installing flaps on a 7gc

jason · Post by **jason** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 20:21

Hey guys,

I am wondering if it is worth the trouble or even possible to install flaps onto my 7gc. I am wondering if anyone has done it or if they just went out and bought a gcbc instead of all the trouble. thanks for your opinions and thoughts.

Jason

Paul Agaliotis · Post by **Paul Agaliotis** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 20:56

Jason.
I dont think you could sucessfully modify the wings. The structure is very different. Ebay has a set of GCBC wings for sale @ 4k with no takers. Anything is possible if you have enough time and money.
Paul

7GC · Post by **7GC** » Thu Sep 07, 2006 00:01

Don't know if anyone has done it. Look for a 7GCB - same airplane with 150 hp and flaps. Wish I had one - but I like my 7GC well enough.

jason · Post by **jason** » Sun Sep 10, 2006 22:40

thanks for the info guys, i kind of figured it would be easier to just get a gcbc and get a few more ponies and flaps.

7GC -- how do you find your 0-290 for power compared to a 150hp, i have heard they are very similar in power. any experience with the two of them?

7GC · Post by **7GC** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 00:11

I've never flown a 7 series with 150 hp except a Citabria on floats, so I don't have much to compare it to. I knew a guy who converted his 7GC from O-290 to O-320 and said it wasn't worth it. He felt the performance gain was minimal for the increased fuel burn. I should have made the switch when I overhauled a few years ago - with all the new parts, and costly cylinders, I could have had a nice O-320. Now I'll fly it to TBO and see how I feel - that'll be at least 10 years at my rate of flying. Overall, I'm satisfied with the performance, especially at lighter weights. Using a 41 pitch prop helps also.

jason · Post by **jason** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 12:13

Can one legally install a 320 in a champ, i have never seen it anywhere.
once mine tbo's it would be nice to get a 320 just for the ease of buying parts, how much fuel does the 320 burn, about 7.5-8?
What does you 290 burn per hour? i am sitting at about 6 us/hour. thanks for the info.

7GC · Post by **7GC** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 00:05

It's been done by 337. Basically you make the 7GC into a 7GCA. I've seen a 337 that replaced one or two fuselage tubes as part of the process. Don't know if that's really required. I plan about 6-7 gallons per hour on the O-290. The 320 would be 7-8 per hour.

Post by **joea** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 06:30

Speaking of flaps on our old birds, you might want to look at the recent post in the "Sedan" section. Someone posted that they know of an airplane that had flaps retrofitted and the spars could not take the strain.

jason · Post by **jason** » Thu Sep 14, 2006 08:37

thanks guys.