Cessna 170 - Before Skyhawks Had Training Wheels

By Garth Calitz

The little taildragger that helped create an aviation dynasty and taught generations of pilots that landing isn't necessarily the end of the flight.

There was a time when buying a four-seat aircraft didn't require selling a kidney, negotiating with three grumpy bank managers and explaining to your spouse why the family holiday had suddenly been postponed indefinitely. In 1948, Cessna introduced an aircraft that was relatively simple, practical, affordable and capable of carrying four people without requiring an engineering degree to operate.

It was called the Cessna 170, and while it never achieved the fame of its younger sibling, the Cessna 172 Skyhawk, it deserves considerably more recognition than it receives. In fact, without the 170, the world's most popular training aircraft might never have existed in quite the form we know today. That alone deserves a round of applause.

The late 1940s was an exciting period for aviation. The Second World War had produced thousands of trained pilots, aircraft manufacturing technology had advanced considerably, and the public was developing an appetite for private flying. Cessna saw an opportunity to provide something more substantial than its successful two-seat Model 120 and 140.

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The result was the Model 170, introduced in 1948. Powered by a Continental C145-2 engine producing 145 horsepower, it offered four seats, a high wing, conventional tailwheel undercarriage and the sort of uncomplicated mechanical design that made it attractive to private owners and flying clubs.

The original aircraft had fabric-covered wings, a metal fuselage and distinctive V-shaped wing struts. It was not particularly glamorous, but neither was the average family car of the period. Both were expected to work for a living. The original selling price was approximately US$5,475. Today, that amount might barely cover the deposit on a modern light aircraft, assuming the bank manager has had a particularly good morning.

Cessna did not leave the 170 alone for long. Over its relatively short production life, the aircraft evolved through three principal versions. The original 1948 Model 170 established the formula. Its fabric-covered wings and V-shaped struts gave it a distinctive appearance, while its 145 hp Continental engine provided respectable performance for a four-seat aircraft.

In 1949, the 170A arrived with an all-metal wing, squared-off wingtips and a redesigned strut arrangement. It was a cleaner-looking aircraft and represented a meaningful step forward in construction.

Then came the 170B in 1952, generally regarded as the finest of the family. It featured redesigned wings with additional dihedral and semi-Fowler flaps capable of extending to 40 degrees. Those flaps were particularly useful when operating from shorter airfields. They also gave the aircraft a rather impressive ability to descend steeply without necessarily arriving at the runway at the speed of an express train.

By the time production ended in 1956, approximately 5,173 Cessna 170s had been built. Not bad for an aircraft that was never intended to change the world. Perhaps the most important contribution of the 170 was what happened next. In 1956, Cessna introduced the Model 172. The new aircraft was derived from the 170B, but with one significant alteration: the tailwheel undercarriage was replaced by a tricycle arrangement. This was a stroke of commercial genius.

The taildragger had a reputation for demanding rather more from its pilot, particularly during take-off and landing. Directional control required attention, crosswinds could become interesting, and a poorly executed landing could quickly turn into an unscheduled demonstration of ground-loop dynamics.

The nosewheel changed the game. It improved forward visibility on the ground and made the aircraft considerably more forgiving for student pilots. Suddenly, the prospect of learning to fly a four-seat aircraft became a little less intimidating.

The result was the Cessna 172 Skyhawk, which went on to become the most-produced aircraft in aviation history, with more than 44,000 examples built. The 170, meanwhile, was quietly relegated to the role of the slightly eccentric older brother. The one who taught everyone how to fly but never quite received the recognition. There is probably a family therapy session in there somewhere.

A typical Cessna 170B cruises at approximately 120 mph, powered by its 145 hp Continental engine. Its maximum take-off weight is around 2,200 lb, and it offers four seats in a relatively uncomplicated airframe. By modern standards, it is hardly a speed machine. It will not outrun an airline departure schedule, and nobody is likely to confuse it with a business jet. But speed was never the point.

The Cessna 170 is also a reminder that an aeroplane can be perfectly capable without a touchscreen, satellite connectivity or an electronic system to announce that the pilot has made a mistake. Sometimes the aircraft simply lets you know through the yoke, rudder pedals and your backside.

The Cessna 170 has never enjoyed the widespread local presence of the 172, but examples have found their way into South African general aviation. The most famous of these is definitely the bare metal beauty belonging to EAA Stalwart Karl Jensen; the relationship between Karl and his Pixie Plane resembles that of a protective father and his stunning daughter.

The 170's combination of four-seat utility, relatively modest engine power and tailwheel configuration makes it an attractive proposition for owners who appreciate traditional flying. South Africa's network of private airfields, grass strips and recreational flying destinations provides an environment in which the 170 can still make considerable sense.

Of course, owning one today requires a little more consideration than simply finding a suitable hangar and arranging insurance. Corrosion, fabric condition on early models, engine history, maintenance records and applicable airworthiness directives all deserve careful attention, and of course the CMP programme has now become an expensive addition for engines that have reached the dreaded 12-year mark. I guess a 70-year-old aeroplane is entitled to a few maintenance issues. Some modern aircraft seem to develop them before the paint has dried.

One of the most remarkable aspects of the Cessna 170 is how many have survived. The International Cessna 170 Association, established in 1969, continues to support owners and enthusiasts around the world. Its membership and activities demonstrate that the aircraft has retained a remarkably loyal following. That is quite an achievement for an aeroplane whose production ended in 1956.

While the aviation industry has moved through multiple generations of technology, the 170 remains largely what it always was: a practical, uncomplicated taildragger that rewards a pilot who understands its characteristics.

It has no glass cockpit, no autopilot to take over when the pilot becomes distracted and no sophisticated electronic warning system to explain that the aircraft is approaching the runway in an attitude best described as optimistic. It simply flies.

The Cessna 170 may not have achieved the worldwide fame of the 172, but its contribution to general aviation should not be underestimated. It helped Cessna bridge the gap between its smaller post-war aircraft and the four-seat training and touring aircraft that would dominate general aviation for decades.

It also represents an era when aircraft design was driven by practicality rather than the number of electronic boxes that could be squeezed behind the instrument panel. Today, the 170 is a desirable classic, a capable recreational aircraft and a reminder that flying does not necessarily have to be complicated to be enjoyable.

Of course, the 172 made learning to fly a little easier. The 170 insisted that pilots learn to manage a tailwheel first. That is rather like learning to drive a manual car without power steering before being handed the keys to a modern SUV.

So, the next time a Cessna 170 taxis past, spare it a thought. It was there before the Skyhawk became a training-school institution, before glass cockpits became fashionable and before aircraft manufacturers discovered that every new feature required another software subscription.

The Cessna 170 did not need to be the fastest, the most sophisticated or the most technologically advanced aircraft on the apron. It just needed 145 horsepower, a competent pilot and a runway. And preferably, a pilot who remembered to keep flying the aeroplane after touchdown.