Serial Number/History

[PilotMikeTX]

My 1949 170A is SN 19214. Therein lies the problem. According to some production information found on another website (for what that's worth,) my plane is most likely a 1950 model. I saw another website where the owner describes his plane as a 1950 model and it is a couple of serial numbers behind mine. How can I find out when my plane was manufactured (sorry, incomplete logs)? Full FAA records search?

Year Model SN
1949 C170A 18730 - 19199
1950-1951 C170A 19200 - 20266

Now, if in fact my plane is a 1950 model, how do I go about changing the registration and airworthiness certificates?

Mike

[GAHorn]

Mike, there's a bit of confusion that runs over this sort of thing because of the FAA's practice of assigning year manufactured ... as the same year it's airworthiness was issued.
Cessna made airplane model changes similar to the same method used by car mfr's. In the fall of the year, the next year's models are rolled out and sold to the public. The day the factory applied for the first airworthiness certificate is the day and YEAR model that the FAA designates the aircraft....regardless of the model features the airframe actually has. In many cases aircraft are registered as a year model EARLIER than they actually are. (Cessna may have applied for airworthiness certs in groups, and your airplane may have had it's application made before others of lower serials for lots of reasons, such as installed equipment availability of other airplanes, paint, etc. etc.)
An example is my own 1953 B model. It's a '53 model by virtue of it's serial number and features of pressure-cooling cowl, improved cabin heat system, etc. But it came off the assy line in Nov '52 and the FAA thinks it's a 52 model and various paperwork associated with it call it either a 52 OR a 53. It's definitely a 53. It even has the LATE 53 gear legs installed on post sn 25612 aircraft, as my sn is 25713. Heck, for awhile, the FAA called it a 1970 model! ... because it actually never got it's first airworthiness cert until after it was re-imported in 1970. It took an act of congress to get them to realize the error and change the records...and THEN they called it a 52!
The 1949 A model had the same lower cowl opening as the earlier ragwing, while the 1950 A model has the same lower cowl opening as the later aircraft. If your cowl hasn't been changed out, that may help you discover your answer. But I'd guess it's actually a 1950 model. In fact, a lot of the aircraft registered with the FAA as 49 models are probably 50 models simply because their airworthiness certs were issued before the year's end.
Changing your paperwork probably isn't worth the effort, in any case. The FAA will resist it like pulling toe-nails out, and your insurance company will go by serial number anyway, and probably won't care.
If it's still important to you, you could always contact Cessna Publications and they'd pull out the microfiche and send you a copy of your aircraft's original application and equipment list and copy of the test flight records, for a fee. The equipment/specification sheet would give you all the info you seek.
The 170 Book also lists serial numbers by year. (Available from headquarters@cessna170.org I don't have my copy with me.)

[CraigH]

Same here. FAA thinks mine is a '55 model, but it is definitely a '56.

[cessna170bdriver]

Ditto here.

'98C's first weight and balance is dated Oct 26, 1954 and was delivered to her first owner in December. For that reason the previous owner swore up and down that she is a '54. However, she has the square rear window, modified tailwheel steering, and panel layout per the 1955 owner's manual. According to serial number, she is the 47th airplane to be built as a "1955 model". Even though she is almost a year older than me, I like to say we are both '55 models. (I officially joined the Old F---s club this past Sunday).

Miles

[GAHorn]

(I officially joined the Old F---s club this past Sunday).

Miles

That may explain the smell.
Happy Birthday! Miles.

[170C]

Happy Birthday Miles, you old f___t! I can say that as I passed that up quite a few yrs ago. And don't believe the crap about things getting easier the older you get. Its still fun however!

RE: Aircraft ages, if it has the orginal cowling, the '56 will only have one inspection door (left/port) side & no opening window on the pax side. Cessna should be crusified for not putting the opening window in. They should have made it an option as they did the right side rudder pedals and, again as they did on the rudder pedals. put the opening window on all '56 models.

[170C]

Saddened to hear of Richard's passing. He was a swell guy and I sure enjoyed getting to visit with him each year at convention. He will be missed.

[n3833v]

Happy birthday Miles. I found that once your over the hill, It does get easier as a downhill ride is. I at least have my health and am thankful for it for now . Just enough to fly my good classic.

John