Challenge accepted
Landing on 400 feet of taxiway
The 400-foot-long runway looked impossibly short for the unmodified AOPA Sweepstakes Cessna 170B to take off and land without an overrun. But that was the challenge we accepted when we entered it in the STOL demonstration during the AOPA Hangout in Tampa.
Gaining enough proficiency to operate a Cessna 170 from such a short runway is not difficult (you employ the same short field techniques learned during primary training), it just takes a lot of practice to get comfortable flying slow and in control—and consistently touching down on an exact spot on the runway.
At Tampa, STOL wrangler Jimmy Gist gave instructions to the STOL participants (this would be my debut): fly the pattern at 300 feet agl, at 70 miles per hour, and keep our pattern within the airport boundaries. Our “runway” was 400 feet of taxiway marked by orange cones.
The Cessna 170B’s pilot’s operating handbook recommends setting 20 degrees of flaps only if density altitude is below approximately 6,000 feet; otherwise the flaps add more drag than lift and extend the takeoff roll. At the very end of the runway, apply full power with brakes on. Upon reaching maximum rpm, release the brakes and keep the airplane in a nose-high attitude. As soon as the main tires break ground push the nose forward to remain in ground effect and gain airspeed to climb out. I kept 20 degrees of flaps deployed around the entire circuit to help keep my speed down.
At the key position, crank in the full 40 degrees of flaps and reduce speed to 60 mph. Turning final, slow to 50 mph, and jockey the throttle and elevator to make a shallow approach without accidentally touching down short of the runway. Plopping the mains on the chalk line drawn across the taxiway with the stall horn blaring and no energy remaining to bounce the airplane is the goal. Little braking is required since you’re so slow.
Your AOPA Sweepstakes Cessna 170 was consistently able to take off and land in about 300 feet. Granted, the density altitude was only 1,500 feet and the airplane was very light with fuel tanks less than half full—but it was still a nice showing for an unmodified Cessna 170.
Before we award the airplane to a lucky winner, we’re going to add some mods that will further stack the deck in your favor: a 195-horsepower Continental Prime engine, Hartzell constant-speed propeller, Sportsman’s STOL wing cuffs, Micro Aerodynamics vortex generators, and big Alaskan Bushwheel tires. We’re also going to shed some weight by removing the heavy interior and avionics and installing a lightweight interior and state of the art digital avionics from Garmin, Aspen Avionics and PS Engineering.
Soon, this highly modified Cessna 170 will be able to take off and land almost anywhere you desire—in the remote backcountry or at your favorite airport café.
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