Bellanca Citabria 7ECA vs American Champion 7GCAA

[dillardrg]

7ECA vs 7GCAA (same aircraft, different engine.)

I, with partners, own a 1974 7ECA 115hp and a friend and her husband have recently purchased a 2002 7GCAA 160hp.
I had the opportunity this weekend to fly each of these aircraft and have some observations;

7GCAA leaps off the runway much quicker and climbs at around 1200fpm initially.
The 7ECA takes probably 3 times the runway to get off and climbs at about 7-800 fpm initially.
40 degrees F and me and 3/4 fuel.

7GCAA cruises at 2,000ft at 2400 rpm at 120 mph indicated.
7ECA cruises at 2,000ft at 2500 rpm at 105 mph indicated.
They both land the same.

When doing a loop, I have to dive to get 140 mph entry speed and the 7GCAA takes less altitude to do this so it ends up using about 200ft less altitude to do a loop and the extra power makes a difference over the top.

I am not a test pilot and am a self taught aerobatic pilot so my observations are just that. Your mileage may vary.

I still like my 7ECA even though it takes about 3 times as long to get back to altitude after a maneuver. The 7GCAA is a reeeealy nice airplane .

Ron
advancedtailwheeltraining.com

 

[Grant]

Thanks for the info!

I've got a 2004 7GCAA going back together as we speak. I look forward to those numbers!

 

[Cub junkie]

I know this is a cub board but I think American Champion does a good job of carrying on the Citabria, Scout and Decathlon line. I have many hours of pipeline/powerline patrol in a '73 7ECA and you work for everything you get out of it when doing aerobatics.

 

[dillardrg]

"you work for everything you get out of it when doing aerobatics."

That is part of the fun doing aerobatics in a low powered airplane.

Ron
advancedtailwheeltraining.com

 

[bob turner]

I had a very experienced aero pilot in my Decathlon a while back. His experience is in Pitts type airplanes. He was not prepared for the control inputs the aircraft takes while inverted - I thought for just a minute that he was going to split-S on me.

On the other hand, I have a tendency to over-control in the Pitts-type airplanes.

My friends at Rare Aircraft swear that the GCAA is the best airplane ever. They do not sell Cubs, of course, but it probably beats all the non-Cub airplanes out there. The new ones are drop-dead gorgeous!

 

[Grant]

The new ones are drop-dead gorgeous!

You ever tried to do a fabric repair on the new ones?.....They are pretty but have a friggin' ton of paint on 'em. I hope I can get my repair to blend...Well see!

 

[bob turner]

I am not good enough to blend anything. I take my pinking shears, cut the masking tape, and pretend the edge of the new paint is just a surface tape edge.

I have never seen a really good blending job, even though the hottest Mustang convertible restorers tried it on my car.