One of the earliest models of bush planes that were manufactured after the Second World War was the Cessna 170 aircrafts and it was the only four-seater light plane introduced to the market during that time. When it was introduced, it became the first economical plane offered to the market which is considered to be a better option instead of buying used aircrafts, which were mostly surpluses from wartime.

The Cessna 170s wings were covered with fabric for its initial designs but these were quickly changed into an all metal and aluminum aircraft. Although the 170 was quickly replaced with an upgraded version called the 172, the latter design became the most produced bush plane in the aviation industry.

Both the Cessna 170 and 172 were not considered to be performance powerhouses but appeals more to flyers and collectors because of adequate short field performance. Availability wise, the Cessna 170 and 172 are still widely available these days.

The Cessna 170s speed was known to have never exceeded beyond 140 knots and cruising at a speed of only 104 knots. Its maximum recorded speed was at 124 knots.

Cessna first sold the 170 model in 1948 as four-seat versions of the Cessna 140, although the 170 has a considerably larger fuel tank when compared with its predecessor aircraft. It also followed the 140s V strut design.

A year later, Cessna introduced a slightly upgraded version of the 170, calling it the 170A which took out the fabric covering of the wings. Soon after that, the US Air Force and Marines used the 170 model for military exercises although there were some slight model enhancements, calling the variant as the Model 305.

The Cessna 170 is also considered to be the design which served as basis of the C-172 however the latter is just supreme in performance.

According to Cessna records, there are just about 5,000 Cessna 170 planes which were originally manufactured and only 2,000 exist up to today. Most of these planes are also being offered for sale by online sellers. Most buyers get attracted to the Cessna 170 because it fits well for small group trips but has remained economical.

But just like buying any other Cessna aircraft, you always need to try to get the best deal by looking at the necessary things that you need to understand before finalizing the sale. Look closely at the engine time since its major overhaul or since it was remanufactured by the company. This is like the equivalent of car mileage considering that the lower the engine time will have a longer value before you need another overhaul, which is quite costly.

Also check on the total time airframe, which records the total age of the aircraft. Knowing this will also give you a little bit of information as to what the aircraft was used for and some of this information may change the valuation of the aircraft.