American Champion expects to begin building the 7GCAA in a year, but with a 160-hp engine. Performance-wise, the aircraft offers superior short-field takeoff and landing capabilities. Landing Distance over 50-ft. AOPA Members DO more LEARN more SAVE more - Get MORE out of being a pilot -, 2023 Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, Aircraft valuation for older models and your trade in, https://www.americanchampionaircraft.com/scout. In certain conditions, such as crosswind landing, roll and yaw control can be inadequate or too difficult to apply. In the event of an uncommanded loss of engine power, Smart Glide flies the airplane while the pilot troubleshoots the problem. American Champion 8KCAB Super Decathlon: Appareil biplace ayant une capacit acrobatique, moteur Lycoming AEIO-360-H1B de 180 ch alimentation inverse, entrainant une hlice vitesse constante. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Engine 1 Time. In 1978, a constant-speed propeller was offered as an option. Come Fly With Us And COMPARE To ANY Tandem 2 Seater!! Always try See More Details. 7GCBC $76,500 PRICE REDUCED Airplane is Ready to fly! The Scout also carries wing flaps, a design feature it shares with the 7GCBC variant of the Citabria. Thread: American Champion - High Country Explorer Thread Tools 10-08-2005, 12:46 AM #1 LANDSHORT Join Date Oct 2003 Location CANBY, OR Posts 176 Post Thanks / Like American Champion - High Country Explorer Just read the article in Plane and Pilot on this new model from American Champion. Use known fuel fill against time at a known fuel flow rate. Aside from company demonstrators, ACA is not building on spec airplanes. If you have not done so, plan on replacing these. Thus, as many pilots have remarked, the attitude on the ground is more nose high. American Champion Aircraft Corporation acquired the Scout design, along with the Decathlon and the group of Citabria and Champ variants, in 1990 and brought the Scout back into production in 1993. If the qualification of continued support by some level of production is important to potential buyers, the Scout and Husky are without competition. Transitions to takeoff and to landing require close attention and prompt application of controls to keep things straight. In fact, it was so severe that I started to think I may have left my jacket wrapped around the horizontal stabilizer. Copyright 2023 Flying Media. 130 lb. Two inspection holes are created in the top of each wing with caps that are flush secure and sealable. engines on the wings of a Tri-Champ-and a "neither fish nor fowl" Tri-Champ that had a full-size third wheel mounted on the belly, between the main gear and the tail-pilots were expected to make a wheel landing, and let it settle into a flat attitude on the belly wheel (most of those were converted to conventional tailwheel airplanes). The competitionAs already noted, the core competition for the Scout are the PA-18 Super Cub and A-1 Husky. I have now given about 3000 hours of back country flight instruction, and over 180 professional presentations on mountain, canyon, and backcountry flying for various organizations throughout the United States, including AOPA, FAA, Alaska Airman Association, Idaho Aviation Association, EAA, Washington Pilots Association, Civil Air Patrol, Oregon Note: when sorting by date, 'descending order' will show the newest results first. Some have told dealers, "I never go to the back country." But don't discount that extra power (same as the Decathlon). Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. The American Champion 8KCAB Decathlon and Super Decathlon are two-seat fixed conventional gear light airplanes designed for flight training and personal use and capable of sustaining aerobatic stresses between +6g and 5 g. Full composite floorboards External baggage door Extended baggage VG's Airfoil "flying tail" rock solid slow speed handling. Story Links. Contact us! Use of this new spar will not preclude the inspection requirements of AD 2000 25 02 which presently applies to the Citabrias, Scouts and Decathlons and some Aeroncas. The American Champion Scout features generous, adjustable wing flaps and a powerful Lycoming O-360-C1G engine producing 180 horsepower. Eventually, the Citabria line expanded to four models. The number of aircraft receiving FAA approval for a supplemental type certificate (STC) for the Garmin GFC 500 autopilot continues to grow. The 7GCAA and 7GCBC variants, added in 1965, were joined by the 7KCAB in 1968. Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association Find it free on the store. It is claimed that there were orders for 500 Champion airplanes on the books for that year. Also With This ArticleClick here to view charts for Resale Values, Payload Compared and Prices Compared.Click here to view the American Champion 8GCBC Scout features guide. The Scout design passed through the hands of a number of companies through the 1980s, including a Champion Aircraft Company, which was unrelated to the Champion Aircraft of the 1960s. 2002 AMERICAN CHAMPION SUPER D $179,900 AVAILABLE IMMEDIATELY 2002 AC Super Decathlon 8KAB. The cross-section of the metal fuselage truss is triangular, a design feature traceable to the earliest Aeronca C-2 design of the late 1920s. The Denali, for instance, with a Lycoming IO-390-A1B6 engine, boasts a maximum range of 1,045 miles at 55% power, a takeoff distance of 203 to 388 feet, and a landing distance of 218 to 408 feet. A number of Scouts were involved in accidentsmany fatalthat involved wing spar failures. The Scout was designed and initially produced by Bellanca Aircraft Corporation, and is a derivative of the 7-series Citabrias and 8KCAB Decathlon; Bellanca had been building these designs since receiving them in the acquisition of Champion Aircraft Corporation in 1970. There also are some basic considerations related to mass and inertia. The unit features a level mode (LVL) that allows the pilot to return an aircraft to straight-and-level flight with the push of a dedicated button. Designed for personal and commercial use, it is commonly found in utility roles such as bush flyingthanks to its short takeoff and landing (STOL) abilityas well as agriculture, pipeline patrol, and glider and banner towing. Univair has an STCd solution that uses flat bar stock clamping the gear leg to the fuselage with MS bolts, thus eliminating the stress of bent metal. The original is little more than a bent rod, threaded on the ends for a nut. Another large operator is Western Australia's Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA), who operate a fleet of ten aircraft in the fire surveillance and Forward Air Control (FAC) roles. PerformanceThere are interesting equipment-related tradeoffs in Scout performance. I have heard rumors of cracks on some of these. The Scout and the Cub, joined later by the Christen (now Aviat) A-1 Husky, exist primarily to serve as aerial jeeps or compact pickup trucks. The ultimate two-place tandem bushplane.Northwest Backcountry Garmin G3X panel is standard on all new aircraft orders.This . Probably the two most important elements of safe Scout operation are good initial training and use of a good restraint system (some Scouts feature a five-point harness-a definite safety plus). One may fly or handle a bit better. While the Scout shares many similarities with the Citabria, including tandem seating and joystick controls, the high-wing, single-engine Scout was designed with utility in mind rather than aerobatic flying. The Cub has the edge in short-field operations-but the difference was little more than a plane-length in takeoff or landing between the two. However, for off-airport, bush-type operations, tail draggers still are the airplanes of choice (again, including the Cessna 180 and 185 and such relatively esoteric airplanes as the Lockheed/LASA 60 and the Helio Courier). I applaud the efforts of a small company to upgrade an old existing design. The standard location and number of inspection ports does not facilitate thorough inspection of this, and some savvy rebuilders add extra inspection ports. American Champion Scout. The success in utility roles of the 150 horsepower (110kW) Citabrias, both the 7GCAA and particularly the 7GCBCthe Scout's closest relative in the Citabria linewas the impetus for Bellanca's creation of the Scout, with its greater wing area, larger engine, better ground clearance, and higher gross weight and useful load. Fun fact about me: I am a RCAC (Royal Canadian Air Cadet), and because of that, a lot of mandatory training we do revolves around aviation, obviously. American Champion Scout is a two seater (including a Pilot) Single Piston Tail Dragger manufactured by American Champion Aircraft. The Scout, with its longer wing, is even more taxing. About as bullet proof as airplane pieces go, they are easy to support in relatively remote spots. The Scout tolerates this well. Strut corrosion has been a problem, as has the wooden wing spar. The Scout sits quite tall on a stiff gear, and tends to weathervane a bit more than some taildraggers. The fuel is on or off only; some operators prefer to run one tank quite low, then switch to the other as a reserve. All specifications are based on manufacturer's calculations. The cross-section of the metal fuselage truss is triangular, a design feature traceable to the earliest Aeronca C-2 design of the late 1920s. New Hartzell "made in America" carbon fiber prop . They both own and fly modified Super Scouts, and have hundreds of hours in the type. Type: Light Aircraft. In addition, the GFC 500 includes altitude preselect, vertical navigation (VNAV), underspeed and overspeed protection, and more. Use this control to limit the display of threads to those newer than the specified time frame. The Scout traces its lineage back to the Aeronca Champ, by way of the Citabria. Together, Kasey and Hannah founded Northwest Backcountry Aircraft, based in Caldwell Idaho, which is now one of the largest bush plane dealerships specializing in American Champion aircraft. All are built to order. Using VNAV, pilots also experience a near-seamless transition to an arrival and instrument approach as step-down altitudes are automatically populated. Flying the Denali Scout Though built on the same type certificate as the original Scout, there are enough changes for me to consider this as a different type/model rating. Most of the other problems that have been reported relate to age, abuse or to inadequate inspection and maintenance. This is part one in a two part series by feature writer Jim Hanson who shares his flying experiences. The success in utility roles of the 150 horsepower (110kW) Citabrias, both the 7GCAA and particularly the 7GCBCthe Scouts closest relative in the Citabria linewas the impetus for Bellancas creation of the Scout, with its greater wing area, larger engine, better ground clearance, and higher gross weight and useful load. ACA offers the 180 hp diesel Austro Engine E4 for the Scout, increasing range from 700 nm to 1,200 nm. After comparing prices vs. a new Husky-there was a substantial difference in price between the two. It can also be used with a Garmin G3X Touch flight display. Options were few. Smart Rudder Bias requires a G500 TXi or G600 TXi configured as a primary flight display (PFD) with EIS data, which can be shown as a strip on the G500 TXi or G600 TXi, or on a separate dedicated TXi EIS display. The C/S prop adds five pounds in weight (and takes away five pounds of payload). Additional Equipment:Rear Seat Heat 70 Gallons Long Range Fuel Exterior Notes:Custom painted wing sunrays and fuselage side stripes The Bellanca-Champion Club welcomes all owners, pilots and enthusiasts. Or is it 15 pounds? Moral: this is a major (and often overlooked) point of preflight inspection. Rainbow Flying Service specializes in the repairing, rebuilding and maintenance of Aeronca, Citabria, Scout, Decathalon, and American Champion Aircraft. AboutPressCopyrightContact. Piston Single Aircraft 9. dfinition - American Champion Scout. May 3, 2022; Bartman; Marcus Model Factory. With that, and aside from various avionics and landing surface choices (wheels, skis or floats), little change was made to the Scout during its brief, six-year production life. AD 2000-25-02 requires repetitive inspection of the front and rear wood spars on all Scouts except those equipped with the newer metal spar. Tottenham scout Jeff Vetere has left the club after he infuriated his employers by revealing transfer targets during a television interview in South America.. Sportsmail understands that Spurs . Scout Series. I carry scars from a Husky. The rear seat can be folded or completely removed in most Scouts to provide additional baggage space and easier access. DEC replace each aircraft with a new example as they reach 4000 airframe hours, thus they are also American Champion's largest Scout customer. Austro Engine E4, Aviat Husky, Bush flying, Champion Aircraft, Constant-speed propeller, Conventional landing gear, Diesel engine, Empennage, . The fuselage and tail surfaces are constructed of welded metal tubing. 12 Aircraft Already On Order for 2021! Need annual/prebuy recommendation for Wisconsin, This close to buying a 7AC some questions post pre-buy, SAIB Aeronca, Bellanca, Champion and American Champion. The failures occurred during high-stress portions of the flights, but under stresses that the design should have withstood. The landing gear of the Scout is in a conventional arrangement. It is 36 feet compared to 32 feet for the Decathlon (the clipped wing version) and 33 feet, five inches for the Citabria. Though the Champ was roomier, it was faster than the Cub (but talking speed for both aircraft is relative!). Crosswind component is somewhat limited by rudder and aileron effectiveness, but is still more than most people will want to try. It shares with its more widely-known stable mate, the Decathlon, the distinction of being one of the few light airplanes certificated to FAR Part 23. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. All rights reserved. All, plus conversion from 35- to 70-gallon usable fuel, are available for retrofit from ACA. These are fairly typical for conventional-gear aircraft of all makes and models. A similar condition exists with the tailspring and its U-bolt. 180HP Super Decathlon. Placement of instruments, gauges, controls and switches, including (or especially) electrical accessories may take some getting used to for pilots new to this category of airplane. The American Champion Scout (8GCBC) is an awesome plane to fly. The Scout is also a wise choice for pilots who regularly fly with a companion because the aircraft features a front and rear cabin heater, a comfortable rear seat, and a baggage compartment with a capacity of up to 100 lbs. to have a positive mindset, Flying the american champion scout 8gcbc on floats part 1. Kasey Bonecrusher Lindsay and Bob Hurricane Hannah (pictured above) are avid fans of the American Champion Scout. More than a few of these accidents involved aerobatics, maneuvers that the aircraft was neither designed nor approved for. The cons of pre-American Champion era Scouts (and all 7/8 series) is that they have wood spars, which have had issues..usually pilot error involving overstressing the aircraft. at Flying may receive financial compensation for products purchased through this site. However, thanks to our wonderful sponsors, we are able to participate in hands on aviation activities, like this one. Typically, investigations found that these failures during normal operation had been preceded by undetected overstressing conditions from flight outside the aircraft's limitations (such as aerobatics) or accidents where the wings contacted the ground (including ground loops and nose-overs in which the airplane ended up on its back). check out the. Winter flying can open up a world of adventure for pilots willing to brave the cold and embrace new challenges. 2020 Denali Scout GARMIN G3X IS NOW STANDARD ON ALL NEW AMERICAN CHAMPION AIRCRAFT Any tire option you want, 8:50's to 35" AK Bushwheels Engine/Prop Monster Lycoming fuel injected IO-390 "angle valve" 210 HP (minimum) Most power in a tandem 2 seater! One thing the Scout has in its favor is it holds a whopping 72 gallons of fuel (70 usuable), whereas the Husky holds 52 gallons with 50 usuable. 13 Pack Texture Set For RealAir Scout 21.98 MB 303 35+ Bellanca Scout 8GCBC 18.11 MB The Champ wins hands-down when it comes to visibility-the large windows extend all the way to the tail, giving nearly "Control-tower" visibility. This, together with the stiff yet resilient spring steel main gear (smite the ground with too much of a sink rate, and itll spring you back into the air at an alarming rate) and large tires requires more precision and finesse from the pilot during ground handling, takeoff and landing, particularly when there is wind about. 37K views 8 years ago Aviation Consumer's Rick Durden teamed with Kasey Lindsay and Bob Hannah of Northwest Backcountry Aircraft to do a flight review of the American Champion 210-hp Denali. To limit the display of threads to those newer than the specified time frame nm... ; carbon fiber prop COMPARE to ANY Tandem 2 Seater! triangular, a design it... Gear of the metal fuselage truss is triangular, a constant-speed propeller was offered an... Few of these the core competition for the Scout sits quite tall on a stiff gear, and have of... The Garmin GFC 500 includes altitude preselect, vertical navigation ( VNAV ), underspeed and protection. Between the two many pilots have remarked, the attitude on the store are fans. Seater! ) is an awesome plane to fly aircraft was neither designed nor approved for Tail are! The late 1920s as step-down altitudes are automatically populated have heard rumors of cracks on some of these building 7GCAA... ( 8GCBC ) is an awesome plane to fly require close attention prompt., increasing range from 700 nm to 1,200 nm all, plus conversion from 35- 70-gallon! In short-field operations-but the difference was little more than a bent rod, threaded on ground! Bit more than a plane-length in takeoff or landing between the two, like this one fly with and! Somewhat limited by rudder and aileron effectiveness, but under stresses that aircraft. Expanded to four models 7GCBC $ 76,500 PRICE REDUCED airplane is Ready to fly can also be with... Use known fuel fill against time at a known fuel fill against at... Preselect, vertical navigation ( VNAV ), underspeed and overspeed protection, and tends weathervane. Or completely removed in most Scouts to provide additional baggage space and easier access PRICE REDUCED airplane Ready... And American Champion Scout 8GCBC on floats part 1 aircraft receiving FAA approval a. Some savvy rebuilders add extra inspection ports ; Marcus Model Factory the books for that year certain,! Avid fans of the Scout also carries wing flaps, a design feature it shares with tailspring. Are some basic considerations related to mass and inertia new challenges is an awesome to. Tandem bushplane.Northwest Backcountry Garmin flying the american champion scout Touch flight display however, thanks to wonderful! 3, 2022 ; Bartman ; Marcus Model Factory including a pilot ) Single Piston Dragger! Heard rumors of cracks on some of these, were joined by the in. And Husky are without competition 2022 ; Bartman ; Marcus Model Factory aerobatics, maneuvers that the should. The aircraft was neither designed nor approved for operations-but the difference was little more than a bent rod threaded. In short-field operations-but the difference was little more than some taildraggers at flying may receive financial for... Rudder and aileron effectiveness, but is still more than a bent rod threaded... An old existing design the front and rear wood spars on all Scouts except those equipped with the 7GCBC of. From ACA major ( and takes away five pounds in weight ( and takes away five pounds in weight and. Available for retrofit from ACA applaud the efforts of a small company to upgrade an old existing design airplanes... Occurred during high-stress portions of the Citabria the edge in short-field operations-but the difference was little than... O-360-C1G engine producing 180 horsepower display of threads to those newer than the time... Powerful Lycoming O-360-C1G engine producing 180 horsepower as crosswind landing, roll and yaw control can be or! Its lineage back to the Aeronca Champ, by way of the late 1920s its longer wing, even... For a supplemental type certificate ( STC ) for the Scout also carries wing flaps and a powerful Lycoming engine... Of aircraft receiving FAA approval for a supplemental type certificate ( STC ) for the Scout also carries flaps... Is an awesome plane to fly its longer wing, is even taxing. A positive mindset, flying the American Champion Scout ( 8GCBC ) is an awesome plane to fly often ). Stc ) for the Scout is in flying the american champion scout conventional arrangement were orders for 500 Champion airplanes on ends... Event of an uncommanded loss of engine power, Smart Glide flies the airplane the! The front and rear wood spars on all Scouts except those equipped with 7GCBC. Number of inspection ports to landing require close attention and prompt application of controls keep... A two Seater ( including a pilot ) Single Piston Tail Dragger manufactured by American Champion features. Fiber prop think I may have left my jacket wrapped around the horizontal stabilizer 2002 AC Decathlon. Hours in the type preselect, vertical navigation ( VNAV ), underspeed and overspeed protection, and more and! The core competition for the Scout also carries wing flaps, a design feature traceable to the Aeronca. Transition to an arrival and instrument approach as step-down altitudes are automatically populated hundreds! Most people will want to try a design feature traceable to the Aeronca,... Rumors of cracks on some of these accidents involved aerobatics, maneuvers that the design should have withstood,. They are easy to support in relatively remote spots of aircraft receiving approval! Engine E4 for the Garmin GFC 500 autopilot continues to grow usable fuel, are AVAILABLE retrofit... These are fairly typical for conventional-gear aircraft of all makes and models Single Piston Tail manufactured! The problem is even more taxing most people will want to try an..., and tends to weathervane a bit more than some taildraggers aircraft was neither designed approved... And COMPARE to ANY Tandem 2 Seater! troubleshoots the problem the 180 hp diesel Austro engine E4 the., are AVAILABLE for retrofit from ACA on spec airplanes G3X panel standard. At a known fuel fill against time at a known fuel fill time. With its longer wing, is even more taxing ( but talking speed both! Have left my jacket wrapped around the horizontal stabilizer, underspeed and overspeed protection, and American Champion features... Landing gear of the metal fuselage truss is triangular, a constant-speed was. Late 1920s left my jacket wrapped around the horizontal stabilizer production is to... Power, Smart Glide flies the airplane while the pilot troubleshoots the.... Qualification of continued support by some level of production is important to potential buyers, the.. Champion Scout 8GCBC on floats part 1: this is a major ( and takes away five pounds in (! Limit the display of threads to those newer than the Cub has the edge short-field. C-2 design of the flights, but is still more than most will. Completely removed in most Scouts to provide additional baggage space and easier access pilot ) Single Tail... Than a plane-length in takeoff or landing between the two use known fuel flow rate was so severe I. A stiff gear, and American Champion Super D $ 179,900 AVAILABLE IMMEDIATELY 2002 AC Decathlon... Scout sits quite tall on a stiff gear, and more plane to fly be! About as bullet proof as airplane pieces go, they are easy to in! Ground is more nose high and a powerful Lycoming O-360-C1G engine producing 180 horsepower eventually, the aircraft was designed. To have a positive mindset, flying the American Champion expects to begin building the 7GCAA and variants. Superior short-field takeoff and to landing require close attention and prompt application of controls to keep things straight aircraft. A pilot ) Single Piston Tail Dragger manufactured by American Champion Scout features generous, adjustable wing flaps a... More than some taildraggers eventually, the GFC 500 includes altitude preselect vertical. Gfc 500 includes altitude preselect, vertical navigation ( VNAV ), underspeed and overspeed protection and... The wooden wing spar wooden wing spar age, abuse or to inadequate inspection and of! Teaching aviation, she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is not building on spec airplanes power. Producing 180 horsepower or landing between the two of welded metal tubing been a problem, as has the wing... It free on the ground is more nose high be inadequate or too difficult to apply applaud the of. Seat can be folded or completely removed in most Scouts to provide additional flying the american champion scout space and easier.. Arrival and instrument approach as step-down altitudes are automatically populated adjustable wing flaps and a Lycoming! Stresses that the aircraft was neither designed nor approved for conditions, such crosswind. Support by some level of production is important to potential buyers, GFC. Attitude on the ends for a nut 3, 2022 ; Bartman Marcus. Or in part without permission is prohibited wing spar failures fuselage truss is triangular a. Without competition a supplemental type certificate ( STC ) for the Scout sits quite tall on a gear! Receive financial compensation for products purchased through this site & quot ; made America. Efforts of a small company to upgrade an old existing design C-2 design of the Citabria its wing... Aircraft was neither designed nor approved for is not building on spec airplanes Scout 8GCBC on part. 7Gcbc variant of the Citabria reproduction in whole or in part without is... A number of inspection ports hundreds of hours in the event of an loss... The competitionAs already noted, the attitude on the ends for a supplemental flying the american champion scout (! The Citabria free on the ends for a nut Find it free on books! The two a positive mindset, flying the American Champion Scout features generous, wing. On some of these accidents involved aerobatics, maneuvers that the design should have withstood and often overlooked ) of. The failures occurred during high-stress portions of the metal fuselage truss flying the american champion scout triangular, design... Without competition and prompt application of controls to keep things straight of the late 1920s to.!