Chief versus the Champ - flying characteristics

john-ranger · Post by **john-ranger** » Thu Jul 17, 2008 10:16

I've been looking at Champs but now considering a Chief.

Do both planes fly about the same? What do most people feel the major advantage is of the Chief over the Champ?

Thanks in advance for any help you may have. -John

SFC Hiatt · Post by **SFC Hiatt** » Thu Jul 17, 2008 10:25

john-ranger wrote:I've been looking at Champs but now considering a Chief. Do both planes fly about the same? What do most people feel the major advantage is of the Chief over the Champ? Thanks in advance for any help you may have. -John

Ranger......stand back because you have just woke the sleeping giant in this fourm. Chief vs. Champ will go down in history as one of the best questions ever posed by an Aeronca pilot.

I have owned both and loved both. "my opinion" Chief's rule because you can't get as close to your beautiful flying partner in a Champ however, nothing is a fun as a stick.

Honestly as far as how they fly, I did not feel a difference between my Champ and Chief. Vision is a little (very little) better in a Champ front seat. Chief has an external fuel tank that will give you more fuel than your legs and butt can handle.

I love my Chief but, I'm selling it to buy an EAA biplane with a stick.

Paul Agaliotis · Post by **Paul Agaliotis** » Thu Jul 17, 2008 10:36

john-ranger,
Both of the planes have the same flight characteristics. The seating configuration differs and the Champ is a few MPH faster.

At this time I feel the Chief is under-valued. It was considered the Deluxe model but commands a little less in todays market.

There is a rumor that a Chief is offered for sale in Arizona!!

Paul

SFC Hiatt · Post by **SFC Hiatt** » Thu Jul 17, 2008 13:12

"Champ is a few MPH faster"

It's thinner...........I was faster when I was thinner also

Captgrumps · Post by **Captgrumps** » Thu Jul 17, 2008 14:01

Prewar Chief is the fastest.

Doug

Roger Anderson · Post by **Roger Anderson** » Thu Jul 17, 2008 17:14

john-ranger wrote:I've been looking at Champs but now considering a Chief. Do both planes fly about the same? What do most people feel the major advantage is of the Chief over the Champ? Thanks in advance for any help you may have. -John

Opinions...opinions. I've had two of each. I loved my Champs and wish I had one still. But I love my Chief and don't want to get rid of it. Of the ones I've had, a Chief is faster than a Champ by 5 to 7 mph.

I think the Champ 3 points better than a Chief (I can't see over the nose of my Chief landing), especially in a crosswind. However, I think a Chief wheel lands better than a Champ. Sticks are more fun for a local flight and side to side visibility is better.

I think a Champ is a much better training machine. However, sde by side is handier for cross country where you can reach things you're carrying easier. The Chief has much better range with the bigger and more fuel tanks (stock form).

I want one of each, but can't keep but one at a time. Oh...plus a good Chief is a lot cheaper than a Champ at the moment.

Otherwise, in flight, they both fly about the same.

roger

Captgrumps · Post by **Captgrumps** » Thu Jul 17, 2008 17:58

Roger-
Ever try a '38, '39 or '40 Prewar Chief with a 65 Continental? Not a '41 65CA. the 65CA is different from the "38 to '40 models. The '41 model leans toward the post war Chiefs. Also as I get older decisins are harder to make when it comes to airplanes -- that is why I have both Champ & Chief.

Doug

Scott Rower · Post by **Scott Rower** » Thu Jul 17, 2008 19:20

Guys,

Chris's Chief and my Champ both have 74-44 metal props, his is a Sensenich, mine is a McCauley. Both A65-8s, his has less time since overhaul. My empty wt. is 785#, don't know what his is.

His Chief is a tad faster, my Champ will out climb his. Visability is better in the Champ. The tail tends to fall in the Chief when 3-pointing, the Champ doesn't. There's more room in a Champ, I'm 6'-4", 200# and feel comfortble in a Champ and cramped in a Chief. There's brakes in both seats of a Champ, only the left seat of a Chief.

Everybody knows all this... They're both a hoot to fly, you couldn't go wrong with either. Did I mention that a Chief is faster?

I desided on a Champ because I fiquered my wife would pile in the back seat just like she did on the motorcycles...didn't happen.

Chris got a Chief so that his wife could sit beside him...didn't happen.

They are both good looking, good flying airplanes. This debate will continue to the end of time.

Best,

Scott

Post by **joea** » Thu Jul 17, 2008 19:33

Have owned 3 Chiefs and flown numerous Champs.

My gut feeling is that they do not fly that much differently. The big difference is in the side by side versus tandem seating.

As well if you have two large guys, a Champ would have problems staying in the aft CG region when compared to the Chief, as the Chief keeps the weight closer to the CG.

Considering that 80% of the parts are the same on both airplanes, its not a surprise that they fly the same most of the time. The real question is why the Chief is faster yet it has a wider fuselage. You would think that wider would mean more drag, thus slower but that is not the case. If you can explain that to me the first beer is on me!

Joe

Roger Anderson · Post by **Roger Anderson** » Thu Jul 17, 2008 21:54

Grumps wrote:Roger-
Ever try a '38, '39 or '40 Prewar Chief with a 65 Continental?
-- that is why I have both Champ & Chief.

Doug

You lucky son of a gun. I want one of each also. Around here, no place to keep them really. Hanger space is scarce. I did have a '39 Chief, but it had the Lyc O 145 B2 in it. The engine was a little gutless I thought, but the plane flew great, actually better handling than my '46 I think. It was a good flying machine. I flew it all over Oklahoma at the time. roger

aeroncafan · Post by **aeroncafan** » Thu Jul 17, 2008 23:15

Yeah, I think we'd all like a "complete set" of Aeronca's! And if the stock market wasn't in such the dumps, Joe might not have had to list his plane on Barnstormers after all!

My Champ would love a brother or sister...hmmm, wonder if you could contort two Aeronca's into a single T-hanger?

aeroncafan · Post by **aeroncafan** » Thu Jul 17, 2008 23:18

Alas...wifey says only one airplane at a time right now!

Post by **joea** » Thu Jul 17, 2008 23:28

Actually Brian Safran or Craig MacVeigh are doing it correctly. They for the most part own one of each!

Captgrumps · Post by **Captgrumps** » Fri Jul 18, 2008 01:12

Joe--

The Chief adheres to the Coke Bottle aerodynamic theory oif fuselages..Like NASA finally came up with the jets. Believe it was the Whitcomb theory in aerodynamics. Looks like Aeronca was way ahead of NASA.

Doug

Post by **joea** » Fri Jul 18, 2008 01:15

Grumps wrote:Joe--

The Chief adheres to the Coke Bottle aerodynamic theory oif fuselages..Like NASA finally came up with the jets. Believe it was the Whitcomb theory in aerodynamics. Looks like Aeronca was way ahead of NASA.

Doug

Doug,

Guess I owe you an adult beverage! Sure perturbs the Champ owners!

BTW, Bill C in Alaska sold the Travel Air 6000 last week and is now flying an Aeronca Sedan back home.

Joe

National Aeronca Association Bulletin Board

Chief versus the Champ - flying characteristics

Chief versus the Champ - flying characteristics

Re: Chief versus the Champ - flying characteristics

Re: Chief versus the Champ - flying characteristics