I've heard anacdotal numbers tossed around but does anyone in the BCP community fly a Aeronca Chief thats been re-engine with something a bigger, 0-200/0-235 or other that can offer some of the basic performance numbers.

Thare are several Champs and Chiefs up here in northern MN with those engines. Most of the were re-engined to use as float planes, as was mine. I had a Champ on PK1500's for a time with an O-235. Great airplane that I wished I would have kept.

Do you recall any performance numbers, cruise speeds, range etc

We have a chief locally that I have done a bit of work on. He has it registered as an ultralight so he has almost no UL, but it works pretty good. Has an 0-200 on it. Sorry I don't have exact specs for you though.

Mapleflt wrote:Do you recall any performance numbers, cruise speeds, range etc

Honestly, I can't recall all the numbers, I do remember it would cruise at 100MPH on floats and 26" Airstreaks, which I felt was great. It would take off on wheels in a few hundred feet as I was flying it out of my strip which was 1,000 feet at the time..and it had tall trees on each end. Stopping with a lot of fuel and a passenger though was 'dicey' at times. But never got closer than 150-200' from the drop into the swamp. Have since extended the strip to 1800' and fly my RANS S-7 in/out with almost laughable distances of safety zones.

It was fairly light for a big engined Champ. If I remember correctly the EW was around 890. The plane was heavily modified. Seaplane door, rear opening 'Citabra' style back windows, 39 gallons fuel, droop tips, VG's, Fishpole tube, etc. Another member of this site was the previous owner but I have not seen any posts from him in several years. I sold the plane in 2012 or 2013. The one that got away!

Martin's 11CC has enjoyed a unique journey. Like the woodsman's axe, right now it's on its seventh handle and its fourth head. These numbers while offered freely here for comparative purposes are perfectly accurate for his individual aircraft alone.

Lycoming O-235, no flaps, 115 HP, 80/87 minimum (Mogas STC),
Normal Ranges unless noted (speed in MPH)
RPM 1800-2800
CHT 90-150
OT 100-245
OP (warning 25-60) 60-100
Vne 162 (153 with certain struts, see Service Letter C-127)
Yellow Arc 162 (153)-120
Vno 120
Va 120 (at gross)
Green Arc 120-50
Vs 44
14.2 aft to 19.2 aft of LE at gross weight
10.5 aft to 19.2 aft of LE at empty weight
straight line variance
Empty weight land 840 (on straight Zen 1450s 920)
Gross weight land 1325 (on straight Zen 1450s 1305)
Useful load land 485 (on straight Zen 1450s 385)
NOTE: The 235 and Zens were FAs. My read of the regs is that an A&P, arguably the owner, can put Edo 1400s on an 11CC making it a S11CC, which has a GW of 1400 lb. There is a STC for the Edos that lists a increase in empty weight of 100 lb from wheels, and increases gross weight 175 pounds, The Zens ONLY increase empty weight 80 pounds, decreasing usable load by that amount, to 485 lb. Empty weight, Gross, Useful load with Edo 1400s would be 959, 1400, 441 without the STC and 940, 1500, 560 with it.

You will get more horsepower from a C85 stroker than an 0200 in a chief.
That’s because of the tcds max rpm for the airframe. The C85 makes it’s rated power at the lesser rpm and therefore with the stroker it’s actually producing more hp than an 0200 at the airframes redline.

Bill Pancake always seems eager to help explain this and has a very well thought out STC for a C85-12.
You can put a C85-8 on the chief with the service letter but the with a starter it is pretty awesome, especially on skis.

Flying the Chief with the stroker light, it can keep up with my Cub if I don’t snap the flaps to get me up in the air quicker.
It cruises about 90 with 8.50 Desser smoothies and a climb prop. At 70 mph it climbs better than 1000fpm for as long as you want it to. That’s pretty cool.

Are you referring to Jim Martin's 11CC, C-FTPP, shown in the last post on Page 2 of the thread titled 'Aeronca Chief?'
https://backcountrypilot.org/forum/aero ... 8?start=20

It appears to be an excellent smaller airplane. I contacted him to learn about the changes he made to it to see if I should pursue one as well.

Lisas7ECA wrote:Martin's 11CC has enjoyed a unique journey. Like the woodsman's axe, right now it's on its seventh handle and its fourth head. These numbers while offered freely here for comparative purposes are perfectly accurate for his individual aircraft alone.

Lycoming O-235, no flaps, 115 HP, 80/87 minimum (Mogas STC),
Normal Ranges unless noted (speed in MPH)
RPM 1800-2800
CHT 90-150
OT 100-245
OP (warning 25-60) 60-100
Vne 162 (153 with certain struts, see Service Letter C-127)
Yellow Arc 162 (153)-120
Vno 120
Va 120 (at gross)
Green Arc 120-50
Vs 44
14.2 aft to 19.2 aft of LE at gross weight
10.5 aft to 19.2 aft of LE at empty weight
straight line variance
Empty weight land 840 (on straight Zen 1450s 920)
Gross weight land 1325 (on straight Zen 1450s 1305)
Useful load land 485 (on straight Zen 1450s 385)
NOTE: The 235 and Zens were FAs. My read of the regs is that an A&P, arguably the owner, can put Edo 1400s on an 11CC making it a S11CC, which has a GW of 1400 lb. There is a STC for the Edos that lists a increase in empty weight of 100 lb from wheels, and increases gross weight 175 pounds, The Zens ONLY increase empty weight 80 pounds, decreasing usable load by that amount, to 485 lb. Empty weight, Gross, Useful load with Edo 1400s would be 959, 1400, 441 without the STC and 940, 1500, 560 with it.

Great intel on the Chief, thanks. A good friend of mine is currently looking for a simple little puddle jumper. Something that might also be able to handle the occasional x-country to a local lake for a camping weekend.