The International Cessna^® 170 Association

Does anyone know where I can get an original Cessna key for my plane. I was told that Cessna no longer has them, just the new type keys. I have one and could not find it but my mechanic had it. So I thought I better look around for another. I have extra keys but not Cessna type.
Bob Brown

Bob, I have a pair of new, un-cut, original Cessna keys. You may have them. Send me your mail address.

George,

If Bob doesn't need/want both blanks. i will gladly trade you some Pauly Girl for one. I will be up at CAE in about 10 days. and driving through Austin in about 8 days.

Jughead

counsellj wrote:George,

If Bob doesn't need/want both blanks. i will gladly trade you some Pauly Girl for one. I will be up at CAE in about 10 days. and driving through Austin in about 8 days.

Jughead

...and I'll be at the convention in Bardstown! (I'll see if I can come up with more. I used to have a contact for them.

(on a related note: I once found a locksmith in Austin who specialized in antique locks. He told me he had a unique source for old keys and confirmed the man had what must be the last box in the country of 100 original, uncut Cessna keys. He wanted to know how many I needed, and I told him I'd take the entire box. (the offered price was $1 ea.)
He called me a week later and said they were "In" and I could pick them up anytime, so the next week I drove into Austin to get them...and when I opened the box....I found he had taken the time to meticulously over-strke the Cessna logo and stamped each one with his company logo "ApexLocks".
I told him, "Good Luck selling those things." and departed.

I later found a smalltown locksmith who had a half-dozen he sold me for .25 cents each. I've given most of them away, (Rusty Miller got the last set from that group) but I'll see If I can obtain some more.

What does an original Cessna key look like? I have one Joe Harris gave me and I had it cut for my ignition, but I don't know if it is like the one you guys are discussing. It has a Cessna logo on it, but I assumed it to be a more modern Cessna key. How about posting a picture of one.

It's an oblong triangle with the "bird" and "Cessna" embossed upon it. If you got one from Joe, it likely is one of the original set I gave him. Was it uncut when he gave it to you, or did you have it re-cut?

Thanks for posting the photo of the key. This is what I have.

George, the key Joe gave me was a blank that I then had cut for my plane.

Maybe I should quit giving these things away...??

I sent my address in private message. Hope I did it correctly. If you didn't receive it let me know and I'll get it to you.
Thanks Bob

I got it Bob.
Folks, you might be surprised if you walk into your local locksmith (especially if they've been in business since the 60's/70's) and ask about Cessna keys. Some of the Mom-N-Pops may have had them hanging on the wall for decades.

Aryana wrote:Here ya go. One for sale on eBay for $52.99 shipped...another for $34.95

Must be TSO'd

gahorn wrote:I got it Bob.
Folks, you might be surprised if you walk into your local locksmith (especially if they've been in business since the 60's/70's) and ask about Cessna keys. Some of the Mom-N-Pops may have had them hanging on the wall for decades.

That's how I got mine. Needing keys and not wanting to go to the big box hardware store, I went to the locksmith shop. He said, "Airplane, eh? I've got just the thing for you." He brought out a dusty old box that said "Cessna", as did the keys! At the time I didn't even know such things existed. Unfortunately there were only two keys left, but I got 'em.

It was 6 years ago a good friend of mine passed away very unexpectedly. He owned a 69 model 172 and had 3 such keys for it. His mom asked if I would help her with his estate and of course I did. Long story short his keys worked perfectly in my 170 so I kept the Cessna keys and sold his airplane with my generic keys. Some might think this to be dishonest but I think of my good friend every time I use “his” keys.

One of the surprising things is that many aircraft keys fit other aircraft at a very high rate.
If you have a key that doesn't fit.... call your locksmith and have him change the lock tumblers to fit your key!

Well, by the time I got home a few times and forgot to retrieve the keys for mailing...and then the convention...then another forgetful trip...I finally got the keys in my hands and same-day got word from Bob that he'd already found a key elsewhere.
So...

counsellj wrote:...But now I am back in Dallas and ready to strap on the Extra 300 for 10 sorties at work this week. I know, it is a hard life but someone has to do it.

Jughead

...if you still need a Cessna key...and want to meet up (or send me your address....)
my sched the rest of this week is late nite, unfortunately. What are you doing in the daylite hours?

Meanwhile, this last week I stopped by the local locksmith in Marble Falls and was informed they have a supply of the keys and they sell them for $4.50 ea...which I find ridiculous. (Maybe that is if they cut them, tho')