C-177RG info?

[C-12Bubba]

About to continue the CFI syllabus where I left off about a year ago, but I'm switching from an Arrow to a Cardinal--curious to learn about the non-strut Cessna, and it's characteristics! Would welcome anyone's thoughts!

 

[Andy Neill]

A link that was recently given by EngineOut may prove helpful:

http://risingup.com/planespecs/info/listCessna.shtml

 

[midlifeflyer]

This is not meant to be facetious: especially for a CFI candidate, the first step is to read the POH or get yourself a PIM. You will understand the basic performance and procedures and your mind will start asking questions based on your experiences with other airplanes.

For example, if you've flown Arrows or Mooney's or many other airplanes with a positive rate/gear up takeoff procedure, you may wonder why the Cessna retracts almost uniformly recommend leaving them down for a while.

 

[tarp]

Agree with above - read POH.

Some hints:

1.) If it ain't got struts, then they must call that a:
Cantaloupe, (no, that's not it)
Canterbury, (nah)
Cantankerous (well it can be)
Catalina, (nope, that's where you fly to)
Cantilever. (ooh, maybe)

2.) When you take fuel out of a fuel tank, it must be replaced by air. How many ways did they design to vent the tanks. This is very important to know if you're doing your pre-flight while the fuel guy is filling the tanks.

3.) Speaking of fuel tanks, why do Cardinal owners rock the wings and take second fuel samples?

4.) My local DE told me that 2 out of 3 Commercial candidates can't identify where the hydro reservoir is located on Cessna retracts.

Some characteristics:

a.) Man are those big doors! You should see what happens when a prop blast or a tail wind hits them. Hint, hint.

b.) With those big doors comes the longest piece of weather seal you've ever seen. Biggest problem is the weather seal doesn't really seem to seal. You never have to worry about recalibrating for the alternate static source because all the outside air is on the inside (joke).

c.) Cessna tried to make the most cost efficient gear system it could on this airplane. Let's rephrase that - this is the cheapest gear system they could build. Anyone with extensive time in a Cardinal RG has either had a gear failure or is lying. Make sure the reservoir is full and the hand pump works before you leave the ground.

d.) The Cardinal B can easily be outclimbed by a C-172. The RG ain't much better. If you are familiar at all with a C-152, C-172 or C-172RG, then you can fly a Cardinal.

e.) At the back, there are the holes that the stabilator passes through. These holes are just about the perfect size for a starling, robin or cardinal (and I'm talking about the ones with feathers). If your C-177 owner hasn't devised some sort of foam inserts to block these holes, look for birds. The entire fuselage from the back of the baggage compartment to the tail is a wide open tube. I have personal knowledge of coming out in Spring to a little used C-177. On inspection, we filled 3-30gallon trash cans with bird's nest debris. (It looked more like a bird condominium than just a nest!)

This is one docile airplane - a good preflight, a healthy respect for the gear system and you'll have fun. Good flying.

 

[midlifeflyer]

4.) My local DE told me that 2 out of 3 Commercial candidates can't identify where the hydro reservoir is located on Cessna retracts.

There's a good reason for that. During the first lesson in a complex transition in to a Cutlas, I was showing the pilot where it was and how to check it. He gets it out, as often happens until you get used to the tactile clues, has trouble getting it back in. Ended up dropping it and we spent about 12 minutes of preflight time trying to locate/reach/grab it.

 

[C-12Bubba]

Andy, midlife, tarp;

Thanks for the advice, info, and preflt/gear tips!

Tarp--> (the Cardinal bird nest crisis)
Birds have been a large problem for us in the hangar where 3 SH-3 helicopters, 2 C-12 (Kingair 200s), and a broken EA-6B prowler reside. The Raytheon crew that maintains the C-12 for us has gotten fed up, and they are now kept outside (the two C-12s, not the raytheon crew)...