Citabria Ownership Cost

[noslonlo]

Thinking of buying a Citabria. Looking for...

Engine TBO
Engine overhaul cost
Prop TBO
Prop overhaul cost
Annual cost
Avg fuel burn
Any comments

Thanks very much.

 

[Immelman]

Try being more specific with your question... Citabrias come in flavors from the O-235 (7ECA) through O-300 (7GCAA) to the inverted/injected IO-320 (7KCAB)... these will cause engine overhaul/fuel burn numbers to vary quite a bit.

 

[noslonlo]

Sorry about the lack of specifics. I'm looking for this info about the 7ECA with the 0-235.

 

[soarby007]

The old saying goes "if you have to ask how much...."

 

[Traumahawk]

That saying applies more to warbirds...

A citabria is doable, especially the 7ECA. Throw a partner in and you're really talking.

Fuel burn will be comparable to say a 152. Little less drag without the training wheel too! 5.5--6 gph ish.

You'll probably need a certain amount of dual with an instructor for insurance req's, depending on how much tailwheel time u have, if any, usually ballparks that number in the 10-20 hr range.

Then it all depends on the plane. You can pick up an old 7ECA for 15K but I'm willing to bet the fabric will need work, the engine has some time on it and it'll need a thorough going over if you want to throw it around the sky.

I'm sure someone on here can tell you about the price of a new O-235 vs just the cost of maybe a top overhaul or factory/field overhaul etc... etc...

Best of luck!

T-Hawk

 

[Immelman]

I would *think*, could be wrong, that in that case your costs will be roughly the same of an average trainer in that era with that engine (for example, C152), with a few things added:

- Caring for/replacing the fabric
- Dealing with groundloop damage if it happens
- Insurance costs of a taildragger.. usually gets better with a bit of time as indicated above

From what little I know, the 235 is a very bulletproof engine and I don't recall hearing of many that don't make it to or past TBO.

 

[Lead Sled]

Perhaps this will help.

www.planequest.com/operationcosts/default.asp

'Sled