The International Cessna^® 170 Association

Hey, have you seen any 170, with a 145 hp engine, towing gliders?

Well, Fede you are really expanding your horizions. Glider towing usually works much better with more than the old 145 HP* (*read 120hp or less) engine, but it can be done. If you are at msl or near that and cool* temps (*read low density altitudes), it will work without much too much problem.

The skills for that particular activity need to be really sharp and knowledge of your airplane's stall indications are extremely crucial. The airplane won't stall the same with something tied to the tail! The guy or guys you are towing are depending on you to get them to a safe altitude. So be really well prepared!

I towed some at a little strip near Topeka, KS with my '52, some years ago. I made my own tow hook and a friend and I rebuilt and old 2 place Schweizser for dual instruction. My advice - - If you do this stick to single place gliders! And do it as early in the day as possible. Good luck. OLE GAR

An 80" seaplane prop or extremely flat-pitched 76" prop would be the ticket for this.

Eric

I have not towed with the C145, but have towed gliders with C170B with a 180hp Lyc. Even with the extra hp the 170 was a marginal tow plane for two reasons - 1) cooling, at the slow speeds used for glider towing (65-70mph) the cylinders heads get hot, even in cool weather. The 170 does not like the slow speed a full throttle for extended periods. 2) performance, with a single place, unbalasted sailplane at sea level about 300fpm was all we were getting. A 150hp Supercub will tow this same sailplane at 500fpm.
Still, as Gar mentioned, it can be done as long as you a aware of the limitations.

Karl

I was in Kansas last week and met two guys in Parsons, KS that were asking me a bunch of 170 questions. They were towing a Scwiezer 233 with a 170A. They were having overtemp problems, what a shock! I told him that they needed to climb faster to get the HP out of the engine which would help the climb plus give more cooling to the engine. The glider did not react well to the increase in speed, was the answer they gave. The other problem they had was they were using a stock prop is how it sounded. Anyway I told them to get on here, I hope they do.

I was in a 180 hp Super Cub and that had them thinking of towing.

Kelly

Seems very marginal for use in the andes, well now i know i have to look for other job for the plane.

There is a fella down the road from me in Biddeford, Maine that tows banners during the summer with a 170A or B, I'm not sure which. The airplane has the stock engine. He does tours in the Florida Everglades in the summer.

His name is John Apte ("apt"). No email but his business phone number is 207-286-1233. (eastern time zone, now we are -4 from UTC) Maybe he can give you some information.

Its got to be kinda like flying floats with a 145. Is anyone else doing that ?

I presently tow with a C-170 B with the 145 hp continental. We are towing from 250msl and its cool here in Anchorage at lat 60 degrees, so density altitude is very low. I tow with 1/2 tanks and have the rear seat removed to reduce weight.

It tows very light gliders like the Russia AC-4s just fine, it tows my SGS 1-23 OK, and it tows a Jantar but not very well. I would never consider towing a 2 place glider.

Its simply not a great tow plane but it will tow safely if you are careful with your speed, don't rush things, and have a nice long runway. I would not consider ever selling my 170 but I wouldn't buy one with any engine as a tow plane.

pdb wrote:I presently tow with a C-170 B with the 145 hp continental. We are towing from 250msl and its cool here in Anchorage at lat 60 degrees, so density altitude is very low. I tow with 1/2 tanks and have the rear seat removed to reduce weight.

It tows very light gliders like the Russia AC-4s just fine, it tows my SGS 1-23 OK, and it tows a Jantar but not very well. I would never consider towing a 2 place glider.

Its simply not a great tow plane but it will tow safely if you are careful with your speed, don't rush things, and have a nice long runway. I would not consider ever selling my 170 but I wouldn't buy one with any engine as a tow plane.

"Do you have any information on hitches for a 170. I have an "A" with 180 hp."

From waht I've seen, which ain't much, seems like the favored glider-tugs are the Supercub, Piper Pawnee and Cessna Birddog. A local guy used to tow banners with a 180-horse 170B, he also used a 180-horse 172 as well as a Cessna 150-150 taildragger.

Eric

C-47's make OK glider tugs.

Fede, for a working airplane you really need a 180 or a 185. Or a 182 or 206. Then you can tow gliders or banners and lift decent loads in air taxi work. Our 170's are sweet pleasure machines but not suitable for serious work. (A fellow was towing gliders in Florida with a 150 hp 152.)

However, the 170 is a good airplane for aerial photography- it flies just fine with a door removed. Or for sightseeing.

Rudy

mit wrote:Its got to be kinda like flying floats with a 145. Is anyone else doing that ?

George Courtney (TIC170A member and NH Rep) has a 170 on floats with an O-300 on it and he took me for a ride hat seemed pretty nice to me. Of course, he was not particularly impressed as he was more familiar with oprating single-pilot.

Guys, thanx for the advice since i post the message, if i want to tow i will go for a supercub, some day.....
Rudy, hope thing go fine with the rest of the hurricanes. Take care