Bellanca 7ACA

[toms]

Does anyone have any experience operating a "2 Banger" Champ? What about the reliability if the Franklin? How does performance compare with a 65 Continental?
I kinda like the idea of the spring gear and hydraulic brakes from a maintenance stand point.
Any insight or opinions would be appreciated.

Tom Seevers
Delaware, Ohio

[Roger Anderson]

Are there any around? I haven't seen one with the Franklin in it still in years.

[joea]

Everyone that I know of has been converted. Not good history with the two banger engine from what I hear.

[toms]

Yeah, there are a few around with the Franklin. Not sure its worth messing with. My thought was to convert to a 65 or 75 down the road. I just wanted to hear specific info from someone who had dealt with that engine. NTSB shows 2 carb ice and 2 fouled plug forced landings in the types history.
Also wondered about the performance difference. I had both a 115 H.P. and a 100 H. P. 7ECA and the difference was dramatic. The 0-200 powered one in takeoff and climb was a dog!

[David Johnson]

Tom, plan on converting quickly. I am not sure I would even want to fly one home with the 2 cylinder. Everything I have read is negative. The airframe should be a good arrangement, nice gear and much cleaner because of it. Sorta like the new 7EC. David J.

[Nathan K. Hammond]

I've flown behind 65hp, 90hp, and 165hp Franklins, but never the 2-banger. My experience with the others has been really good; they're a reliable motor although a little soft on power.

The big problem with the 2 banger; if you fowl a plug, swallow a valve, or crack a cylinder; you've lost half the power. And then you get a lesson in emergency landing technique.

I'm pretty sure there's an STC to swap the Franklin for a Continental.

nkh

[toms]

Yeah, lose a cylinder for whatever reason and it ain't gonna stay in the air. I don't know if there is an STC but I have copies of a 337 and a letter from Bellanca to support the installation. From there on it should just be a matter of reinforcing that it is built under the same T.C.
The thing is, I really need to know from people who have experience in operating this engine. My older brother started out in a 7ACA and he really didn't remember anything about performance or reliability, just that it seemed to handle more crisply and seem "tighter" than the 7AC he soloed. The instructor that owned it, when asked about an airplane he owned says "gee, you remember my airplanes better than I do".
If I went in that direction, it might be a couple of years before I had a 65 and the associated parts ready to install, so it would really be nice to get some facts to refute or confirm the feeling that we all have about flying behind half an engine.

[Roger Anderson]

Tom. I posted you question over on another Aeronca email forum several days ago. Lots of pilots and experience over there. No answers at all. If you get a 2 cylinder machine, I think you will become the authority around here.

[toms]

Roger,
Thanks for trying to help. There doesn't seem to be a lot of info out there.

[skyking3286]

I was going to reply on the fAA list....

It's interesting that the one Don Downie flew for a pilot report had to make a forced landing due to a oil cap malfunction. After that, getting rid
of the Franklins was an easy choice. The airframe is sort of a collector's item since it's built lighter than stock to make that little two cylinder work.

Come to think of it, its the first two cylinder Aeronca since the C-3 and K models!

[toms]

Mark,
What did they do to make the airframe lighter? I would have thought that the spring gear and the truss added to mount it would have made the E.W. higher than a stock from the factory 7AC.
I'd like to find that article from Don Downie. Was that an old Air Progress?


Tom

[Roger Anderson]

tom. good news. Got a reply from a Franklin champ owner over on the other group. Here's his response. Email me at roganderson60@yahoo.com and I'll give you his email address. roger


Greetings Roger,

I have a 7ACA Champ. I have flown it with the 2 cylinder Franklin engine, however, a few years ago I had the Franklin engine removed (A Franklinectomy), and have since replacded it with the Continental A-65 with the Superior cylinder kit.

The 2 cylinder Franklin was 60 h.p. had a 60" wood prop, and was much harder to hand prop than the A-65 is.

If you have any further questions, please let me know !

Rene

[toms]

Roger,
I appreciate all you have done. An e-mail is on its way.

Tom

[toms]

Thanks to Roger I was able to get in touch with an ACA owner with experience flying behind the Franklin 2A120. Here is his response:



Greetings Tom,

Glad to hear you are looking at a 7ACA Champ!

Here is some of my experience with the Franklin 2 cylinder engine Champ.

In 2006, I changed the engine on my champ from the Franklin 2A120B to the Continental A-65.

I had flown it with the Franklin engine prior to the change-over and I still have the Franklin engine today. (I am thinking of mounting it over the fireplace!)

The Franklin engine had a service ceiling of 8500 feet, so if you plan on flying at higher elevations, keep this in mind. (The A-65 Champ service ceiling is 12,500)

The performance between the 2 at lower elevations wasn't as far apart as some would think.

I got 80 + mph out of it in cruise. (below 2500 feet)

(Neither one has a stellar rate of climb 350-400 fpm S.L. standard day)

The oil sump only holds 2 1/2 quarts and the minimum was 1 1/2 quarts.

Upon developing any indications of carb ice, there really wasn't enough heat generated to completely alleviate the loss of power.

The Franklin on my Champ had a Sensenich 60 " wood prop and was difficult to hand prop.

There was a Franklin 2A120A engine that was certified for use with the Champ, however, I have never seen one. (This version had electric start.) (I hope the one you are looking at is one of the 2A120A versions!)

It was a very unique engine to fly, (cruise was at 3000 rpm)
It did seem to vibrate more than the A-65 .

I felt more comfortable switching to the A-65 as it is easier to hand prop, holds more oil, and there are many of them out there for continued parts availability !

There are 60 7ACA Champs left on the FAA Registry. There may be a few in Canada and Great Britain as well.

The 7ACA Champ I have was the one raffled off new at Oshkosh in 1972. (Unfortunately, I did not win it, I bought it many years later)


If you have any more questions, please let me know,

Keep the 7ACA's flying !

Rene

Some pretty good info an a few things to think about.

Tom

[skyking3286]

From a previous Oshkosh forum or maybe Joe Dickey's newsletters....there were a few tubes that were lighter in the fuselage. With only 60 ponies they tried to squeeze a few more pounds out of a design that was already light.