7aca

[dfcpac]

i have a 1971 7aca champ,and was wondering how many others are out there. recently converted it to a c-85-12 and it really made a big difference

regards
dan carley.

[Paul Agaliotis]

Dan,
You have a rare little plane there. Not many were made and most have been converted. I'm sure there are a few floating around.
Paul

[MikeB]

I'm assuming the 7ACA was built at Osceola, Wisconsin. We (our community college instructors group) had an interesting tour of the plant in the late 60's early 70's. The plant burned down shortly afterwards. I believe they were also built in Minnesota for a short time before American Champion bought the certificate.

Mike

[james gevay]

The 7EC was built in St Paul around the 50's - 60's and was moved to Osceola Wisconsin sometime in the late 60's or so. The 7ACA is the one built in Osceola around '71-'72 with the little 2 cylinder 60 HP Franklin engine and spring steel gear. I still remember the magazine advertisements for the planes priced at $4995.00.

[dfcpac]

i'd love to get that magazine. they should make them again for that price.

dan carley

[james gevay]

I'm pretty sure they were a full or 3/4 page ad and they were in different aviation magazines at the time. They would probably be in something like Flying magazine.
The ad was a black and white drawing with a pilots head with helmet and goggles superimposed or next to a shot of the plane climbing at a high angle with clouds and ground in the background. I may dig through a few old magazines and see if I can come up with one and post it here.

[MikeB]

Jim,
It seems to me (and this is only speculation) the Champs were built in south central Minnesota for a short time under the Bellanca name although the 7aca was also known as a Bellanca. I don't remember them being built in the Saint Paul area although it's certainly possible. I do remember when we visited the factory at Osceola they were running a night shift welding airframes so they must have been fairly busy at the time.
Mike

[dfcpac]

they were built under Bellanca in 1971. it was probably a real slow poke with the Franklin engine.with the 85 it goes real nice

danny
.

[MikeB]

I always thought it was kind of interesting as the Brackett air cleaner is PMA'd for the 7aca but not the 7AC, etc. I'm guessing they probably had a different air box setup (on the aca). Having said that I've done a quick survey at Oshkosh and I'd guess it's about 50-50 Brackett and AirMaze. The Brackett cleaner works fine by making a small 'modification' to the 7AC box but you didn't read that here .
Mike

[james gevay]

For some reason I seem to remember that they were built for a very short time in St Paul and the certificate owner was Brown. They moved to Osceola probably in the late 60's. They became Bellanca in 1970, and the 7ACA was built in 71 & 72.

Safe Air was located in Albert Lea in south central MN, about 1 1/2 hours from St Paul. I went there to pick up parts for my Champ before they sold out to Wag Aero.
The Bellanca Viking was built in Alexandria MN, about 100 miles NW of the cities. I went through the factory once years ago, the fuselages were built on the airport and the wood wings were built in town.

Now you have my interest up and I won't be able to sleep until I find out the facts about the St Paul factory.

[Richard Murray]

James,

I'm not an expert on the family tree, but I thought Bellanca bought all the rights from Champion in '68 or '69 and rolled out the Decathlon and the 7ACA around '70. Wasn't Brown involved after Bellanca went bankrupt and maybe built a couple of planes in the mid-80's before ACAC acquired everything in '87 or '88?

Richard

[james gevay]

I'm not sure of the dates I posted, I'm only going from a rough estimation. Either something I read or was told reminds me that Mr. Brown was connected with Champion from St Paul or Osceola. Maybe he only had the rights in St Paul and then moved the parts and tooling up to Osceola.

I did fly with a guy at work some years ago who flew for Bellanca as a factory pilot, he either was a test pilot or put on aerobatic demonstrations for them. He still lives near Osceola and has a hangar there and is on the airport board. Maybe that's where I got my facts, as accurate or inaccurate as they may be.

[MikeB]

Actually I'm wrong I'm thinking Bellanca in Alexandria, Minnesota not south central Minnesota. I know Safe Air did make a lot of Aeronca parts as I bought some there and had my Champ gear redone. They did a nice job, too. Dave Waterman was the IA for the Osceola plant when they were running. I think he still lives up that way.
Mike

[skyking3286]

Anyone remember the dope room fire that stopped the 7ACA production? I have a vague memory of that....after the fire they decided not to resume production.