Aeronca Model 7 Champion / L-16

Learned to fly at Univ. of Illinois Inst. of Avia. and soloed 7AC # N84008. No lights or elect. sys. and hand prop to start. Gave instruction later in US and at various military flying clubs, the last at Naval Base Rota, Spain.
One of the 7AC's had the prop come off in flight (can you say poor maintenance /preflight?) The student did a fairly good job of E-landing on a hilly farmers field, but nosed over and cracked the windscreen. Amazingly the wooden prop got into the auto-gyro mode and landed gently in the foliage.
We wanted to get the bird snuck back onto base without official notice of the incident, so we used OD military duct tape (Red Green would be proud!) to cover every crack, inside and out. The prop looked fine so we put it back on with new bolts. We pushed the bird to a dirt cart path running thru the field, and sinceI was the only instructor available A soft field T.O. got me out and back. Slow flight, of course.
The other memorable incident was at the U. of I. airport. No tower at that time so eyeball traffic control was the norm. Three concrete runways, an "X" with the third connecting ends of the other two. Wind allowed T.O. from either of the "X'ed" runways. Two 7AC's, each with instructor /student on board took off unknowingly heading for an airborne meeting. Seeing each other just before impact they hard rolled right and left, and gently impacted and locked together approx. at 100'. The resultant junkpile then fluttered onto the runway intersection. Guardian angels were on duty because all four plots crawled out of the wreckage and walked away!. Witnesses could not believe it.
I'd think a change of skivies was in order after that.
I loved that airplane.

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I soloed in N85760 in 1959 in Akron Ohio. Bought it for $1000 with a partner. Our dual cost us $3.00 per hour and
avgas was 75 cents /gal (at 3 gal /hr). Took that old plane
to 14,000 feet MSL once. I can tell you that a 727 copilot
will swallow his gum when he looks out the side window and
sees a 7AC Aeronca going by. After 30 years of instruction time I still love that old 7AC. Spins real nice.

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Oh my what a fun airplane. I logged several hours in a 1946 Aeronca while training at 6W6. (Hanover, PA) Ray Gephart was my very kind flight instructor. His family owned the airport and also a Champ. (N82245) No radio, noisy as all get out, squirrely heel brakes, no electrical system, no flaps, etc. Never had so much fun in my life: looking for the sock on top of the barn where the two grass runways intersected, slipping in over the cormstalks, doing spins and hammerheads. That's a lot for a young guy with only 50 hours. Crawling into the C152 was a terrible let down. At age 63, I am have nothing but fond memories of the airplane. Should have bought 82245 when I had a chance.

Foster Doak

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I soloed in N82260 in Omaha, NE. According to the FAA records that champ is now located in Andersonville, TN now. I flew crop dusters in Arkansas, Georgia, and Nebraska for 30 years and owned a J-3 Cub 32 years but still love the 65 hours I flew the champ in Omaha. Bonacci Flying Service at North Omaha airport at that time had 6 Aeronca Champs for rent. In my 11,000 hours flying time I have only flown 65 hours in nose wheel planes.

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I soloed off in a Champ in 1964. The only way to indicate 100 mph is in a dive.

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I bought a Champ in the late 1960's for $1400. I flew it for about 10 years and sold it for $3000. I based it at the old stone mountain Airport in Georgia. I could always find the Airport because the mountain was always in the Horizon. I loved to side slip it on to the end of the runway.

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Learned to fly in the 7ac, back in the 50s, at the old Northfield Airport, in Richmond, Va.! Never forget the exciting, first solo, after only 5 hours. Had to land in
a crosswind that put the left wingtip down so low, it left me shaking and had to go around and try again! Rattled, I
circled long enoough to recall my crosswind instructions.
Landed smoothly and thrilled to do it.
Went on to own a Cessna 172 and a 150, but todays traffic congestion and pilots who ignore traffic rules drove me out.
Loved to sideslip the 7AC! Was better than flaps!

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Learned to fly in the 7ac, back in the 50s, at the old Northfield Airport, in Richmond, Va.! Never forget the exciting, first solo, after only 5 hours. Had to land in
a crosswind that put the left wingtip down so low, it left me shaking and had to go around and try again! Rattled, I
circled long enoough to recall my crosswind instructions.
Landed smoothly and thrilled to do it.
Went on to own a Cessna 172 and a 150, but todays traffic congestion and pilots who ignore traffic rules drove me out.
Loved to sideslip the 7AC! Was better than flaps!

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Learned to fly at a grass strip just North of Beloxi, Miss. Owned by Dick Rogers who was promising a private license for $300. Took him up on that. Soloes after 8 hours and got my license Got my license after 40 hours. Did most of my flying in Camps with some in a Piper PA 12. Flew T Drafts while in Ames IA. Only had 59 hours when I ran out of money in July 1958. Didn't fly again 1993 when I took an hours dual to assure myself that I could still fly so I chould fly the MiniMax I had built in my basement. That was fun flying but didn't match the time spent in Camps.

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Learned to fly the Champ in St. Louis during 1946 with a WASP instructor nemed Marge Needham. Good memories. Later flew around 30,000 hours from DC-3's to Boeing 727's for Piedmont. Now at age 84 I still own and fly a Champion 7ECA. Brings back good flying memories.

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When I was in the USAF in Columbus, Ohio, in 1952, I was one of the first to join a SAC flying club. At first the club owned a J3, in which I soloed. Then each of us transitioned to the 7AC's. That's the airplane that got me my private licence at $4.00 /hr dual and $2.00 /hr solo, including fuel. Unbelievable! Now after 58 years of flying all types of airplanes for over 2500 hours I still have fond memories of my hours in the champs, including getting lost a couple of times. (No radios in those days.)Maybe I'll get another one soon.

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I soloed, and then bought a 7AC Champ at Baldwin Field, Quincy, IL. I paid $1,500.00 for it. I took it to Canton, MO and sold 10 shares for $150.00 each to guys who hadn't learned to fly. When some did I sold out and bought a 12BCD Taylorcraft. About 1958.

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In 64, in Gila Bend, AZ, I owned 1 /3rd of 7BCM, N2162E. It was a great airplane to knock around the desert with. I sold my share when I bought a Stinson 108-1 Voyager. I preferred the Air Knocker to the J-3. It's roomier for a big guy. I've flown Chiefs but liked the T-Craft better. I owned and soloed in a T-Craft BC12D, N95317, in Nov. 62. I also owned a Piper J-4A, now in a museum, which I liked alot.

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I started instruction in a 7BCM at a dirt strip south of Denver, just down the road from the dynamite factory.

I had been hanging out at the local airport for years and pretty much knew how to fly by then. One of the instructors at the airport was able to lease space at the dirt strip and I helped out, painting,the office and buildings and pumping gas and finally helped recover the Champ. I got to paint the Flying Tiger teeth and eyes, sunburst on the upper wing. Soloed in 4 hrs.

I was back there a few months later flying a 180 hauling jumpers on weekends. No interior, you could see daylight through the tail and it was impossible to do a three point landing.

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What a great 2 seater. She was the first plane I flew and soloed in. I can still hear Pete Hill my insturctor saying when starter her engine, and my reply, BRAKE SET, BRAKE SET, SWITCH ON, SWITCH ON, CONTACT, CONTACT. He was a big man and could turn the propeller easily. Man did she have lift after the instructor got out and said take her around. No radio, and that canvas construction and she only cost with instructor $7.00 a hour. WHAT MEMORIES.

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I learned to fly in a champ 7AC back in 1947. This plane has always been my fovoret slice of life. I have owned 3 of them through the years along with 2 L3 airknockers. Several people I flew for their first time went on to comercial flying. I flew for our company (HEAVIER TRIKES) BUT THE OLD TAIL DRAGGING CHAMP WAS ALWAYS MY FUN FLYER.
I am 77 years old now but still have it. Don't let the years shut down your love for flying. THINK 7AC..

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Am disappointed that the Aeronca Sedan 15AC is not mentioned. It is a beautifully designed four place built in 1946. I have one on floats with a 180 HP Lycoming.

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I received my private pilot's license in one of these Champs, in Madison, WI..In my pre-test flight I was the recipient of an instructor looping this aircraft after I had recovered from a 2 1 /2 spin, It was a joy to fly..Also have time in an Aeronica Chief..Though I don't pilot any more, it's still brings back memories to an 85 year old..

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I recieved my tailwheel endorsement in a 7AC after allready having 1000 hours nosedragger time. I can still remember "trying" to drive home after my first flight in it. I was so concentrated on my feet I was "trying" to drive my car using them which by the way doesn't work. Last year I had the opportunity to buy a half share of a 7AC which I did. Even though I fly brand new Cirrus aircraft for the school I teach at I would rather fly and give lesson in my Champ any day of the week.

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I soloed in a J-3 cub in 1945 and after many years flying mostly Cessna,Piper,Cessna,Bonanza aircraft I became a partner in a 7AC Champ. After many enjoyable hours of just riding around the country side and going to air shows, I finally desiced to hang it up. What a great little plane.

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