I just flew a 1050-mile cross-country in my "new-to-me" RANS S-6ES (100HP Rotax), with instrumentation roughly equivalent to the Champ's – meaning basically airspeed, altimeter, vsi, and slip indicator. Well, it does have an electrical system complete with electric start, vhf comm, and transponder, but you can add all those to a Champ with a "charge at the hangar" battery on board.



It was a lot of fun, just using the iPad and dead reckoning navigation for some legs, and using the iPad GPS for others... No autopilot, of course.

You'll love the Champ! I had a '65 Champion 7ECA (Citabria) before this one, and it was fun as well.

Sounds like a pacer would fit your mission and budget quite nicely.