Cessna 170

1 × Piston Unpressurized High Wing • Conventional

Range Map

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+ cargo

Payload vs. Range

Occupants:

Fuel on board

Cargo

Range

Cargo is additional payload after occupants and baggage.

Adjust payload

full tanks

Available Range / nm

Mission capable. This load flies with full fuel.

Fuel reduced by . left aboard for nm range.

Over max payload by . At this load it cannot lift a single occupant.

Trip Preview

Mission Profile

MOSAIC Eligible

Used market

104

KTAS

Cruise Speed

410

Max Range

15,500

Service Ceiling

Occupants

758

lbs

Wet Payload

Endorsements & ratings:

Tailwheel

Cessna 170 (N3998V) at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, Wittman Regional Airport, July 2023. Photo: ZLEA, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Estimated Ownership Costs

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About the Cessna 170

Overview

The Cessna 170 is a four-seat, high-wing taildragger built from 1948 to 1956, and the direct ancestor of the tricycle-gear Cessna 172 Skyhawk that replaced it in production. All-metal where many of its contemporaries were still fabric-covered, it carries a 145 hp six-cylinder Continental O-300 and cruises around 104 knots. It evolved from the two-seat Cessna 140, adding a second row of seats and a more capable wing; the definitive 170B of 1952 onward added the large slotted Fowler flaps derived from the L-19 Bird Dog that give the type its short-field manners.

Choose a 170 when you want a genuine vintage taildragger with usable four-seat space and the parts-and-community support that comes with a Cessna, and you accept the trade-offs that go with it. The conventional gear requires a tailwheel endorsement and ongoing currency, the 37-gallon usable fuel and 104-knot cruise make it a deliberate cross-country machine rather than a fast one, and the recurring wing-strut inspection AD is a standing ownership cost. For a buyer who values the airframe’s character and short-field ability over speed, and who can support a tailwheel airplane, it remains a rewarding and practical post-war classic.

Key Features for GA Buyers

STOL Capability. The 170B’s slotted Fowler flaps deflect to 40 degrees, allowing steep approaches and the short-field performance that is the type’s signature.
Four-Seat Utility. The 170 seats four with a useful load near 980 lb, enough for two adults, full 37-gallon tanks, and baggage on a typical trip.
Support and Community. Parts availability is strong and the International Cessna 170 Association maintains an active owner network, which keeps maintenance research and parts sourcing manageable.

Trade-offs

Tailwheel Handling. As a conventional-gear aircraft it requires a tailwheel endorsement and constant attention during takeoff and landing to avoid ground loops.
Recurring Wing-Strut AD. The 170 falls under AD 2015-08-04, which mandates repetitive corrosion inspection of the wing lift struts (and crack inspection of the strut forks) until sealed struts are fitted. Budget for it as an ownership line item and confirm the logbook history before purchase.
Cabin Noise and Baggage Access. The 170 series runs relatively loud inside, so quality ANR headsets help on longer legs, and there is no external baggage door, so all cargo loads through the front doors and over the seats.

Technical Specifications

Dimensions & Weights

Height: 7 ft
Length: 25 ft
Parking area (ft²²): 1,380 ft²

Max Takeoff Weight: 2,200 lbs
Max Landing Weight: 2,200 lbs
Useful Load: 980 lbs
Fuel Capacity: Source: FAA Type Certificate Data Sheet 37 gal

Performance

Cruise Speed: 104 KTAS
Never-Exceed (V_NE): Source: FAA Type Certificate Data Sheet 139 KIAS
Max Structural Cruise (V_NO): Source: FAA Type Certificate Data Sheet 122 KIAS
Approach Speed: 59 KIAS
Stall, Clean (V_S₁): 50 KIAS
Range: 410 NM
Service Ceiling: 15,500 ft
Rate of Climb: 690 fpm
Takeoff over 50 ft obstacle: 1,625 ft
Landing over 50 ft obstacle: 1,145 ft

Engine

Sources

Where the figures on this page come from. Cessna 170 specifications are traced to published references; estimated values are flagged inline next to the figure.

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