1970 Cardinal 177B. 360 Lycoming, 180 hp. All standard equipment. Mags refurbished for 500-hour inspection on 03​/​08​/​2026. New exhaust. New battery. New ELT battery. Plugs cleaned and oil changed 03​/​08​/​2026. Annual inspection performed 03​/​08​/​2026. 50-gallon fuel capacity. Transponder inspection January 21, 2026. Eddy current inspection of the wing spar accepted February 2023. 506 hours on the engine. Airframe total hours 5,447.

Manufacturer year

1970

Registration Number

N30790

Aircraft Model Overview (Reference only)

The Cessna 177B Cardinal is a four-seat, single-engine fixed-gear high-wing aircraft produced by Cessna Aircraft Company in Wichita, Kansas, from 1970 through 1978. The most aerodynamically refined and visually striking of Cessna's fixed-gear high-wing singles, the Cardinal was designed in the mid-1960s as a 172 successor featuring a cantilever wing, roomier cabin, and more contemporary appearance — a design ambition that Cessna refined through three model iterations before arriving at the 177B's mature specification. The 1970 model year Cardinal is the first full production year of the 177B, incorporating the full-span leading-edge slats and stabilator revisions that resolved the handling characteristics noted in the original 177 and 177A, and equipped with the Lycoming O-360-A1F6 that defines the B-series specification. Power is provided by a Lycoming O-360-A1F6 carbureted four-cylinder horizontally-opposed engine producing 180 horsepower at 2,700 RPM, driving a two-blade McCauley constant-speed propeller. The O-360 family is among the most comprehensively supported Lycoming engines in the certified market, with universal overhaul capability, broad parts availability, and a 2,000-hour TBO that provides predictable maintenance planning. The constant-speed propeller — standard on the 177B — enables optimization between climb and cruise efficiency and is a meaningful step up from the fixed-pitch installations of the original 177. Fuel burn at 75% cruise power is typically 9 to 10 USG per hour, returning operating economics competitive with the Cessna 172 while delivering the Cardinal's additional cabin space and distinctive cantilever aesthetics. The 177B airframe carries the cantilever high wing that distinguishes the Cardinal from every other Cessna high-wing single — a strut-free design that produces the clean, uncluttered visual profile that has made the Cardinal one of the most aesthetically admired aircraft in the certified piston single market. The full-span leading-edge slats introduced on the 177B improve low-speed lift coefficient significantly, enabling a lower approach speed and shorter landing roll than the unslotted wing of the earlier 177 variants, and the stabilator system revision addresses the pitch sensitivity that early Cardinals were noted for. The all-metal structure with fixed spring-steel tricycle gear is simple and robust, contributing to the Cardinal's reputation for low and predictable maintenance costs over its operational life. The four-seat cabin is the Cardinal's most commercially compelling attribute relative to the Cessna 172 it was designed to succeed — wider, taller, and more spacious than the 172, with a flat floor that simplifies boarding and cargo loading, large doors on both sides, and the absence of the mid-fuselage wing carry-through that intruded into the 172's cabin space. The Cardinal's rearward-positioned wing placement relative to the cabin — enabled by the cantilever structure — opens a panoramic forward view unobstructed by wing struts or leading edge, and the large wraparound windscreen and window area create an airy, open cabin environment that buyers consistently regard as the Cardinal's finest attribute. Most active 177B airframes have received successive avionics updates across their 55-year operational lives. The 177B handles with a character that is notably different from the strutted Cessna high-wing siblings — lighter on the controls, with the stabilator delivering pitch feel that is more direct and responsive than the 172's conventional elevator. The full-span slats provide an exceptionally gentle and well-announced stall that rewards the pilot who flies precisely, and the overall handling envelope is accessible, forgiving, and rewarding across a range of pilot experience levels. The constant-speed propeller requires standard management discipline for pilots transitioning from fixed-pitch aircraft, and a Cardinal-specific checkout is recommended to familiarize new owners with the stabilator's pitch characteristics and the slat-equipped wing's approach behavior. In the current used market the 1970 Cessna 177B occupies a genuinely appreciated and increasingly recognized position — long undervalued relative to the 172 and 182, the Cardinal has attracted growing buyer interest over the past decade as pilots discover the type's superior cabin space, cantilever aesthetics, and distinctive handling character. The Cessna Cardinal Flyers Online (CCFO) community provides excellent type-specific support, Cardinal-experienced A&Ps are available across North America, and parts availability from the Cessna network and aftermarket suppliers is adequate for all standard maintenance requirements. Wing spar and carry-through condition, O-360-A1F6 engine status, slat condition and rigging, and avionics currency are the primary pre-purchase evaluation priorities on a 55-year-old airframe.