I agree with Geoffrey, acro or short field, make the pick. Combining the two is like trying to find a fat girl who dances well to ask to the prom.

Your number one consideration should be what you can comfortably fit your 76" frame into. You would be miserable in my Cub, there have been several "overweight" people who wanted me to take them for a ride who simply could not get in. That may not be a bad thing.

Jgreen

Do the newer Citabria's have adjustable seats?

I think any of the 7xxx's which ever ones have flaps. That's what your looking for Michael.

Spent the best part of the morning doing T&G's in my Dads 7ECA yesterday.

Love it!

Sounds like the Citabria 7GCBC is the best compromise for the two missions, but I like the RV option as well. Most people who want to visit a few grass strips don't need a purpose built backcountry machine.... And I regularly visit grass strips in a Bonanza. Most people that want to fly gentleman's aerobatics don't need a competition ready Aerobat either... They are more likely to ground loop a Pitts than have fun in it.

The point of which is... For the level of grass strip and Aerobatics I would do with a 2nd airplane, an RV would be fine and would be all kinds of fun.

I got some instruction in a regular Decathlon, the instructor told me that with the small engine and symmetrical wing and lack of a good inverted oil system it didn't fly really well either upside down or right side up, and it wasn't really good at short field or long trips.

But with some pilot skill you could do lots of aerobatics, land on normal grass and dirt strips, and have a lot of fun (i.e., Landing on someone's reasonably well maintained grass strip is fine.. Not a short gravel bar that's only available whe the river is low....).

So the choice of symmetrical wing (better for upside down, not as much performance right side up) versus the normal flat bottomed cub style wing is also a key choice.

Another difference in Amercan Champ wings is the ailerons... Some years have spades that provide "power steering" if you will and have a different feel in roll.

Bud Davisson had a good article about these planes and some of the maintenance items that cropped up whe they were used for Acro. http://www.airbum.com/pireps/PirepCitabria.html

Michael,

A couple of friends and I have a Super Decathlon with adjustable front seat. You'll definitely want the adjustable seat. I have a friend I fly with who is about your height and he is relatively comfortable in the front with the seat to the rear or the back.

I've flown the Super D, Decathlon, Citabria 7ECA, Citabria 7GCAA and older Maule. Heck, my first flight in my life was at 2 weeks of age in an Aeronca Champ! They are all great airplanes.

Some people, who are better pilots than I am, think the wooden spar planes fly better than metal. I like metal for the durability. One thing I will say is get the biggest engine you can. All of these planes take off like helicopters when light with a little breeze but the power to weight in a Super D by yourself will be more fun!

You can loop and roll the Citabria's but if you really want to do much of that the Super D is a better choice. If you want to actually go into the back country I think there are better choices. The 7GCBC, Maule or Husky.

For piddling around locally any of them will be fun. One thing I've discovered is that I don't fly it very much because I'm not really into aerobatics, busy and just screwing around in the pattern, while fun, doesn't float the boat enough to get me to do it. Evidently the same thing is true with my friends as the plane doesn't fly very much. My observation of all of these planes at our airport is that none of them do. So, my advice is to buy cheaply enough that you don't care whether you fly it or not, or a late model no excuses (most of the planes I've looked at seem to have excuses) one that you can move easily if you get bored.

All will make you a better pilot...

A nice C185 is hard to beat and has lots of room for tall pilots.
Its fast enough so you can get somewere when your Pc12 is in maintenance.

You get 230 hp out of a o-360 of 180 hp?




Yap. Diddo.... 232 to be exact. It's got more then a scout Denali on a 7GCBC frame. The only downside is 36 gals. of fuel which limits my legs. But you can never have to much HP..

Sure do....it's Ly-Con Magic

Feel free to come fly her anytime!!

Yap..... Lycon can actually get more but causes other issues.. How do you think they get the HP out of the Red Bull planes that he builds. Producing 50 HP over stock is done all the time weather it's a O-360 or a 520, 550.

Balance, port flow, Polish, pistons and there you go. A friend of mine is getting 350 out of a 520 on his C185.

And you're right, the C185 is a great back country plane with room, useful load and a respectable cruise speed. And of course, your TBM is no slouch either

Rick

I read somewhere that american champios planes have easier in/out cockpits. The door is more user friendly. I did a intro course to acro on a super D. Seriously addictive stuff!
Have not flown a cub or any of its derivatives. Must be fun also.

Good luck!

That is my experience in the Citabria. I like the look of the Husky, but the Citabria is wider and the seat will move - which is nice.

Don't get me wrong - they are all nice and fun.

-jason

Michael: JGG and Marc B can attest to this: You need a Skywagon. It will take you and friends into 95% of the wilderness airstrips you care to visit, and still fly you at a respectable clip cross country. Equip it to your gusto, and IFR is a real consideration.
If tube and rag plus acro is something you've lusted after, up your man card with a Pitts. It will fit under the wing of the 180/185, and open a new chapter in your aviation saga.

Whatever you do, don't even consider a Maule. I fell into that trap. Back-country performance is much the same as a similarly loaded Super Cub or Husky, but if you fly with those guys, you'll end up carrying half of their fuel, camping gear and children.

great post…

those Maules always had a bit of a "wallflower" existence…

great airplanes, but as you said, dont team up with Cub'ers or Husky sled drivers, lest you want to be given the honor to transport their gear and freeloaders... …and maybe even arrive at the backcountry destinations before they arrive and have to put up the tents out of courtesy..

in short have all the work and no play….

Maules aren't all that. Video proof:
[youtube]http://youtu.be/uctFNjywIQc[/youtube]

Patrick Romano doing his Patrick Romano stuff.

X-Cubs, or other CubCrafters models? The X-Cub was just released a couple of weeks ago and my impression was that they'd just started full production. I'd be surprised if there were enough in owners' hands to have a lot at any one fly-in.