Looking to buy a 180hp Super Decathlon for nice day VFR flying and light aerobatics. I've done research. Let's hear opinions of those here who have actual time/ownership in them.

Thanks
Seth

I grew up around the American champion line. The decathlons are sweet. The wing is good for inverted flight. A 7KCAB is a good option if you are looking to get into something cheaper. Has 150hp, and inverted fuel and oil. It won't have the constant speed prop, or fuel injection and lower G limits but will still do nice aerobatics.

They are great airplanes. If the budget allows, look for one with metal spars.

Any specific questions?

Bought one brand new in 1981. One of my favorites. Not a Pitts but ok for basic acro. I really loved the ability to land on the ditch bank on the farm and go pretty fast in cruise. A great flying, landing, all-around airplane. Really high fun quotient.

I’ve had one for a few years. Fly it weekly in nice weather. Easy to fly. Easy to maintain. Easy to fly basic Acro. Inexpensive to fly and own. Easy to taxi for a tail dragger. The power of the SD is nice, but having flown 150 hp Decathlon’s and lower powered Citabria’s the extra hp isn’t necessary for the kind of every day flying I do so I think the model may not matter depending on what you plan to do with it. I do think the metal spar is nice - just fewer issues - but wood spar is fine if in good shape. Not a great pane to fly in the rain! And the baggage area, while not quite useless, is a PITA.

Great entry level Aerobatic aircraft and fun plane to hit all those little grass strips you pass by. Really nice on a set of EDO straight floats too. Make sure the seats are correctly attached and NO TAIL slides.

Bob

Maintenance is not bad but check the lower longerons in the landing gear area. The square tubes can be deformed or cracked.

The earlier airplanes had an aft battery box that can leak acid onto the elevator cables

The newer airplanes PPG urethane base clear paint can crack badly and there are issues with the metal spar wing aileron hinges to research. I think the hinges had to be updated at 400 hours which could involve uncovering the wings.

If wood spar airplane have someone that is REALLY familiar with the spars do the inspection. Especially the wing root spar butt ends. If you have loose nails a long bar and rivet gun works well to install the ring shank nails where needed. Read the ACA SB on spars very carefully. The wood spars are ok but need inspection.

They are very straightforward airplanes, regardless of which one you are looking at.
I have these books and they do a good job of explaining the history of these issues.
You'll find several articles about the wood spars, cracked wing ribs and nails working out.

https://secure.steenaero.com/Store/site ... 3E2C3C4CE9

I'm off to annual an ACA Super Decathlon today.

I have owned two, both were metal spars. Absolutely wonderful airplanes and surprisingly fast.

Jg

Given the choice, I prefer the wing on the Citabria.

If I could only own one plane, it would be a Decathlon. All around great plane. Can win Sportsman level aerobatic competitions (I would not snap one so Sportsman is as high as I would go), decent XC plane for shorter XC flights, and can do some off field work.

Most of my series time was actually in a 7ECA and it was a bit undepowered. The 150HP 8KCAB was actually really nice and the 180HP was better, but not so much better that I would worry about the difference unless you have high density altitudes to deal with.

Easy TW planes to fly. Great viability all around but especially taxiing. One thing is that you can buy an older model that has been redone for less than a newer one and they are about the same plane with just a higher price on the newer one.

My 7ECA had wood spars and they are not something to be afraid off if the plane has been taken care of, not ground looped, stored in a hangar. The issues they had seemed to have been from planes that had drug a wingtip or sat outside in the weather a bunch.

The new Extreme 8KCAB had an aileron issue that sounded expensive. This is the 210 HP one with symmetrical ailerons. They had (IIRC) aileron attachment issues.

The plane is allowed to snap roll, but it will increase your MX costs. The nose ribs break and crack under the load and the fuel tanks have been known to leak if snapped a bunch.

Owners complain about small useful loads, two people with parachutes will be limited on how much fuel can be taken. But the Pitts S2B has the same issue. I personally, never did acro with more than half tanks anyway.

Basically, I love the plane. I most likely will own another in the future when the Pitts becomes a bit more "Hair on fire" than I want.

Lots of fun to fly. Probably the easiest tail dragger to land, even in big crosswinds. Great visibility over the nose (no need to zig zag). No flaps, but it slips well. You can put in full rudder, opposite aileron and it will come down quickly without building up speed. Reasonable speed for short cross countries. The extra HP and CS prop are nice for high density altitude ops, but otherwise not really needed.

Thank you for all the comments.

I’m in Denver so the 180hp and CS prop are a must with the high DA here.

Thanks
Seth

Can’t speak to the Super, but I learned to fly in Dwayne Cole’s 8KCAB during the PATCO strike back when. Field elevation 820 msl, but hot summer days and still plenty of horsepower for student and pilot. My cousin still owns the plane. It is a great airplane. I was fortunate to learn in something without flaps or a nose wheel.. Made me a better pilot and I took my 18th biannual in that plane last March.
Great aircraft for basic aerobatics and SPINS!!!
My multi examiner was Debrah Rhinn Harvey out of La Porte near Houston. She trains others in Decathlons and flies for SWA (or used to) I would call her for the low down. Look her up and call her!
Besides, they have that great rising sun paint job that makes them so easy to watch!

I have a 7GCBC with a O360 at 230hp with a constant speed prop and metal wing spars. It’s a blast to fly and is a great off airport machine