Continental 100year celebration

[rupertjl]

http://www.tcmlink.com/100birthday/index.cfm

Looks like Continental is looking for some showcase airplanes with their engines in them. Maybe some of the ones closer to Alabama would like to register to see if the factory might invite them to show off a nice 170.

v/r,
Jud

[cessna170bdriver]

From the list on the flyer, it appears that TCM doesn't know that Cessna also built tailwheel airplanes.

Miles

[flat country pilot]

Since the invitation does not list our 170s, or 140/120, I hope some one in that nieghborhood can go to the open house. Please

Feeling left out

Bill

[Bill Hart]

I am going to try and make it but the wife has plans for that weekend.

[CBogle]

Folks:

Thanks to this thread, I registered and received an invitation. Continental is even paying for the hotel room. If any other members are attending, please let me kow so that we can meet. I'll post a report after attending.

Regards,

Curt

[rupertjl]

I'll take a T-shirt for the finder's fee
Take some pictures for all the ones that registered and weren't invited!

Jud

[mboone]

Man-oh-man I wish I'd known about this! My kids live in Mobile and I could have made it a weekend if I'd known about it sooner!
Have to make plans for 2107.
Bob

[CBogle]

Folks:

My wife and I just returned from Continental's 100 year celebration in Mobile, Alabama and had a great time. My estimate is that approximately 25 to 30 other Continental powered aircraft were on display, as well as numerous aircraft that were there for the air show. Continental generousely paid for participant's hotel room, food, transportation and even popped for fuel to return home. The factory tour was very interesting. I was impressed with the decrease in manufactured product variability due to their implementing numerically controlled machining processes as well as six sigma process improvement initiatives. I spoke with the president of Continental briefly and asked if their quality control processes had shown up in improved engine reliability. His respose was that Continental's warranty costs are running 1/10 of 1 percent of what they were three years ago. An example is that their connecting rods used to come out of the manufacturing process with a variation of 13 grams on either side of the mean. Today, they all come out with 2 grams of each other, or 1 gram on either side of the mean. This results in far fewer sorts to properly match connecting rods. Just one example of what statistical process controll does for them. He added that when they test an engine today, "they all start the same and run the same." Most of the problems that they are seeing today are related to operator induced wear, which FADEC has the potential to mostly eliminate.

Anyway, Continental was a very generous host and a great time was had by all.

Regards,

Curt
N4288V

P.S. Picture Album Link Below. N4288V is the only 170 at the celebration and the good looking guy standing next to it is your's truly.

http://s92.photobucket.com/albums/l27/c ... 0100%20Yr/

[flat country pilot]

Curt,

Glad you got to go, you represented the C170s very well.

Good pictures.

Bill

[170C]

Curt, thanks for the nice photos and for taking your plane over there. Your plane looks really nice too. Hope to see it in Galveston in June.