Most Citabria pilots cruise along at 115 miles per hour, the aircraft has a ceiling of 17,000. It carries thirty-five US gallons of fuel which gives it a range of about 560 miles. Where it really shines is in its handling and performance with a stall speed of only 51 miles per hour, gets off the ground over a 50
foot barrier in 630 feet and lands in 755 feet. Once off the ground it will climb at 1,120 feet per minute. These are about the same performance figures for the Scout. The little Champ on the other hand hustles along at about 86 miles an hour for a range of 310 miles but takes off in 450 feet and lands in 300. In this picture a pilot and flight engineer depart with a full chest of tools as the aircraft can carry a load of 540 pounds.

The model 7ECA Citabria is a direct descendant of the 7AC Aeronca Champion and the L-16. This model should be built exactly as the instruction page for the Champ indicates, except for the addition of the propeller spinner. During the 1960s, the Champion Aircraft Co. of Osceola Wisconsin had the Champ design restructured and type certified as an aerobatic trainer. Starting in the late 1960's or early '70s the factory used spring steel landing gear in lieu of the 'no bounce' type. Champion Aircraft sold out to Bellanca Aircraft and continued building airplanes at Osceola until the factory burned to the ground in the late 1970s.

In 1990 the American Champion Aircraft Company in Racine County Wisconsin started producing Citabrias. New Citabrias have 118 HP and 160 HP engines. Further refinements called the Super Decathlon and the Scout have 180 HP engines. This is a far cry from the 65 HP Champ. American Champion is planning to reintroduce the Champ with 80HP.

Here is a view of the Citabria panel . The most obvious feature is that this is a stick and rudder operation with the throttle on the left. This machine has an intercom and it looks like it has had some major additions to the panel with a GSP (Global Satellite Positioning) unit in place and a good looking King radio and transponder. The cockpit and aft seating area is roomy for a small aircraft but the panel is deliberately designed to be small and functional. The visibility from inside a Citabria is exceptional. The Scout and Decathlon versions have a skylight.

Bellanca Citabria:
Acquisition by Bellanca of the assets of in September 1970 modest aerobatic facility with led to production of aircraft 7AC Champ, of which more than 7,000 had been built. The most enduring of these derivatives were the Bellanca.

The Bellanca Citabria combines Champion Aircraft Corporation, good cruising performance and a derived from that company's Model roomy cabin for the two occupants.

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