New tricks

The four-cylinder engine comes complete with a counter-weighted stroked crankshaft, 9.6 to 1 compression ratio pistons, and roller camshaft. “This engine was designed to create the smoothest four-cylinder GA piston engine on the market with the highest power to weight ratio,” said Oliver Leber, Continental’s vice president of global sales and applications.

Securing a smooth, modern, and powerful engine was the first step toward ensuring that the currently stock 1953 Cessna 170B is well-equipped for backcountry adventures.

“This highest-powered IO-370 engine in the Cessna 170 application is the ideal powerplant for a backcountry bush aircraft,” said Leber. “Its high torque, power-to-weight ratio, and with the constant speed application, it excels at high altitude and short runways, making it fun and safe to fly in extreme backcountry terrain.” 

In addition to Continental's contribution of a capable backcountry engine, Hartzell will contribute an 83-inch Hartzell Trailblazer propeller, and Stoots Aviationis providing the supplemental type certificate required to install both on the Cessna 170B.

“Stoots Aviation is excited for the opportunity to be included in the AOPA sweepstakes Cessna 170B airplane project for 2023. Stoots Aviation’s high performance aircraft engine conversions are state of the art installations. Using the New Continental Aerospace Technologies IO-370 195-horsepower PRIME engine and Hartzell Trailblazer propeller for the maximum performance and fuel economy in the backcountry where is needed the most.” 

“Our stock 170 is a decent performer considering its worn-out 145-horsepower engine and cruise prop,” said Kollin Stagnito, AOPA senior vice president of media and marketing. “But I can’t wait to experience the huge increase in power and thrust this engine and propeller combination is going to add to the sweepstakes airplane. With a better power to weight ratio than the legendary Cessna 180, it’ll be a blast to fly.”

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Ask AOPA

Never assume

Missing a critical detail could cost you

By Craig Brown

“May I now see your student pilot certificate?” asked the examiner of the private pilot applicant.

The student presented a piece of paper that was a temporary airman certificate he had printed from the FAA’s Integrated Airman Certification and Rating Application (IACRA) 11 months ago. When told that the temporary application was valid for only 120 days and had long ago expired, and asked where his plastic student pilot certificate was, the student drew a blank stare and replied, “I have no idea.”

At this point, the examiner turned his attention to the flight instructor who was sitting in on the checkride, peered at him from above his glasses, and asked, “Well?” Strangely enough, the instructor had that same blank stare.

Before you cry foul, this occurred, and just recently. The instructor admitted that this was the first student he had trained in a long time. While that may be true, that does not give one a pass on ensuring the student has everything needed for the flight test, including a valid pilot certificate.

The instructor had signed the IACRA application and, after that, never gave it a second thought. The student then printed his student pilot certificate and never gave that a second thought. Whatever happened to sitting down with the student, before the flight test, and confirming the student has every I dotted and T crossed prior to visiting the examiner? That did happen, but both completely missed this critical detail.

In June 2020, I wrote about flight-time shortcomings when preparing for a flight test. This falls into a similar category. Re-read the regulations, develop a checklist, keep good student records, make photocopies of documents; whatever you need to do to ensure nothing is missed when test day arrives.

Ultimately, the test was rescheduled, but both instructor and student learned a valuable lesson.

Craig Brown is a senior aviation technical specialist in the AOPA Pilot Information Center. [email protected]