Citabria

Not flown the Citabria but have a few hours on the Super Decathalon and thats a great fun machine, more poke than the citabria with 180hp and a twidily prop. You should enjoy it, have fun 😀

[QUOTE=Ewan Hoozarmy] I’ll have to do more circuits with my eyes closed next year? 😀

some people should be careful…

Yep, real heavy in roll. You need to hit the gym first 🙂
Just don’t expect Extra 300 aerobatic performance.

However an all round pleasant machine to fly (and fun to land).

Yak 11, I’m based in Australia and I’ve got quite a few hours in Citabrias. Mainly 7GCBC but also one 7ECA. They are nice fun things. Not a “serious” tailwheel aircraft in that you can still see where you are going and they are relatively easy to handle on the ground.

They feel like a “real” aeroplane, with a stick, and the throttle on the left so it feels pretty natural to fly. They are simple things, with a push button start and toggle switches.

You can aerobat them, in fact I did my intial aeros training in them, but they are basic. They are very heavy in roll. I had to grab the cage with one hand for leverage and throw the stick across – not exactly a roll with finesse! Loops are generally 3G egg shaped ones. They stall turn well, but they don’t have a lot of power so you have to kick them around pretty much as soon as you get vertical. Spins and recoveries are simple enough, but it the spin feels a bit “wobbly” not smooth like a Pitts.

They are good though. They sideslip very well on final if you need to lose height. The 7GCBCs have flaps, the ECAs don’t.

Iv’e flown one Decathlon and they feel similar. They have inverted fuel and oil unlike the Citabria.

I may have the opportunity of flying one in the not too distant future, I’ll let you know how I get on.

Would it happen to a 7ECA with registration N94SA? In the late Eighties I spent many hours as a passenger in this when it was flying in Denmark. If this is the one, give it a pat from me!

Three yrs ago before my grandfather passed away, my father and my two bothers took him bush flying. My grandpa had a super cub which he held my older brother in, and my oldest brother rented an aviat husky. My father and I were able to rent the Citabria.

I remeber, we had just landed and picked up the rented aircraft from the FBO(where my dad used to work) and all of us took off and met up in formation, so it was a Super Cub, a Husky, and a Citabria in a sort of sloppy diamond formation. My Grandpa who used to fly in the AF got mad at my dad and brother because “they were too sloppy” in the formation.

Oh yea, and that was the same trip that we met Harrison Ford!

Got lots of hours in a Super Decathlon, which is just a higher powered Citabria. Fairly easy to land, a bit short of useful load, springy undercarriage but will prepare you well for the Stearman. Does this mean I’ll have to do more circuits with my eyes closed next year? 😀

Shame you cant use the Auster. If you can land an Auster well every time, you can land anything!

Yup I’m dead jealous here Yak – have fun and let us know how you get on! 😀

Enjoy both skivvying and the Citabria.

If you want a type check, I seem to remember The Pilot Centre at Denham have an example on their fleet. Be careful with it though, its CFI Eva Paul’s pride and joy!

and long may being a skivvy continue, its enabled me to realise more dreams and ambitions than I could ever have hoped for otherwise and something I will forever be grateful for.

He’s Maurice’s skivvy and I thought he already had one flying the Stearman! 😀

Yak, are you Maurice’s friend who requires a tailwheel checkout?

Thanks for the replies, sounds an interesting machine. I may have the opportunity of flying one in the not too distant future, I’ll let you know how I get on.

That was the one.

We flew the Abbeville > Ipswich leg in a loose gaggle.

It was just as well since there was some issue with the radio in the Citabria. The French couldn’t seem to hear it.

Moggy

Great pic, thanks Moggy! The Aeronca trip to France? Unfortunately wasn’t me flying….

I fly a 1980 7GCBC from Horham

And very pretty it looked mid-Channel too.

Moggy

I fly a 1980 7GCBC from Horham and have been into Hardwick a few times. I love it! Though I’m not into aeros, it is capable of all the basic manoeuvres though it has heavy ailerons. The newer versions have spades. Cruises at 95 to 100 knots, happy with 350 meters. With 37 deg. of flap it can land in a very short distance. With 150 hp, it will get off quickly and climb at 800 fpm+ at max weight. Flown solo from the front, visibility over the nose is excellent, in the air and on the ground.
Adrian Barrell

By all accounts they are a lovely aircraft.

Have you got a chance to fly one?

A nameless GA Magazine, not called Pilot, had a test of one within the last year

Moggy