Which do you prefer 170 / 170A / 170B

[swanstedt]

With aircraft as old as ours many have been modified through the years. Some heating has been removed and others improved. My A is missing the deflector as it comes through the firewall and the pilot cooks while others in the plane stay cold.

Judge each plane on its own merits as B1 may be different than B2 or B3 etc. You will find that there is more diffence between planes of the same version than between versions.

Scott

[futr_alaskaflyer]

I believe that some of our members can give you a better idea of what cold is and how they deal with it in an A model.

LOL! Warm coveralls, muklucks and gloves I guess. Even on my '55 B model once it gets near zero or colder.

It seems to me that the condition of your door seals is a big part of determining how well your heater works to keep things tolerable. I found a pretty good leak around my pilot's side door last flight.

[blueldr]

The heating system in these airplanes was never suitable for really cold weather. This was recognised by Cessna and they offered a combustion heater as a factory option. My airplane originally was so equipped, but it had been removed prior to my acquiring it.

[clayton991]

Well...
I bought a 51 A model. I had looked at a few, and most had problems, but then I found Ed Tilgner's (out of ABQ), and it was about as nice a 170 as you could find. I was shopping the best one I could find/afford regardless of the model.
Its getting cold here in New Mexico in the morning. I was doing touch and goes yesterday and wound up pushing the cabin heat knob in about halfway after an hour or so. Its ok.
As far as landing performance, I'm turning off at 1000 feet after a wheel landing at 5000 density altitude. I'm not competing with Scouts and Cubs. Its just good enough for me.
As you're looking to buy, you'll find that there are a few that have really been kept up. If you find one, seriously consider buying it, regardless of the model.

[MeeksDigital]

As you're looking to buy, you'll find that there are a few that have really been kept up. If you find one, seriously consider buying it, regardless of the model.

100% agreed! I recently purchased a '50 A model in Massachusetts, and flew it home to California. I looked at a few A's and B's, but the A model always appealed to me just because of the way I fly... I've always loved being able to slip in my Interstate Cadet, and you can't do that in a B model with full flaps without putting yourself in great danger... according to a few 170B pilots I know.

The A model I came across on the East Coast was about as nice a 170 that I have seen on the market for a long time, and I hopped on it the first chance that I got. I'm very happy with my decision, and the plane suits my flying style. I guess if you're wanting to fly in and out of short, soft airstrips in Alaska, a B model would better suit you than an A... but if you're wanting to cruise and aren't particularly worried about take-off/landing performance, then the A model is an excellent choice

[blueldr]

Trevor,
The Interstate Cadet, not having any flaps, needed to be slipped to increase the rate of descent.
The C-170B can also be slipped, if you so desire, to increase the rate of descent. Just don't do it with full flaps.
With full flaps on a C-170B, you do not need to slip.

[MeeksDigital]

exactly. as i said, its just my style of flying

[bsdunek]

Probably, engineering wise, the B is the best. I have an A, and overcome the small flap problem with slip. My A can just about fly sideways, and works well for short field work. The diehedral of the B is probably and advantage - you have to fly the A all the time. I wouln't choose it for IFR, but I'm a VFR only pilot, so, no problem.
My 170 was bought new by my Dad in 1950, so that's more important than anything else!