Cessna Cardinal

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Flybynite

Filing Flight Plan
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Flybynite
I can purchase a decent 1969 180hp cardinal with a high time engine, auto pilot and modern radios with a new interior for 28,000. Do you guys think this is a good deal?
 
If it passes a very thorough pre-buy inspection, yes, that can be a good deal.

Check out Cardinal Flyers Online and connect with Paul for the pre-buy. If it is on the East Coast, get it down to Statesville, NC to the Cardinal shop there.

PS. I'm very jealous of your luck to find a good Cardinal at that price level.
 
Yes. Put aside ~$20k for engine rebuild. Cardinals are very nice traveling planes.
 
Biggest thing on my radar is corrosion issues. The fresh air ducting, if its still that black "CAT" ducting, holds moisture which corrodes the fuselage carry-thru spar and skins. I've even seen corrosion damage of the forward carry-thru spar. It also corrodes the inboard top & bottom wing skins and the wing ribs as it passes thought the them and up to the openings in each wing's leading edge.

I wouldn't buy one without pulling the entire interior and the fresh air valve boxes out of th wings looking for corrosion.

Some of the troubles I've seen was a 78 fixed gear that was based in Arizona for about 20 years before it came to SD. Being in the dry desert for so many years I did not expect to see that much corrosion.
 
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I love the 177. What engine does it have and what do you call "high time."
 
It has a Lycoming 180 hp 4 cyl with 2150hr on the engine and 6000hr on the airframe
 
Probably an O-360A2F. I think that avoids the dreaded Bendix dual magneto.
 
Good words about the corrosion issue. Worth checking carefully.

The Cardinal is about the only Cessna I like, except the 195. I also like the way they fly. If it passes corrosion check I'd grab it up fast.
 
The nose gear & firewall structure needs a careful inspection. Almost every Cardinal has had the nose gear damaged from inexperienced pilots porpoising and hitting the nose gear hard during landing.
 
Check the sealant condition inside the fuel tanks. They don't have near the trouble that Mooneys do with fuel leaks but some old aircraft have deteriorated sealant in the tanks. My 68 sealant is original and looks fine.
 
bnt83 said:
The nose gear & firewall structure needs a careful inspection. Almost every Cardinal has had the nose gear damaged from inexperienced pilots porpoising and hitting the nose gear hard during landing.
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Do you think this is related to the all-flying elevator? As opposed to the std horz stabilizer with elevator on the 172/182?
 
docmirror said:
Do you think this is related to the all-flying elevator? As opposed to the std horz stabilizer with elevator on the 172/182?
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Of course it is, Inexperienced pilots get bitten by the un-cessna like handling. It's just different, not bad.
 
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I have been flying the plane for a little over a year now so the handiling issues are not a problem.
 
Flybynite said:
I have been flying the plane for a little over a year now so the handiling issues are not a problem.
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I hated it at first but came to really enjoy it. One of best handling airplanes for the least amount of effort.
 
bnt83 said:
Of course it is, Inexperienced pilots get bitten by the un-cessna like handling. It's just different, not bad.
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I did not claim it as 'bad'. Just seeking more info. Thank you.
 
The Cardinal is a great airplane. Just get a careful pre-buy like for any other airplane. Most of our airplanes are old.
 
What's the biggest engine anybody ever put on a 177?
 
wabower said:
What's the biggest engine anybody ever put on a 177?
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1968 O320 fixed pitch. STC for O360 fixed or constant

1969 O360 fixed pitch. STCs unknown

1970 and on O360 constant speed

All 177RG IO360. STC for IO390
 
I think the RG would be sweet with 6 banger and bout 240 horse or so.
 
bnt83 said:
The nose gear & firewall structure needs a careful inspection. Almost every Cardinal has had the nose gear damaged from inexperienced pilots porpoising and hitting the nose gear hard during landing.
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None of the 68's I've looked at were with out firewall repairs.
 
I went to the dealer demo of the RG with a check in my pocket to place an order for a production slot but couldn't pull the trigger due to the lack of power. For that and other reasons Cessna folded the line and kept selling 182's instead.

bnt83 said:
I think the RG would be sweet with 6 banger and bout 240 horse or so.
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wabower said:
I went to the dealer demo of the RG with a check in my pocket to place an order for a production slot but couldn't pull the trigger due to the lack of power. For that and other reasons Cessna folded the line and kept selling 182's instead.
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They started out that line with not enough HP, and ended that way. The 200HP IO-360 177RG, just feels like another 25-35 HP and it would be perfect.

They are reasonable easy to fly, and comfortable to get in and out of.
 
Yep, that's why I stopped looking at them. Moving to a 182 instead. If the 177 had an O-470 I'd take it in a hearbeat over the 182.
 
Cesnna did fly a proposed, Cardinal-like 182 replacement called the Model 187. It originally flew with a 177-style low tail, then they fitted a T-tail on it. Hideous!

Apparently after flight testing the company decided there was not enough advantage over the legacy 182, so the 187 project was dropped.
 
Flybynite said:
I can purchase a decent 1969 180hp cardinal with a high time engine, auto pilot and modern radios with a new interior for 28,000. Do you guys think this is a good deal?
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I'm interested in a 177, please check your private messages.
 
wabower said:
I went to the dealer demo of the RG with a check in my pocket to place an order for a production slot but couldn't pull the trigger due to the lack of power. For that and other reasons Cessna folded the line and kept selling 182's instead.
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hindsight2020 said:
Yep, that's why I stopped looking at them. Moving to a 182 instead. If the 177 had an O-470 I'd take it in a hearbeat over the 182.
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Isn't that like comparing apples to oranges? The 177 RG is not like a 182.

182 seems bigger and carries more load but burns more fuel and is slower and not as sprightly. I'd think the 177 RG is a step up from the 172

Other than seating its like comparing an Arrow to a FG Saratoga.
 
I was always told the 177 is hard to handle and is unforgiving compared to the 172.
 
I guess it's fair to assume you weren't around when Cessna was trying to sell them?

AdamZ said:
Isn't that like comparing apples to oranges? The 177 RG is not like a 182.

182 seems bigger and carries more load but burns more fuel and is slower and not as sprightly. I'd think the 177 RG is a step up from the 172

Other than seating its like comparing an Arrow to a FG Saratoga.
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I have owned and flown a 1973 177B for the past 6 years and now have over 400 hours in the plane. Naturally I am going to have a favorable opinion of the Cardinal. I purchased the plane after flying numerous aircraft for a number of reasons. No wing strut, low to the ground, carries four adults, cost of ownership and ease of flight were the deciding factors for me.
 
FlyinPa said:
I have owned and flown a 1973 177B for the past 6 years and now have over 400 hours in the plane. Naturally I am going to have a favorable opinion of the Cardinal. I purchased the plane after flying numerous aircraft for a number of reasons. No wing strut, low to the ground, carries four adults, cost of ownership and ease of flight were the deciding factors for me.
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You have the Bendix Dual Mag?
 
A 177RG with a 390... sounds near perfect!

A 177RG with a Turbo-Normalized 390, even better.
 
I own a 1971 177B. Put over 200 hours on it last year.

Really enjoy flying it. We used Guy Mahr(sp) in North Carolina to help us find the plane, and setup everything. You might give him a call, and like someone else said, check out Cardinal Flyer Online. Well worth the $30 membership. The pre-buy checklist is more than worth it alone.

-Dan
 
SCCutler said:
A 177RG with a 390... sounds near perfect!

A 177RG with a Turbo-Normalized 390, even better.
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Too much $$$ for the 390 IMHO. Thats ending up with $1 followed by 5 zeros for a 4 pax airplane. Might as well go for an NA or T, 210.

Altho I would miss the cardinal handling, it would be easily forgotten by the 210 power.
 
dweyant said:
I own a 1971 177B. Put over 200 hours on it last year.

Really enjoy flying it. We used Guy Mahr(sp) in North Carolina to help us find the plane, and setup everything. You might give him a call, and like someone else said, check out Cardinal Flyer Online. Well worth the $30 membership. The pre-buy checklist is more than worth it alone.

-Dan
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I attended one of Guy's owners seminars last fall. Guy is very pleasant to deal with and REALLY knows his stuff on the C177. For current and prospective C177 owners, he is a must to have in your network of knowledge sources.
 
FlyinPa said:
I have owned and flown a 1973 177B for the past 6 years and now have over 400 hours in the plane. Naturally I am going to have a favorable opinion of the Cardinal. I purchased the plane after flying numerous aircraft for a number of reasons. No wing strut, low to the ground, carries four adults, cost of ownership and ease of flight were the deciding factors for me.
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Welcome to POA!!

Feel free to look around and make yourself at home. :cheers:
 
Mechanics & Avionics Shops LOVE the flat floors and big doors on the C177s.
 
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