Decathlon

I've owned a 160HP 7GCBC for 15 years now. Great airplane. The reason I bought the GCBC (flaps) is because there was a big difference in MGW and full fuel and two adults and bags weren't going to be legal. If I remember right it was a 200 pound difference. So it wasn't the flaps, it was the GW. I would agree flaps are not a huge advantage. My granddaughter soloed it on her 16th birthday.

I've taken several 5-600 mile cross country flights in it, and one multi day 2,000NM one. But I love low and slow.

I got my tail wheel start in a 150HP Decathlon. I thought it was a dog personally.

For the record, several years ago I was considering a new Super D and thought about making it IFR. The 7GCBC can be made legally IFR, the Decathlon cannot. Just paperwork, but there it is.
 
ebetancourt said:
I've owned a 160HP 7GCBC for 15 years now. Great airplane. The reason I bought the GCBC (flaps) is because there was a big difference in MGW and full fuel and two adults and bags weren't going to be legal. If I remember right it was a 200 pound difference. So it wasn't the flaps, it was the GW. I would agree flaps are not a huge advantage. My granddaughter soloed it on her 16th birthday.

I've taken several 5-600 mile cross country flights in it, and one multi day 2,000NM one. But I love low and slow.

I got my tail wheel start in a 150HP Decathlon. I thought it was a dog personally.

For the record, several years ago I was considering a new Super D and thought about making it IFR. The 7GCBC can be made legally IFR, the Decathlon cannot. Just paperwork, but there it is.
Click to expand...

As long as it has a metal spar it can be made IFR.
 
Uh Oh... I'm falling off the path. I found a really nice Cessna Aerobat that is IFR. This aircraft might fill more of my mission. I assume it is not in the same class as far as aerobatics as the Citabria. I just want to be able to TILT the WORLD a bit. I would also be able to keep Instrument Current. How come all these aircraft for sale are so far away from me?

There is a Citabria at my FBO that is for sale, I mentioned this. They want $30K and the engine has about 2200 hours on it.
 
Jeanie said:
No, you don't need flaps... That's what slips are for....
Click to expand...

That's what I said.... to my young instructor. LOL When flying instrument approaches, I land with 10degrees of flaps. I don't need flaps unless I mess up. Ha ha. I was going over forward slips and side slips in my head the other day. It has been a long time since I have done them.
 
Last edited:
ebetancourt said:
Ok thanks. I was talking to Jerry at the factory, and since it isn't his STC...

Might have to look at the Xtreme someday as the perfect combo airplane.

Ernie

Well maybe. I read the STC. I know nothing about STCs but this one appears to be limited to one specific airplane. ???
Click to expand...

This was several years ago- probably 2008 that I looked into it and talked to the STC holder and Jerry. At the time what I got was that the STC could be used as the basis for making an 8KCAB IFR. I can't remember all the details, but it was going to require installing Pitot heat as well as a DG (the airplane already had an AI). It was not going to be really easy, but not that difficult.
 
Ernie, if I had a LOT of extra money I'd sure want an extreme super D. But, I don't.... Oh well....
 
Jeanie said:
Ernie, if I had a LOT of extra money I'd sure want an extreme super D. But, I don't.... Oh well....
Click to expand...

Jeanie, my want list far exceeds my bank account. I can want all I want - getting is another thing. :D

Although, I am super lucky as it is. Now if I could quit working so I had time to fly... :mad2:
 
I've owned two Citabrias.

A 1976 7ECA bought with very little time on it in about 1978:

14113430565_b16ffc85bd.jpg


A 1967 7GCBC bought in the mid-90's:

14113430035_5768c1ce22.jpg


The former was used for basic aerobatic and tailwheel instruction out of Opa Locka, FL, the latter for the same thing out of N Perry in Hollywood FL.

I don't recall ever having flown a Decathalon. I'm sure they're marvelous airplanes, though.

I do recall the Decathalon has a symmetrical airfoil. That's good news when you're inverted. Not so good when upright.

There's a reason wings are generally flat on the bottom and cambered on the top. Makes them more efficient. Decathalons give up a bit of that for versatility.

In short, if I were shopping for a "fun" airplane and the aerobatics part was secondary, I think my first choice would be a Citabria 7GCAA - that's 150/160 hp without flaps. If I were operating out of really short or unimproved fields, the 7GCBC with flaps would make the added complexity worthwhile, though flaps are not at all essential for normal operations. The 7ECA was marvelous, but the extra HP of the others is worthwhile, IMHO.

But a Decathalon could serve as a jack-of-all-trades as well, albeit at slightly increased expense due to the additional systems - inverted fuel and oil, possibly a constant-speed prop, and the like. And 180hp on tap in the "Super" models must be an absolute hoot!

But it would be hard NOT to have fun with any of the above.

As an aside, does anyone here remember having flown with me in N53983 out of Opa Locka or N7596F our of Hollywood? I flew with a lot of students and would not be surprised.
 
etemplet said:
Uh Oh... I'm falling off the path. I found a really nice Cessna Aerobat that is IFR. This aircraft might fill more of my mission. I assume it is not in the same class as far as aerobatics as the Citabria. I just want to be able to TILT the WORLD a bit. I would also be able to keep Instrument Current. How come all these aircraft for sale are so far away from me?



There is a Citabria at my FBO that is for sale, I mentioned this. They want $30K and the engine has about 2200 hours on it.
Click to expand...


Get the Citabria or Decathlon.

Skip the aerobat.

A nice rag and tube taildragger is way more fun to fly than a Cessna 150.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
etemplet said:
Uh Oh... I'm falling off the path. I found a really nice Cessna Aerobat that is IFR. This aircraft might fill more of my mission. I assume it is not in the same class as far as aerobatics as the Citabria.
Click to expand...

An Aerobat basically has the same acro performance as a 7ECA Citabria. The Aerobat might even roll very slightly better. In any case, we're talking about airplanes very very low on the aerobatic peformance spectrum. Most people who have these kinds of airplanes only occasionally turn them over anyway. At this level, I would suggest buying the airplane you will enjoy flying the most, regardless of aerobatic considerations.
 
To me, it's all about horsepower. I owned an ECA and it was a real drag. Especially with two people on board. Sold it in 6 months. Can't come close to a 150 Citabria GCBC , a real great, fun all round airplane, or if you have the dough , a 180 decathlon. To me, a 110hp aerobat is a non event. I'd rather drive my prius.
 
whifferdill said:
An Aerobat basically has the same acro performance as a 7ECA Citabria. The Aerobat might even roll very slightly better. In any case, we're talking about airplanes very very low on the aerobatic peformance spectrum. Most people who have these kinds of airplanes only occasionally turn them over anyway. At this level, I would suggest buying the airplane you will enjoy flying the most, regardless of aerobatic considerations.
Click to expand...

Exactly. Funzies only. IFR ccurrency, evening rides around the area, just like the Harley. LOL
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top