Champion Aircraft

This article is about the aircraft manufacturer. For the defunct airline, see Champion Air.

Champion Aircraft Corporation was formed in 1954 by Robert Brown. Headquartered in Osceola, Wisconsin airport, it began production in 1954 of the 7EC design which it had purchased from Aeronca Aircraft Corporation.^[1][2] Through the 1950s and the 1960s Champion introduced variations on the 7-series design. Champion also developed and began production of the significantly upgraded follow-on to the 7-series, the 8KCAB Decathlon, as well as the twin-engined Lancer. Champion was acquired in 1970 by Bellanca Aircraft Corporation, which continued to produce most of the Champion designs in production at the time of acquisition.

8KCAB Super Decathlon, built 2005

Champion Aircraft Corporation

Company type	Private
Industry	General Aviation
Founded	1954; 70 years ago (1954)
Founder	Robert Brown
Headquarters	Osceola, Wisconsin , United States

Aircraft

Champion, as the name suggests, was formed to produce the design which Aeronca had introduced in 1946 as the 7AC Champion. By the time Aeronca ceased production in 1951, they had advanced the design through the 7BCM, 7CCM, and 7DC, reaching the 7EC. It was this model with which Champion commenced production in 1954, giving it the name "Traveler" to go along with the alphanumeric model designation. (Champion assigned both alphanumeric designations and names to most of its designs.) Though there was a great variety, all of the aircraft which Champion introduced were in one way or another related to the original Aeronca design. Champion's aircraft, by date of FAA approval or Champion introduction are:

Model name	First flight	Number built	Type
Champion 7EC Traveler			Single engine cabin monoplane
Champion 7FC Tri-Traveler		472	Single engine cabin monoplane
Champion 7GC Sky-Trac		171	Single engine cabin monoplane
Champion 7HC DX'er		39	Single engine cabin monoplane
Champion 7GCA Sky Trac		396	Single engine cabin monoplane
Champion 7JC Tri-Con		25	Single engine cabin monoplane
Champion 7GCB Challenger			Single engine cabin monoplane
Champion 7KC Olympia		4	Single engine cabin monoplane
Champion 7GCBA Challenger			Single engine cabin monoplane
Champion 402 Lancer		25-36	Twin engine cabin monoplane
Champion 7ECA Citabria			Single engine cabin monoplane
Champion 7GCAA Citabria			Single engine cabin monoplane
Champion 7GCBC Citabria			Single engine cabin monoplane
Champion 7KCAB Citabria			Single engine cabin monoplane
Champion 8KCAB Decathlon			Single engine cabin monoplane

References

1. "Briefings". Flying. Vol. 55, no. 4. Ziff-Davis Publishing Company. October 1954. p. 50. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
2. "Comeback for the Champion". Flying. Vol. 56, no. 5. Ziff-Davis Publishing Company. May 1955. p. 60. Retrieved 6 July 2021.

External links