do’s and Don’ts of Buying and Selling a Plane.” There’s also more detailed technical information available in the archives. As an example, I wrote a Q&A article in February 2015 about the sequence of events in the landing gear system of a 1964 Cessna 210. While it’s not a T210, this sequence applies to all the 210s with the flat steel spring landing gear. Let us know how we can help further, Steve Follow-up: Thanks Steve, I’m still very much in the reading and learning phase of this process. As I recently read somewhere online, “I’d like to buy my last airplane first.” I’ll certainly reach out as questions arise. Thanks for your help. Jeff B. Steve Ells has been an A&P/IA for 44 years. He is a commercial pilot with instrument and multi-engine ratings and loves utility and bush-style airplanes and operations. Ells was a tech rep and editor for Cessna Pilots Association and associate editor for AOPA Pilot. He owns Ells Aviation (EllsAviation.com) and lives in Templeton, California. Send questions and comments to editor@cessnaflyer.org. QUESTIONS & ANSWERS STEVE ELLS CES SNA F LYE R (20) F E BRUARY 2019 Cessna Flyer member William Gust added a few words to Jeff’s forum thread: “I live in southern Colorado also. I have 1,800 hours in the T210. I currently own a 1978 T210M [and have had it] for the last 10 years. Previous T210 was a 1974 model.” “The ‘78 still has the gear doors. It is a great airplane for Colorado. I fly west a lot and the turbo gets me up to alti- tude to have a good clearance over the Rockies. I have found that if you stay on top of the maintenance, the airplane can be very reliable.” Follow-up: Jeff, It’s been proven again and again that smart money buys the best airplane an owner can afford. My guess is that at a mini- mum, you’ll want a WAAS GPS, and ADS-B In and Out. Steve Follow-up: Thanks guys. A WAAS GPS is definitely on the need list, as the two airports I’ll be using most only offer LPV approaches. William, maybe we’ll run in to each other somewhere around. I’m usually hauling freight in a Beech Queen Air or 99 when I’m flying around the area. Look for a short guy with a mountain man-style beard and come say hi! Thanks for the input! Jeff B. Hey Steve, Could you tell me the best way to jack up my 1958 Cessna 182 to remove the main landing gear? I need to send the gear to North Sound Aviation for refurbishing. I have scoured the internet as well as the Backcountry Pilot website and have found no real answers. I talked to a guy in a Texas who wanted a copy of my 337 for my 310 nose fork. Somehow, we got talking about taking the main gear off for inspection and refurbishment. He built a “saddle” out of three pieces of 3/4-inch plywood sandwiched together, cut out to match the lower fuselage shape forward of the mains. Then, he lowered the tail as far as he Learn more at www.enersys.com Because battery down means wheels down Introducing the Hawker® SBS J-16 battery from EnerSys® Featuring Thin Plate Pure Lead (TPPL) technology, the new Hawker® SBS J-16 battery combines unmatched power density with exceptionally long storage life. So even after months of sitting idle, it will start on the first crank. FAA-PMA certified for Cessna® C-170/C-180/C-195 models, the Hawker SBS J-16 battery is also built with military-grade plate design for excellent vibration resistance and high G loading. © 2018 EnerSys. All rights reserved. Trademarks and logos are the property of EnerSys and its affiliates, except Cessna, which is not the property of EnerSys. Subject to revisions without prior notice. E.&O.E. ©2019 Hartzell Engine Technologies LLC. All rights reserved. AeroForce.aero Fuelcraft.aero PlanePower.aero SkyTec.aero Janitrol.aero Behind Every Great Brand Is a Proven Pedigree. The products you have come to know grow stronger through the support of Hartzell Engine Technologies and its passion for advancing aviation performance. Each brand delivers premium products, service and support. It’s why we are flying on nearly every piston aircraft, today. When you need a trusted solution, choose a name with a lineage of pure performance. It’s in our family DNA. CES SNA F LYE R (22) F E BRUARY 2019 could and placed the saddle under the fuselage just forward of where a Cessna 180’s gear would come into the fuselage or where a reasonable “fulcrum point” might be. He then jacked the tail to get the mains off. The jacking of the tail sounds iffy to me, but he said it worked fine and was very solid. If this is acceptable, maybe I’d want a certain amount of fuel in the tanks to keep a forward CG. Any ideas? It seems like this info should be readily available, but I haven’t found it. Maybe the Cessna Flyer group has some- thing on this? Thanks! Phil in Boise Hi Phil, Guidance can be found in the service manual. (See Page 23 for a drawing. —Ed.) The Cessna shop I worked in always used the long wing jacks we had on hand. They were designed to jack up 210s. We also liked to jack up fixed-gear Cessnas during inspections so we could push, pull and tug on the main landing gear legs to check for looseness. (CFA supporter Alpha Aviation sells this type of wing jack. —Ed.) We just put a piece of padded plywood on the bottom wing skin just outboard of the upper end of the wing strut. A 10-inch by 10-inch by 1/2-inch thick piece is big enough and strong enough to spread the load. Or, if we were just jacking up one wheel, we would use a Cessna jacking tool, also called a jack pad. Aircraft Spruce sells one for around $60. Bogert Aviation sells a fancier model called the 30M-FPP that can be adapted to fit many sizes of flat spring steel gear. They have several other jack pads to fit differ- ent Cessna gear configurations. I needed a jack pad when I was up in Alaska, so I made one for the flat gear legs out of three pieces of angle steel I welded together to fit the landing gear leg. In a pinch, I have jacked up the flat steel main landing gear legs by clamping a piece of two-by-four against the bottom of the landing gear leg and jacking against that. It’s important to repaint any spots on the spring steel gear leg that get scratched during the jacking. The surface of the spring steel gear leg is shot-peened to toughen it up—but it rusts easily and must be protected to maintain the shot-peened layer and to prevent the gear leg from breaking due to rust. Happy flying, Steve Steve Ells’ homemade jack pads. CES SNA F LYE R (23) F E BRUARY 2019 Know your FAR/AIM and check with your mechanic before starting any work. Resources CESSNA FLYER ARTICLES “Cessna 210: King of the Singles” cessnaflyer.org/cessna-singles/cessna-210/item/996-cessna- 210-king-of-the-singles.html “The Do’s and Don’ts of Buying and Selling a Plane” cessnaflyer.org/maintenance-tech/item/716-the-do-s-and- don-ts-of-buying-and-selling-a-plane.html “Q&A: Landing Gear Troubles and a Hydraulic Fluid Leak in an Early 210” cessnaflyer.org/maintenance-tech/item/780-q-a-landing-gear- troubles-and-a-hydraulic-fluid-leak-in-an-early-210.html CESSNA GEAR REFURBISHMENT North Sound Aviation (360) 826-3962 Wing jacks Alpha Aviation Inc. – CFA supporter alphaaviation.com Cessna jack adapters Aircraft Spruce (basic tool) – CFA supporter aircraftspruce.com/catalog/topages/jackpointscessna.php Bogert Aviation (30M-FPP) bogertaviation.com/collections/aircraft-jack-pads/products/ flat-pivot-point-adjustable-jack-pad CES SNA F LYE R (24) F E BRUARY 2019 Engine Overhaul Fundamentals, Part Three: PREPARING THE ENGINE BAY CES SNA F LYE R (25) F E BRUARY 2019 viation, like many specialty fields, has its own technical language, including commonly-used abbrevia- tions and acronyms. TBO (time between overhauls), FAR (Federal Aviation Regulation), ELT (emergency locator transmitter), ATC (air traffic control), FBO (fixed-base operator)… the list goes on and on. In looking at pre-owned airplane ads, you will often see a reference to an engine overhaul as being firewall-for- ward, meaning that everything forward of the firewall is reconditioned to as close to new as possible. Ads and promotions will often read something like “150 hrs SMO [since major overhaul], FWF [firewall for- ward].” It’s important to know that a comprehensive, high-quality engine overhaul involves more than just the engine itself. As with many things in aviation, an optimum outcome for any engine over- haul effort begins with, you guessed it, a good plan. The planning process should begin with engaging your licensed maintenance technician to create a list of the specific tasks you as an owner can perform, and those items which require the expertise of a licensed A&P mechanic. Many of the tasks involved in complet- ing a thorough firewall-forward overhaul can be performed by an aircraft owner under the preventive maintenance provi- sions of the Federal Aviation Regulations 43.13, Appendix A, Paragraph (c). In future articles, I will elaborate on pro- cedures that must be followed under the provisions of owner-performed maintenance. (See “Further reading” in Resources at the end of this article for a list of additional owner-performed main- tenance articles. —Ed.) It’s been my experience that most A&Ps are quite busy and would welcome your willingness to clean, repair and detail certain components in preparing the engine bay for installation of the newly-overhauled engine. Who likes to work in a dirty place? Due to the varying time commitments and skill levels of individual aircraft owners, not all of these “two-part” plans will be identical. That said, I think the following two lists are inclusive enough to help you and your mechanic develop a realistic plan. The result will be a thor- ough and safe firewall-forward overhaul project that you and your mechanic can be proud of. In an upcoming article, I will write about how to properly execute each of these tasks. Oh yes, there will be lots of pictures, too. List 1 (for an owner) This first project list covers the things an owner can legally do to the engine bay to help create a high-quality firewall- forward overhaul. GENERAL CLEANUP – Firewall – Cowl – Exhaust components – Engine mount COWLING – Remove corrosion and paint inside surfaces – Repair minor cracks – Correct chafing issues – Replace damaged fasteners, or upgrade to stainless cam locks – Repair or replace latches – Replace worn or missing bumpers – Replace degraded mounting hardware and clamps BAFFLES – Repair cracks and out-of-spec holes in existing baffles – Install approved aftermarket baffle kits – Repair soft material baffle seals, or upgrade to silicone rubber seals – Secure new baffle seals with stainless screws vs. staples or rivets ELECTRICAL – Remove corrosion from battery terminals, clean spark plugs – Detail and clean up wire insulation to remove grease and grime – Replace aging grommets – Replace worn clamps and tie wraps DUCTING – Evaluate the condition of all duct hoses and clamps – Upgrade to new orange silicone SCAT ducting – Check for proper routing and security of ducting – Correct improper use of clamps and tie wraps – Replace old clamps with new stainless screw clamps SILICONE CAULKING – Remove poorly-applied and old silicone caulking – Apply new caulk using masking tape for a neat seal As you work through the owner-per- formed list, it’s important to keep your mechanic involved. The guidance of an experienced technician can go a long way in avoiding mistakes. List 2 (for an A&P) The second list is an outline of the tasks that require the skill, experience, documentation and logbook entry of a licensed technician. STEEL ENGINE MOUNT – Old steel tubing-type mounts can be cracked or corroded. It’s a good idea to send them to a specialty shop for testing and inspection – Once stripped, a steel tubing mount should be painted with light paint to make any future cracking more easily visible – Thoroughly inspect any engine mount that also serves as a mounting for the nosewheel – Check the condition and security of heat shields A firewall-forward overhaul can offer a great opportunity to “partner up” with your A&P. Design a two-part plan that divides the workload based on what’s allowable as well as what’s realistic for the owner. This approach gives both par- ties the ability to move the project forward, plus, you’ll be proud of the high-quality work you accomplish together. By Dennis Wolter A …most A&Ps are quite busy and would welcome your willingness to clean, repair and detail certain components in preparing the engine bay… CES SNA F LYE R (26) F E BRUARY 2019 Owners may make “small, simple repairs” to fairings and cowlings. HOSES – Inspect hoses for time-in-service life limits, condition, routing and security – Check for torque markings MUFFLER AND EXHAUST – Inspect all exhaust pipes, clamps and flanges – Inspect and test the muffler for condition and function – Evaluate the advantages of upgraded exhaust systems, especially for turbocharged engines TURBOCHARGER – Always overhaul the turbo and related components at engine overhaul time INDUCTION SYSTEM – Carburetors should be overhauled at engine TBO – Air boxes require thorough inspection for condition and function CRADLE-TYPE ENGINE MOUNT – Clean thoroughly – Inspect all rivets for corrosion and security – Inspect entire mount area for cracks or signs of deformation; some of these systems also serve as nosegear mounts – Check the condition of all bolts and their mounting holes – Replace rubber vibration isolators of Dynafocal mounts at overhaul time – If the aluminum cradle-type mounting structure is uncorroded, leave it unpainted ELECTRICAL – Replace degraded wiring with silicone-insulated Mil-Spec wire – Check for unapproved electrical connectors – Evaluate the condition and compliance of any previous repairs – Check the condition of the battery box – Consider air filter upgrades – Inspect and evaluate engine controls; a stiff throttle cable can be a warning that a serious problem is lurking – Fuel-injected engines have multiple components that must be evaluated – Evaluate the age and condition of the fuel boost pump CABIN HEAT SYSTEM – Firewall-forward cabin heat system components are often in need of repair; for example, hot and cold air mixing plenums and related ducting are common problem areas – Check for proper function of cabin emergency shut-off PROPELLER – FIXED – Older fixed-pitch props can be sent to the manufacturer or a field propeller shop for inspection, balancing and refinishing continued on Page 28... CES SNA F LYE R (27) F E BRUARY 2019 PROPELLER – CONSTANT-SPEED – Confirm the inspection, AD status and condition of constant-speed propellers – Check ADs and Service Bulletins ENGINE INSTRUMENTS – All related components should be inspected for condition and accuracy – Mechanical tachometers are often inaccurate – check against an optical tachometer Does this seem like a lot of work? Well, it is. Not everything on these two lists will apply to every airplane. Often, many of these items are in good condition and require no improvement. Also, many of these tasks do not require a lot of time to complete. I can assure you that all of the time, elbow grease, money and even a little frustration will produce the reward of owner’s pride in being part of preserv- ing their plane for the next generation. Equally as important, the knowledge an owner will gain after being engaged in the care of their airplane will make them a better pilot. Until next time, fly safe! Know your FAR/AIM and check with your mechanic before starting any work. Industrial designer and aviation enthu- siast Dennis Wolter is well-known for giving countless seminars and contrib- uting his expertise about all phases of aircraft renovation in various publica- tions. Wolter founded Air Mod in 1973 in order to offer private aircraft owners the same professional, high-quality work then only offered to corporate jet opera- tors. Send questions or comments to editor@cessnaflyer.org. Resources FURTHER READING “Engine Overhaul Fundamentals: Part Two” by Dennis Wolter, January 2019 “Engine Overhaul Fundamentals: Part One” by Dennis Wolter, December 2018 Resources continued from Page 27... CES SNA F LYE R (28) F E BRUARY 2019 Engine overhaul time is a good time to evaluate (and potentially replace) your exhaust system. “Engine Mounts Explained” by Steve Ells, September 2018 “Keep Those Manuals Handy: Rules for Owner-Performed Maintenance” by Steve Ells, October 2018 “Pre- and Post-Overhaul: Engine Removal and Installation” by Jacqueline Shipe, April 2018 “Engine Overhauls, Illustrated” by Jacqueline Shipe, February 2018 “Keeping Your Engine Cool” by Bill Ross, December 2017 “Exhaust System 101: Inspection and Maintenance” by Jacqueline Shipe, June 2018 “Aircraft Carburetors: Still Delivering for Aviation” by Jacqueline Shipe, February 2017 All of these articles—and many more— are available at CessnaFlyer.org CES SNA F LYE R (30) F E BRUARY 2019 My mechanical curriculum vitae The EAA SportAir Workshops have valuable information for even the most experienced wielder of wrenches, but I was in especially deep need of the courses I took because of the pathetic nature of my mechanical background, or “handy-manly-ness.” My father, a former Navy aircraft mechanic from the era of the “Big One,” aka Double-U, Double-U-Two, tried to imbue me with a base of mechanical knowledge. He let me sit under the car’s hood when he worked on its engine, and he would sharpen my skills by asking me to hand him a “three-eighths socket.” I would then rummage around the toolbox and, ducking my head to avoid the cloud of smoke coming from his ciga- rette, would bravely and resolutely hand him a half-inch closed-end wrench. He would then let me go back to drawing airplanes in front of the TV ilbur and Orville Wright were the first successful aircraft homebuilders, but they weren’t members of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA). It is a pity, because they could have gotten some great insights, tips and techniques if they had attended a few of that organization’s SportAir Workshops like I did. The Wright Brothers, along with other well-known homebuilders like Icarus, Alberto Santos-Dumont and Glenn Curtiss, would have had to wait for the year 1953 to join EAA in the club’s first year of existence. Even if they had been around in the 1950s, I have seri- ous doubts that they would have joined. After all, Santos-Dumont was flying his balloons around Paris when he wasn’t hanging out in Brazil and Icarus was Greek far before the fraternity system was founded in this country. The EAA offers very affordable two- day workshops at locations all around the United States. The SportAir Workshops can help you get started on your homebuilt, or rebuilding and restoring aircraft like my Cessna 140. The workshops are a short- term, intense exposure to skills that you may have forgotten or, as in my case, never gotten at all. while Sky King and Penny added to my future flying career by catching bad guys by chasing them down with their Bamboo Bomber. Later in life, when I was a junior and then a senior airline pilot, my involve- ment in the aircraft maintenance world was to try and do a good write-up in the aircraft’s logbook. I would then gather up my crew and head to the hotel to see if we could catch a rerun of the movie “Airplane!” on cable. In other words, I can screw in a lightbulb, but I must watch at least three YouTube videos on how to do it first. Really! These videos exist! (See link in Resources if you need assistance in changing your own household light- bulbs. —Ed.) The EAA flies to the rescue I bought a very nice 1946 Cessna 140 a few years ago. Shortly after I got it, I found that it wasn’t so nice. We will save the “why you should always get a good pre-buy inspection” lecture for a later time. Suffice to say, I found that I was going to go from as simple aircraft owner and flyer to the title of aircraft restorer in record time. The airplane has fabric-covered wings and one of the problems with it was one My Marvelous Mechanical MatriculationA saga in which an aging operator of airfoils engages in the manipulation of fabrics and electrons at EAA SportAir Workshops. By Kevin Garrison W The [EAA] workshops are a short-term, intense exposure to skills that you may have forgotten or, as in my case, never gotten at all. CES SNA F LYE R (31) F E BRUARY 2019 Kevin Garrison’s Cessna 140 before covering. One of the best things about EAA’s SportAir Workshops is that everyone learns together under the guidance of experienced experts. Photo courtesy EAA Photo: Kevin Garrison CES SNA F LYE R (32) F E BRUARY 2019 Employing the skills learned in the Poly-Fiber course. EAA staff instructor Mark Forss makes a key point during a hands-on demonstration at a recent EAA SportAir Workshop. Photo courtesy EAA Photo: Kevin Garrison CES SNA F LYE R (33) F E BRUARY 2019 TAKE A SEAT www.AviationsCreations.com 480-998-1752 mobile 480-980-0639 Impeccable, innovative designs of the wings needed repair and recover to be legal and safe. In addition to the wing problems, I had a few, shall we say, electrical and avionics questions that I wanted answered before I flew my little taildragger again. I finally paid attention to one of the postcards the EAA sends to members about their classes and decided to enroll in their fabric recovering class last year. This year, I took the Aircraft Electrics and Avionics course. Both were offered within a few hours’ drive for me in Indianapolis at the Vincennes University Aviation Technology Center. There are many other classes available covering many other subjects, depending on their schedule. Both courses I took were excellent, well-taught and worth way more than I paid for them. The information imparted was well laid-out and very easy to under- stand, even for a neophyte like myself. Aircraft Spruce sponsors these classes and when they say “sponsor,” they don’t mean that they do a half-way job of it. All materials and workbooks are includ- ed with each class, and all classes use up a lot of supplies. Aircraft Spruce not only provides all the materials; they offer course graduates a discount and free shipping on their post-class supply order. Fabric! In 2017, I learned all about how to recover the wing of my Cessna 140 using the Poly-Fiber method. We began the first day sitting in folding chairs in a com- fortable hangar for a two-hour lecture covering background information and a review of safety items. After that, the rest of the two days was all hands-on training for our class of 10 students. Our project was to recover an aileron from a DC-3 that had clearly been cov- ered and recovered many times. All of us got to do every step of the process over the two days and we all left the class with the confidence that we could do our own work when we got home to our projects. Let me say this again—the kid who … I was in especially deep need of the courses I took because of the pathetic nature of my mechanical background, or “handy- manly-ness.” CES SNA F LYE R (34) F E BRUARY 2019 Here’s proof that even a mechanical and electrical doofus can make some neat-looking things. EAA’s SportAir Workshops include presentations by experts in such areas as aircraft wiring, with hands-on dem- onstrations during the presentations. Aircraft building and restoration experts instruct at EAA’s SportAir Workshops, making even complex topics such as air- craft wiring easy to understand through hands-on examples and demonstrations. Photo courtesy EAA Photo courtesy EAA Photo: Kevin Garrison CES SNA F LYE R (35) F E BRUARY 2019 didn’t know the difference between a socket wrench and screwdriver left knowing he could build a wing out of fabric and chemicals. That says quite a lot about the EAA course and the people teaching them. Electrons and Ohms In 2018, I went back up to Indianapo- lis to learn all about aircraft wiring, basic aircraft electrics and avionics installation. I found that apparently, Ohms is not just a thing, it is a law! This course was held in Vincennes University Aviation Technology Center’s electrical lab and was mostly lecture and classroom-based with a project we finished daily. I sat next to an electrical engineer, who when he wasn’t designing huge, modern motors, was building his own sailplane. It was a little intimidating to be sit- ting next to that kind of expertise, but he assured me that an electron was an electron and that everything would be OK. He said that this course answered a lot of his questions and he learned a lot of things he didn’t know. This reinforced my experience from last year when vet- eran fabric covering builders attended the covering class for a reboot and a review. I learned more about electricity and avionics in two days than I did in my 25 years as an airline pilot. I wish I had taken these courses back in my early career; it would have saved me lots of angst at aircraft systems schools and recurrent training classes. Basic aviation training The courses are information- and experience-packed. They are affordable and are most likely being taught within a reasonable distance from you. Personally, I suggest that you consider taking one or more of these courses even if you don’t intend to ever build an airplane. I now consider them to be vital basic aviation training and am recommending them to my flying students. Kevin Garrison’s aviation career began at age 15 as a lineboy in Lakeland, Florida. He came up through General Aviation, retired as a 767 captain in 2006 and retired from instructing air- line pilots in 2017. Garrison’s profes- sional writing career has spanned three decades. Send questions or comments to editor@cessnaflyer.org. Resources EAA SPORTAIR WORKSHOPS Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) eaa.org/eaa/aircraft-building/eaa- sportair-workshops Aircraft Spruce and Specialty (SportAir sponsor) aircraftspruce.com HOW TO CHANGE A LIGHTBULB YouTube youtube.com/watch?v=KQJALywkB4U …Suffice to say, I found that [after the purchase of my Cessna 140] I was going to go quickly from aircraft owner and flyer to the title of aircraft restorer in record time. CES SNA F LYE R (36) F E BRUARY 2019 Back in the Air: FAA Medical Certification After Treatment of a Health Condition After decades of first-class medical certification, Airline Transport Pilot KRISTIN WINTER experienced a serious health condition. By inves- tigating the FAA’s requirements and communicating with her surgeon, Winter was able to avoid a deferral of her 2018 first-class medical application. Here’s what she learned. Go LED & Be Brighter - In Stock Go LED & Be Brighter - In Stock Premium ANR Headsets Premium ANR Lowest Prices on Radios Engine Monitoring & Flight Instruments 1-800-447-3408 TOLL FREE ORDERS WWW.CHIEFAIRCRAFT.COM The Parts to Start Everytime In Stock Garmin aera 660 GDL-39 In Stock AUDIO PANELS First Time, Every Time Hear Them Clearly... Garmin GTX ADS-B - In Stock Stratus 2S ADS-B In CES SNA F LYE R (37) F E BRUARY 2019 40 years of effortless medi- cal renewals, I recently got schooled on some of the finer points of the FAA system for issuing medical certif- icates and the magic words necessary to avoid having my application take a trip to Oklahoma City—and avoid having me wallow in worry for a few months. When dealing with any organization or bureaucracy from whom you need a permit, permission or some manner of license, there are certain time-tested approaches that offer the best chance of success. Often, the path to a favorable outcome requires a bit of research into the requirements of the bureaucracy and the words they use to describe those requirements. The FAA’s aeromedical requirements and guidance for the Aviation Medical Examiners (AME) take this to a whole new level. Be aware of the magic words that may be necessary and understand the process and requirements. Even after the advent of BasicMed, some of us still have to get a first-, sec- ond-, or third-class medical. Sometimes we need a medical certificate for profes- sional reasons, and sometimes it’s for insurance reasons. When you walk into the office of an AME, one of three outcomes will result. You will have a routine issuance after going through the steps. Or, you may be rejected for a medical certificate. The third possible outcome is that the issuance will be deferred to the FAA Aerospace Medical Certification Division (AMCD) in Oklahoma City. Sometimes, there is no way to avoid a deferred medical application, but having prepared with the right materials, the time it takes to process may be greatly reduced. So, it behooves one to try to decipher the requirements as a first step—even before treatment for a medi- cal condition begins, where possible. Most people in reasonable health easily qualify for a medical certificate. For the healthy, all one needs to know is what is outlined in 14 CFR Part 67, Medical Standards and Certification. Besides eyes and ears, the minefield is the medical his- tory section of the application. With no significant medical history—no problems! Oh, to be young again. For those with medical history, the FAA provides guidance as to what things might be a problem. For those with prob- lematic conditions, only a small percent- age are completely disqualifying. For oth- ers, the application may be deferred to the AMCD, or the AME may be able to issue if the applicant provides correctly- worded doctor’s reports and necessary lab results, as applicable. A series of pages of the FAA website provide specific guidance to the AME. Starting at the Guide for Aviation Medical Examiners/Decision Considerations page, you can drill down to find the guidance for any condition for which you have to answer “yes” in the medical history sec- tion of the application. You can click Aerospace Medical Dispositions or Disease Protocols at the bottom of the page to see results listed by item numbers of the form. The results will lead to information about what documentation you need to bring to the examination and in some cases, a particular checklist-type work sheet that the AME can use to make the decision about whether he or she can issue the medical, or whether it must be deferred to the AMCD in Oklahoma City. With more complicated and potentially serious cases, the FAA provides special checklists or work sheets to assist the AME. These are called Conditions the AME Can Issue, or CACI. The existence of CACI was news to me. The FAA publishes 18 different CACI work sheets as shown in this list: Arthritis Asthma Bladder Cancer Breast Cancer Chronic Kidney Disease Colitis Colon Cancer Glaucoma Hepatitis C – Chronic Hypertension Hypothyroidism Migraine and Chronic Headache Mitral Valve Repair Pre-Diabetes Prostate Cancer Renal Cancer Retained Kidney Stone(s) Testicular Cancer For those with prob- lematic conditions, only a small percent- age are completely disqualifying. After More news, reviews, & discussions online cessnaflyer.org CES SNA F LYE R (38) F E BRUARY 2019 My nonconsensual introduction to all of this came with the diagnosis of colon cancer in the summer of 2018. Subsequent surgery got all the cancer, as confirmed by a CT scan and blood tests, and I was left with trying to figure out how to renew my first-class medical. The FAA website made it clear that I needed reports from the latest tests, a report from the surgeon and a report from the oncologist. It also happens that the FAA has published a CACI for colon cancer. Listed in it were 11 con- ditions that, if not met, put me into a high-risk category and meant that my application would have to be deferred by the AME and sent to the AMCD for final determination. There were two requirements that affected my treatment and the reporting thereof. The first was “Chemotherapy ever (including neoadjuvant).” On the surface, that seemed odd as it was a disincentive to follow what is indus- try standard for cancer treatment. Fortunately for me, the oncologist indi- cated that chemotherapy would only provide marginal benefit to me, so I was not forced into a decision between health and flying. The other requirement needed the application of some of the FAA’s magic words by my surgeon. One of the 11 required that there be no “Metastatic disease – refers to distant metastatic dis- ease such as lung, liver, lymph nodes, peritoneum, brain, etc.” Here, the issue boiled down to whether my cancer could be considered to have spread to “distant” organs. By making my surgeon aware of my need for an FAA medical certificate and the need to establish clearly in the report that there was no “distant metastatic disease,” he put precisely those words in his report. It helped to give him a copy of the CACI for colon cancer. Thusly armed with the report of the surgeon including the magic words, the pathology report, the results of a recent CT scan and blood test, and the oncolo- gist’s report, I was able to go through the CACI with my AME and he agreed that he could reissue my first-class medical. Needless to say, this was a major relief. Lots of pilots consult certain AMEs that specialize in tough cases and are better steeped in the requirements of the FAA aeromedical branch. Some of these doctors are legend on the various aviation forums and have saved many a career. In some cases, this might be a wise use of funds. However, a bit of research on your own might obviate the need for consult- ing a specialist AME, the doing of which will certainly have a cost in time and money. Knowing the process and the guidelines, I was able to avoid multi- ple trips to the AME and/or having my application deferred to the AMCD. Regardless of whether a person’s situ- ation requires an AME that specializes in tough cases, being knowledgeable yourself is bound to save you some grief; pecuniary or otherwise. Kristin Winter has been an airport rat for almost four decades. She holds an ATP- SE/ME rating and is a CFIAIM, AGI, IGI. In addition, Winter is an A&P/IA. She has over 8,000 hours, and currently is serving as Director of Operations for a commuter airline in Southeastern Alaska. Send questions or comments to editor@ cessnaflyer.org. Resources Guide for Aviation Medical Examiners: Decision Considerations faa.gov/about/office_org/headquar- ters_offices/avs/offices/aam/ame/guide/ dec_cons/ CACI Conditions faa.gov/about/office_org/headquar- ters_offices/avs/offices/aam/ame/guide/ certification_ws/ …the FAA provides special checklists or worksheets to assist the AME. These are called “Conditions the AME Can Issue,” or CACI. Speakers include... Reps from Lycoming, Tempest, Superior, and others! Vendors include... B.A.S. and Electroair Seminars, food, fun and friendship • Saturday night welcome reception • Sunday seminars, lunch, and evening banquet • Bus to and from Oshkosh on Mon, Tues, Weds (plus optional Weds night bus) • Fabulous door prizes! register today! Mention Cessna Flyer/Piper Flyer to receive these hotel rates. Rooms are limited. Event registration: Call 626-844-0125 • Email kent@aviationgroupltd.com CES SNA F LYE R (40) F E BRUARY 2019 The Cessna 177 and 177RG By Steve Ells Cessna’s designers faced quite a challenge with the Cardinal series— improve upon the 172, while adopting a sleek, modern look. Many pilots and owners would argue that they got it right…eventually. CES SNA F LYE R (41) F E BRUARY 2019 Photo: James Lawrence CES SNA F LYE R (42) F E BRUARY 2019 in relation to the pilot’s perspective to improve visibility in turns. This created a nose-heavy design, so another major departure from standard Cessna design— needed to gain enough pitch authority for a successful flare during the low speeds of landing—was a stabilator, or flying tail. The 177-177RG chapter in Thompson’s book is 12 pages long and reveals the aerodynamic challenges faced during development. Every challenge was met with a “fix,” which often led to addi- tional challenges. For example, the drawing-board design of a 3-degree wing dihedral, wide- chord ailerons, and short tail arm length resulted in excessive adverse yaw during turns. The “fix” consisted of reducing the dihedral to 1.5 degrees and increasing the vertical tail area by 20 percent. Despite the many design changes, Thompson wrote proudly that the Cessna 177 was certified in 12 months to the day in the normal category on Feb. 16, 1967, and went on sale soon after as 1968 airplanes. The “Cardinal Rule” The market loved the new design, and in 1968, Cessna pushed 1,164 Cardinals out the door. But some compromises made prior to production—such as reducing the skin thick- ness on the laminar flow wing to reduce weight— were making themselves felt. The most alarming was a rash of custom- ers reporting bent fire- walls due to excessively hard landings. Testing revealed that the stabila- tor wasn’t powerful enough to bring the nose up at the lower landing speeds. This and many other issues had sur- faced during the first half-year of produc- tion. On Aug. 23,1968, Cessna issued SE 68-14S1, a 50-page service bulletin titled “Operation Cardinal Rule.” The bulletin listed 23 different opera- tions. All would be completed by Cessna at no cost to owners. The most impor- tant change was installing “slots” just aft of the leading edge of the stabilator. Slots accelerated the airflow over the stabila- tor to prevent airflow separation at low speeds. The slots did the trick. All 177 Cardinal aircraft made in 1968 were listed in the slot service bulletin. The serial numbers for the 1968 177s ranged from 17700001 to 17701164. has always been known for design- ing new airframes to fill the gaps in its lineup of airplanes. For instance, the company certified the original Cessna 172 on Nov. 4, 1955, with a 145 hp Continental six-cylinder O-300 and a maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) of 2,200 pounds. Yet, a scant three years later, Cessna introduced the Cessna 175 Skylark. The 175 was designed to fill the gap between the company’s very successful 172 and the 182 models. The Skylark had an engine that cranked out 175 hp, and had a MTOW of 2,350 pounds. Production of the 175 and its vari- ants, the 175 A, B, C and the P172D, also known as the Powermatic, ended after the production of 2,187 airplanes between 1958 and 1963. (For more on the 175 and its variants, see “Big- Airplane Features for a Small-Airplane Price: The Cessna 175” in the June 2018 issue of Cessna Flyer. —Ed.) Only a few years later, in 1965, Cessna started work on what it termed “the 172 replacement,” the 177 Cardinal. The 177 Cardinal According to William D. Thompson, longtime Cessna flight test engineer and author of “Cessna, Wings for the World,” in 1965, Cessna set forth some very ambi- tious design goals for the 177. These were big departures from the tried- and-true strutted wings and elevator-controlled pitch designs that marked “standard” Cessna air- craft of the day. These design goals included “more cabin room, better pilot vis- ibility in turns, more speed, easier ingress and egress through monstrous doors, better flying qualities, a state-of-the-art instrument panel, a tubular steel main landing gear and a highly streamlined and attractive appearance.” This aggressive list of airframe goals was a big leap forward, and when the Cessna sales team sent advertising about the 177 to the media, the world saw another significant move by Cessna. The 177’s engine was a 150 hp four- cylinder Lycoming engine. Every four- place Cessna up until that time had been powered by a Continental engine. The Cardinal design adopted a lami- nar flow wing profile like the one in the Cessna 210 series. Additionally, the wing was moved aft The market loved the new design, and in 1968, Cessna pushed 1,164 Cardinals out the door. Top to Bottom, Left to Right: The Cessna 177 is also known as the Cardinal. Cessna’s design team chose a sleek, modern look for the “172 replacement.” The three-quarters instrument panel is found in 177, 177A and some 177B Cardinals. CESSNA Photo: James Lawrence CES SNA F LYE R (43) F E BRUARY 2019 Photo: James Lawrence Photo: James Lawrence CES SNA F LYE R (44) F E BRUARY 2019 Tight cowlings and a sleek windshield help the Cardinal outpace the 172. Photo: Steve Ells Photo: James Lawrence 1-800-647-6148 • www.ffcfuelcells.com All FFC fuel bladders are manufactured with REGISTERED TSO-C80 constructions... KNOW what you are installing. Quality products at competitive prices. TSO-C80 FUEL CELLS CES SNA F LYE R (45) F E BRUARY 2019 from the wing to the lower cowl in 1972. This move surely boosted the sale of landing lights as vibration took a toll on the delicate filaments. The 1973 177B engine was changed to an O-360-A1F6D with featured an ignition system change from two tried- and-true individual magnetos to what is known as a dual magneto. In a dual magneto, two magneto assemblies are caged in one housing. Both assemblies are driven by a single gear. (I’m still look- ing for the answer as to who decided that the standard of aviation safety—system redundancy—could be attained by a sin- gle drive gear.) Initially, the D-2000 series of dual magneto—discernible by the presence of a “D” at the end of the engine model number (O-360-A1F6D) were plagued by problems. Beginning in 1977, ADs were issued to address problems such as over- heating bearings, capacitor malfunctions and distorted housings. After the mandated repairs and updates, the D-2000 series magnetos were reliable. The later iteration—the D-3000 series—were better. There were two other significant changes in the 177B’s progression through 1977. The instrument panel width was increased from three-quarter width to full width. The fairings and wheel pants were changed to lessen drag. In 1978, Cessna upgraded its single- engine airplane electrical systems from 14 volts DC to a 28 volts DC system. This “modernized” the electrical system and slightly reduced the empty weight. The last change in 1978 was the crea- tion of an “upscale” 177B—the Cardinal Classic—which featured drink holders, a rear seat writing desk and other “classic” upgrades. These caused a reduction in useful load. Production numbers for the 177B var- ied: 160 in 1970; 103 in 1971; 140 in 1972; 200 in 1973; 150 in 1974; 189 in 1975; 208 in 1976; 149 in 1977; and 79 in 1978, the final year of the fixed-gear Cardinal production. During the 10-year production run, Cessna issued 2,752 serial numbers for fixed-gear Cardinals. The 177 never sold more units than the 172, which it was designed to replace. Thompson wrote that it took 70 percent more man-hours to produce a Cessna mandated that six of the “oper- ations” in the Cardinal Rule service bul- letin had to be completed within the next 10 hours of aircraft operation. Cessna paid for all the changes, but word got around. The Cardinal had problems. The 177A gets more power In 1969, Cessna replaced the 150 hp Lycoming O-320-E2D with a 180 hp Lycoming O-360-A2F fitted with a fixed- pitch prop. This permitted a boost in MTOW of 150 pounds from 2,350 to 2,550 pounds. Unfortunately, due to the flying pub- lic’s perception that the 177 was a bad airplane and in spite of the improve- ments, the Cardinal production run num- bers in 1969 dropped drastically, to only 206 airplanes. 177B: A new wing and a constant-speed propeller In 1970, Cessna added a constant-speed propeller and redesigned the laminar flow wing by making the leading edge fatter. The profile was similar to the more com- mon (for Cessnas) NACA 2415 airfoil. Model changes in 1971 and 1972 were minor. Cessna moved the landing lights CES SNA F LYE R (46) F E BRUARY 2019 1960 up through 1971 was provided by an engine-driven hydraulic pump. The powerpack pump, reservoir and valves on the 177RG are Prestolite units and are similar to the systems used on other single-engine retractables, such as the Beechcraft C24R Sierra. The other departure from the 210’s setup was the Cardinal RG’s complete absence of main landing wheel/tire and landing gear leg gear doors. Doing away with the doors and all the associated sequence switching and hydraulic actuators eliminated weight and the complexities of door systems that still puzzle a few maintenance technicians to this day. The first iteration of the 177RG land- ing gear system was controlled by seven solenoids; some of which were controlled by magnetic switches. These switches were an innovation, but no Cessna mechanic had ever seen one before. It took a while before we learned how to maintain them. The radical changes in the 177RG landing gear system blazed the trail, and in 1972, the 210’s landing gear system had been upgraded from the engine-driv- en pump to a fully-contained electrically- driven and controlled gear extension/ retraction system. In 1974, the 177RG landing gear control system was improved when the landing gear control switch was changed from an electrical switch that controlled solenoids to a hydraulic valve that direct- ed fluid. Unlike the fixed-gear version, the installation of larger tires is impossible on the Cardinal RG. RG upgrades over the years To compensate for the weight of the retractable landing gear system Cessna installed a 200 hp fuel-injected Lycoming IO-A1B6 engine, swinging a 78-inch McCauley constant-speed prop. 177 when compared to a 172. The 1968–70 sales numbers showed that buyers bought 2,720 172s com- pared to only 1,530 177s—respectable numbers, but further proof that the 177 would never replace the 172. Cardinal RGs: The retractable-gear Cardinals The design for a retractable-gear ver- sion of the Cardinal airframe must have begun soon after the fixed-gear Cardinal was introduced. The TCDS for the 177RG was issued on Sept. 11, 1970. The 177RG was built under a differ- ent TCDS than the 177, and unlike the 177, there was never a version A or B; all 177RGs are the same version. The Cardinal RG’s retractable landing gear system was powered by an electrical- ly-controlled and powered “powerpack” located aft of the baggage compartment. This was a departure from the system of the other retractable-gear Cessna single, the 210. The 210’s system used hydraulic fluid pressure to operate the retractable landing gear. The landing gear system hydraulic fluid pressure on the 210 from the first year of production in These switches were an innovation, but no Cessna mechanic had ever seen one before. It took a while before we learned how to maintain them. Photo: Tom Saxon On first glance, it’s difficult to tell that this is a 43-year-old airplane. The 177RG’s design has aged well. BREATHE EASIER TAKE 20% OFF YOUR NEW BOOM CANNULA! WITH A SIMPLE MOUNT TO YOUR HEADSET, PRECISE FLIGHT'S NEW A5 BOOM CANNULA FEATURES A SWIVEL ARM AND FULLY ADJUSTABLE CANNULA TO GIVE YOU THE BEST FIT. upgrade your gear CES SNA F LYE R (47) F E BRUARY 2019 Photo: Tom Saxon Tom Saxon’s 1976 177RG alongside a 2002 Cessna 172S. CES SNA F LYE R (48) F E BRUARY 2019 Photo: James Lawrence AIRMARK OVERHAUL, INC. “When Quality Counts” 6001 N.W. 29th Avenue Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309 Tel: 954-970-3200 Fax: 954-970-3400 Toll Free: 1-800-282-3202 www.airmarkoverhaul.com Email: airmarkoh@aol.com Approved Overhaul, Repair and Exchange Facility for: • ENGINES – Continental and Lycoming Engines • ACCESSORIES – Magnetos, Starters, Alternators, Turbos, Controllers, Wastegates, Relief Valves and Fuel Components • CYLINDERS – Continental and Lycoming Cylinders • HYDRAULICS – Britten Norman Islander Landing Gears • PARTS – Thousands of New and Serviceable Parts in Stock FAA Approved Repair Station JL4R288M • EASA 145.4115 500 Hour Magneto InspectIon & certIfIcatIon servIce wItH easa approval Starting at $390 CES SNA F LYE R (49) F E BRUARY 2019 The 1978 adoption of the 28 volts DC electrical system significantly improved the gear operating speed. MTOW for all 177RGs is 2,800 pounds, which typically provided a useful load of around 950 to 1,000 pounds. Cessna produced 1,366 177RG serial numbers. Like its fixed-gear cousin, buy- ers liked the new design and put their money down for 211 177RGs in 1971, the first year of production. The sales numbers sagged in 1972 to 69, then rebounded to 149 in 1973, 159 in 1974, 194 in 1975; peaked at 263 in 1976; hit 214 in 1977 and fell to 99 in 1978, the last year of production. The most sought-after 177RGs are the 1974-1976 models, due to the improved landing gear operating system. In 1977, Cessna experimented with a new “primerless” paint system to reduce production man-hours but it wasn’t very successful, nor did it protect the airframe aluminum from filiform corrosion. In 1978, Cessna had trimmed the Cardinal parts production and, in some cases, used a few marginal skin panels which resulted in a few ill-fitting skins. On the plus side, the experiment with the primerless paint was abandoned. Important Airworthiness Directives and Service Bulletins All Cessna Cardinals are affected by ADs and SBs. The most important address wear in the pilot and copilot seats, rails and roll- ers. AD 2011-10-09 covers “Seat Rails and Roller Housing Inspections.” Cessna service bulletin SEB 07-5 R2 addresses the installation of secondary seat stops. Cessna SEB11-04 is for seat roller inspec- tions. SEB 10-1A gives instructions for “Reel Assembly Inspection” for secondary seat stops. SEB 92-28 that provides infor- mation on shoulder harness installation. Other ADs include an inspection for proper clamping of the fuel injector lines in the RG models (AD 2015-19-07) and a Lycoming AD on certain engine models and serial numbers calling for the replace- ment of the engine crankshaft at end of 12 years since the date of the first service. See AD 2012-19-01, Lycoming Mandatory Service Bulletin No. 569A and Lycoming Service Instructions 1009AU. Other SBs include Lycoming Service Bulletin No. 388C that details the procedure for reaming exhaust valve guides to prevent valve sticking at 400-hour intervals. Fuel capacity was 51 gallons for the 1971 and 1972 airplanes, with 50 gal- lons usable. In 1973, the capacity was increased to 61 gallons with 60 usable. 1973 also saw the introduction of the Bendix D-2000 “dual” magneto into the 177RG. The TCDS lists both the two-mag- neto IO-360-A1B6 and the dual magneto IO-360-A1B6D as approved engines. Although the POH of later 177RGs lists the IO-360-A1B6D, I have heard of owners that have converted their engines back to the “non-D” configura- tion, which restored true ignition system redundancy. If this change is done in the field, it will require a different accessory section and the cost of buying two mag- netos and ignition harnesses. I’ve heard that Lycoming will take a “D” engine as a core for a “non-D” engine. (According to Steve Palmatier, Lycoming Director of Product Support, “Lycoming has been accepting the IO-360-A1B6D when removed from a 177RG in exchange for the IO-360- A1B6 since June of 2012.” —Ed.) The last landing gear upgrade occurred in 1976, when all the solenoids in the system were removed. CES SNA F LYE R (50) F E BRUARY 2019 scopic. (A hygroscopic substance attracts water from its surroundings. —Ed.) Inspection concerns Very important areas to look for corro- sion are the main wing spar carry through, especially where the CAT flexible tubing contacts the spar. The other critical spar area is in the rivets of the wing spar caps. The large cabin doors, which are uni- versally appreciated due to providing good access, should have tight hinges and should fair into the fuselage opening. Look for distortion. Any distortion and damage is most likely due to the door being opened when a strong wind blows from the tail and catches the door. Cardinal and Cardinal RG owners seem to love their airplanes and are an enthusiastic group. In addition to membership in your Cessna Flyer Association, the go-to place to learn about buying, owning, upgrading and flying Cardinals is an online owner’s group hosted by Paul Millner and Keith Peterson called Cardinal Flyers Online. I strongly suggest that anyone with an interest in ownership or maintenance of a Cessna 177 or 177RG spend the money—about 6 gal- lons of Avgas—to join the group. In my opinion, CFO is by far the single best resource for Cardinal-specific infor- mation and opinions, and what Keith and Paul (the founders and moderators of the site) don’t know about Cardinals could be written on a postage stamp. Peterson also offers his services for those interested in purchasing a very exhaus- tive and complete pre-purchase inspec- tion. (See Resources for more informa- tion. —Ed.) Steve Ells has been an A&P/IA for 45 years and is a commercial pilot with instrument and multi-engine ratings. Ells also loves utility and bush-style airplanes and operations. He’s a former tech rep and editor for Cessna Pilots Association and served as associate editor for AOPA Pilot until 2008. Ells is the owner of Ells Aviation (EllsAviation.com) and lives in Templeton, California, with his wife Audrey. Send questions and comments to editor@cessnaflyer.org. Cessna Accessory Kit AK 182-217J provides “Stabilator Abrasion Boot Kits.” In 1995, Cessna issued SEB 95-13 titled, “Fuel Quantity Gauge and Transmitter Replacement” that notified owners and operators that the original sup- pliers of Cardinal fuel gauges and transmit- ters were no longer in business and that if repairs were needed, a new system would have to be installed. In my experience, owners with fuel indicating problems are better off installing an aftermarket fuel level system, especially now when most engine monitors have that option. Cessna SEB 00-5 R03 provides Cleveland part numbers to replace the McCauley wheels and brakes installed on 177B and 1976 and later 177RG airplanes, since Cessna had stopped further production of the McCauley wheel and brake systems. Cessna Service Kit SK 177-11A addresses replacement of stabilator attach brackets for all 1968 and early 1969 177A airplanes. Cessna Service Newsletter SNL 93-03 addresses the possibility of skin corrosion under the lead vinyl sound dampening panels affixed to the interior fuselage skins. The panels were affixed with a glue that is hygro- Photo: Tom Saxon Photo: Tom Saxon Despite the three-quarters panel, the 177 still has room for a standard radio stack. Ingress and egress are simplified by large doors. This 1976 177RG’s panel is full-width and has sufficient space for upgraded avionics. When updated with quality materials, a Cardinal’s cabin can feel quite luxurious. Photo: James Lawrence Photo: James Lawrence CES SNA F LYE R (51) F E BRUARY 2019 AD 2011-10-09 “Seat Rails and Roller Housing Inspections” rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_ Library/rgAD.nsf/0/144a3898bf71041a8 625788f004b5df2/$FILE/2011-10-09.pdf AD 72-03-03 R3 “Wing Flap Actuators Jack Screw” rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_ Library/rgad.nsf/AOCADSearch/11383ACCA8E 3EF4E86256A34006319D9?OpenDocument CARDINAL SERVICE BULLETINS AND SERVICE LETTERS Cessna SEB 07-5 R2 “Installation of Secondary Seat Stops” Cessna SEB11-04 “Seat Roller Inspections” Cessna SEB 10-1A “Reel Assembly Inspection” Cessna SEB 92-28 “Shoulder Harness Installation” Cessna SEB 95-13 “Fuel Quantity Gauge and Transmitter Replacement” Cessna Accessory Kit AK 182-217J “Stabilator Abrasion Boot Kits.” Cessna SEB 00-5 Rev. 3 “Cleveland Wheels and Brakes Installation” Cessna Service Kit SK 177-11A and SE 70-32 S1 “Modification of 177/Cardinal Stabilator Attachment” Cessna Service Newsletter 93-03 “Cabin Skin Panel Corrosion Inspection And Repair” Cessna SE73-25 “Elevator Trim Tab Actuating System Maintenance” Lycoming Mandatory Service Bulletin No. 569A “Crankshaft Retirement for Certain Lycoming Engines” Lycoming Service Instructions 1009BC “Time Between Overhaul (TBO) Schedules” Lycoming Service Bulletin No. 388C “Procedure to Determine Exhaust Valve and Guide Condition” Resources INFORMATION FOR CARDINAL OWNERS Cessna Flyer Association CessnaFlyer.org Cardinal Flyers Online cardinalflyers.com Keith Peterson Pre-Purchase Inspections cardinalinspections.com IMPORTANT CARDINAL ADS AD 2015-19-07 “Fuel injector fuel lines” rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_ Guidance_Library/rgad.nsf/0/b39e0 b81acb0f30786257ecf005d80c7/$FI LE/2015-19-07.pdf AD 2012-19-01 “Crankshafts” rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_ Guidance_Library/rgAD.nsf/0/818d3 5600eaac30f86257a7e00532d53/$FI LE/2012-19-01.pdf CES SNA F LYE R (52) F E BRUARY 2019 plane had been on jacks in a hangar for two years. “In a way, it was really nice,” Saxon said. “It had Serial No. 1 of the Flightcraft turbonormalizer system (now owned by Tornado Alley Turbos), speed brakes and a Garmin 430—but it was a mess.” After the friend passed on the airplane, Saxon bought it and spent four months working to get it airworthy. “Fortunately, the seller didn’t want too much for it and she let me keep it in her hangar as I worked on it.” Since that day, Saxon has upgraded or refurbished everything—the paint, inte- rior, avionics and engine. During this long chore, the CFO con- nection was invaluable. “The group is so darn good,” said Saxon. Following that initial meeting with Peterson, Saxon has been going to CFO events around the country since 2001. Saxon’s RG has been voted best RG at the CFO Fly-in at Bowling Green, Kentucky, and at the before-Sun ‘n Fun CFO Fly-in at Winter Haven, Florida, in 2015. At CFO Fly-ins, all attendees get a ballot and vote their choice for best airplane. “My longest trip was from my home in Virginia to Phoenix by way of Chicago. The turbo has been flawless.” “I wouldn’t trade this for anything,” said Saxon, before adding, “unless I could get a Pilatus PC-12.” A 177B named “Jezebel” and her happy owner Larry James, while working overseas in a successful career, started researching small airplanes in the early 1990s. Back then, he flew one of the early 177s and liked the way it flew. He espe- cially liked the ease of ingress and egress. “I had bad knees,” he told me. Cardinals sit lower to the ground than almost all other small airplanes. The combination of a low bottom door frame and the wide doors make Cardinals the airplane of choice for some. After a knee operation in 2013, James bought a 177B with a Lycoming 180 hp engine and a constant-speed prop. James hired Peterson to do the pre-buy inspection. Peterson found that the sta- bilator balance weight brackets were still aluminum, so they were changed to the improved steel brackets as a condition of the sale. “I have two partners,” said James, and then told me that he flies more than the other two partners. James is lavish in his praise of CFO and believes the support is “the best in the world.” The knowledge provided on the site by Keith and Paul and the other active knowledgeable members is a huge plus to 177 ownership, said James. He told me that the leadership of CFO worked with TruTrak to get the Cardinals approved as the first airplane approved by STC for installation of the new $5,000 autopilot. James is planning to install the new Aspen Avionics E5 Electronic Flight Instrument (EFI) which will interface with the TruTrak autopilot. The Aspen E5 lists for $4,999. Since the FAA has eased avionics cer- tification requirements, the industry has benefited greatly. Five years ago, who would have foreseen the acquisition of a modern autopilot and an artificial hori- zon/directional gyro flight director for less than $10,000? The useful load of James’ 177B is 960 pounds. He flight-plans for 130 knots at 11 gph at 7,500 feet. “I know the fuel burn is higher than book, but I like to go fast, and the engine seems to like it there,” James explained. He hasn’t installed any airframe mods, but there is a Reiff engine preheater sys- tem installed, an engine monitor and a Sky-Tec starter. While pondering the wisdom of install- ing over $10,000 worth of avionics in his 43-year-old airplane, James sought out the perspective of his avionics shop. Obviously, the avionics tech had a busi- ness interest in the upgrade; nevertheless, he told James to try to buy a compara- bly-performing new airplane. A 177B and turbocharged 177RG owner’s tale Tom Saxon spent 20 years flying for the U.S. Navy, and after retiring from the service, started flying for Southwest Airlines. Around the start of the 21st century, Saxon started looking for a single-engine piston-powered airplane. He was search- ing for an airplane with support. It didn’t matter if it was customer support or crowd-level support—expansive, reliable support was an important component in his selection decision. After stumbling upon Cardinal Flyers Online (CFO), he wanted to know more and contacted co-founder Keith Peterson at the Sun ‘n Fun fly in, held every April in Florida. Saxon’s research showed him that the performance and product numbers of the 177 “made sense,” and Peterson was “very parochial about them.” Saxon’s interest was piqued and, being an airline captain with jump seat privi- leges, Saxon started searching for a 177. “I found a 1976 177B in Naples, Florida, at a fairly good price,” he said— and he bought it. Saxon rebuilt the engine—at 2,200 hours since TBO—and flew his fixed- gear 177B for 10 years. “I redid the avionics and flew the heck out of that airplane, but secretly, I lusted for a retractable-gear Cardinal,” he explained. About that time, Peterson was broker- ing an RG for the widow of an owner. One of Saxon’s friends was interested in it. There were a few problems. The air- The Cardinal Cult Contributing editor STEVE ELLS talked with two “cult airplane” owners and learned how they discovered their Cessna 177s as well as why they keep flying them. Photo: Tom Saxon CES SNA F LYE R (53) F E BRUARY 2019 Steve Ells has been an A&P/IA for 45 years and is a commercial pilot with instrument and multi-engine ratings. Ells also loves utility and bush-style airplanes and operations. He’s a former tech rep and editor for Cessna Pilots Association and served as associate editor for AOPA Pilot until 2008. Ells is the owner of Ells Aviation (EllsAviation.com) and lives in Templeton, California, with his wife Audrey. Send questions and comments to editor@cessnaflyer.org. Resources INFORMATION FOR CARDINAL OWNERS Cessna Flyer Association CessnaFlyer.org Cardinal Flyers Online cardinalflyers.com Keith Peterson Pre-Purchase Inspections cardinalinspections.com AVIONICS UPGRADES Aspen Avionics Inc. aspenavionics.com Garmin Ltd. garmin.com TruTrak Flight Systems trutrakflightsystems.com CARDINAL UPGRADES Power Flow Systems Inc. powerflowsystems.com Reiff Preheat Systems reiffpreheat.com Tornado Alley Turbo taturbo.com OTHER ITEMS MENTIONED Potomac Airfield (KVKX) potomac-airfield.com Cessnas 2 Oshkosh cessnas2oshkosh.com There aren’t any that sell for a few hundred thousand dollars. So, James upgraded the avionics suite with the installation of a Garmin GTN 650 and a GTX 345 with ADS-B Out. The only other modification to the Cardinal has been the installation of a Power Flow tuned exhaust system. James and I agreed that the Power Flow system is a performance enhancement. When asked about an average trip, James told me that most of his trips are within a 400-mile radius of the Potomac Airfield (KVKX) in Friendly, Maryland. KVKX is located 7.6 miles south- west of Ronald Reagan Washington International Airport (KDCA), within what some call the “Circle of Doom,” since pilots must obtain Special Flight Rules Area (SFRA) training and clearance to operate in and out of the airport. The airport is privately owned but open to the public, and is managed by Dave Wortofsky. Wortofsky briefs pilots on how to obtain their clearance on the Potomac Airfield website. “The airport is 2,600 feet long and is unique because it has a Micro Tower,” James explained. “When I click three times on the common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF), I get the weather. Four clicks will provide a radio check, which we need, because we have to be in contact with ATC when operating in and out of Potomac Airfield.” James flies his Cardinal south every spring to meet other CFO members and Cardinal owners at the annual pre-Sun ‘n Fun Fly-In at Winter Haven, Florida, and in the summer, he heads west to Oshkosh, Wisconsin, for AirVenture. James told me that he has flown into Oshkosh a few times. The first time, he flew the Fisk arrival in the NOTAM and wasn’t comfortable because it seemed out of control. Since that trip, he has joined the Cessna mass arrival (Cessnas 2 Oshkosh). “It’s a lot safer because we practice, and because the airport is ours during our arrival period,” said James. Saxon and James love their Cardinals enough to keep spending money to upgrade and maintain them. In return, they fly airplanes that have been described as “cult” airplanes for three reasons: because there are no other all- aluminum GA airplanes that look like a Cardinal; because there aren’t that many flying; and because the owners bond together. Photo: Tom Saxon Photo: Larry James Jezebel, a Cessna 177B proudly owned by Larry James. Tom Saxon spent many years restoring this Cardinal RG to its former glory. CES SNA F LYE R (54) F E BRUARY 2019 Image provided by VisitSpartanburg.com | Spartanburg Convention & Visitor Center Destination Spartanburg, South Carolina By Michael Leighton Views of the Appalachian foothills and a hot cup of coffee at the airport await you in Spartanburg, South Carolina. CES SNA F LYE R (55) F E BRUARY 2019 a CES SNA F LYE R (56) F E BRUARY 2019 partanburg, South Carolina, is located in the northwest corner of the state. Just 42 nm from Asheville, North Carolina, and 53 nm from Charlotte, it sits at the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. Once the center of the textile industry in the United States, Spartanburg and its surrounding towns are now littered with the remains of many mills, long since closed. One textile manufacturing icon of that era, Milliken and Company, has survived and is based in Spartanburg. About the time the mills were closing, automaker BMW opened its North American manufacturing facility in Spartanburg County. Now expanded to build more than 400,000 cars a year, BMW Spartanburg is one of the largest employ- ers in the area. BMW also operates its famous driving school, BMW Performance Center, in Greer, South Carolina. With the expansion of BMW and the com- panies that support it, the old textile mills have found new life. Many are being repurposed as apartments, restaurants and retail spaces. Visiting Spartanburg Spartanburg is a true old southern town. The revitalized downtown features phenome- nal restaurants of every culinary persuasion. The Peddler Steakhouse is our family’s personal favorite, and we think they have the best steak and seafood. The Beacon Drive-In, a popular diner for burgers and barbecue, will serve you enough food to feed three people. The Beacon is the political gathering spot of Spartanburg and a good place to catch an antique car or two in the parking lot. Spring Fling is an annual street festival featuring live music, local artist, crafts and a criterium. (A criterium is a bicycle race on public roads that are closed to traf- fic. —Ed.) Spring Fling is also an opportunity to sample the local moonshiners (yes, it’s legal) and breweries. The 2019 event will be April 26–28. Hatcher Garden Woodland Preserve, a public botanical garden in Spartanburg, is community-supported for the preserva- tion of nature and education. It’s free to visit and open during daylight hours. No pets are allowed. If you love trains, the Hub City Railroad Museum is a fully-preserved station from the early 1900s. The muse- um gives visitors a look into the history of Spartanburg’s railroads and the area’s two major industries, textiles and peach- es. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Image provided by VisitSpartanburg.com | Spartanburg Convention & Visitor Center Spartanburg is a true old southern town. S CES SNA F LYE R (57) F E BRUARY 2019 Cleveland Park is one of Spartanburg’s many beautiful public greenspaces. Image provided by VisitSpartanburg.com | Spartanburg Convention & Visitor Center CES SNA F LYE R (58) F E BRUARY 2019 The Zentrum Museum at the BMW facility in