As part-owner of a C-177B, I can tell you that this is true only to a point.
There aren't enough Cardinals around to generate the kind of aftermarket PMA and
STC support that the 172 enjoys. The shimmy damper, for example, is unique to
the Cardinal, expensive, and has to be replaced or rebuilt with distressing
frequency. The same thing goes for plastic parts like fairings. Wheel pants
for the Cardinal are much more expensive.

That said, I think it's a great bird. I flight plan at 120k TAS and 9gph. The
view without the strut is great (the wing is essentially the same at the 210)
and the cabin is much more comfortable than the Skyhawk. The big doors make
entry/exit easy, but be very careful not to let the wind catch them. Without a
strut to stop them, they'll fold up against the nose in a flash. That's another
one of those very expensive things to fix.

Dave Reinhart


Colin W Kingsbury wrote:

I read in another thread "Comfortable 4-seaters" in r.a.o that the 177 has a
48" cabin. Considering that operating costs for the 177FG are in the range
of the 172, (39" cabin) but better or equal speeds, that can be a pretty
compelling feature especially for those of us who are not FAA-sized.

"John T" wrote in message
...
Thats just the kind of basic info I was looking for, thanks!

John