Bargain Buys on AircraftForSale: 1947 Aeronca 11BC Chief
This $25,000 taildragger is ready for a new home.
It’s not every day you can find an airplane for less than the cost of a base-model Honda Civic. In fact, it’s becoming increasingly rare to find examples for any less than $30,000. But at $25,000, today’s bargain - a 1947 Aeronca 11BC Chief - bucks the trend and leaves some room in the budget for inspections and freshening up.
First flown in 1945, the Aeronca Chief is a fabric-covered taildragger developed alongside the Champ, differing primarily in cabin layout. Rather than employing the Champ’s tandem seating with control sticks, the Chief reflected Cessna’s offerings of the day with side-by-side seating and control yokes.
With roughly 2,300 examples manufactured between 1946 and 1950, the Chief’s production numbers pale compared to the Champ. However, because the two share many of the same parts, sourcing them is relatively easy even today, minimizing one of the common headaches of ownership.
Known for docile handling characteristics, the Champ serves as an ideal gateway to tailwheel flying. Happiest on smooth grass strips, it ranks up there with the iconic Piper Cub in terms of inexpensive ways to enjoy trips to breakfast as well as calm summer evening flights.
This Chief has a relatively low 1,903 hours on the airframe and under 1,000 hours on the 85-horsepower Continental. It’s equipped with a McCauley prop and an electric starter, eliminating the need to deal with hand-propping.
Inside, the original, spartan panel remains in place but has been modified with a Garmin GPS and a Sporty’s PJ2 com radio. An external antenna improves radio reception dramatically, while a push-to-talk makes it easy to use.
This particular Chief was inherited by the seller and accordingly, requires a bit of attention before flying regularly. With the last annual inspection dated December 2001, it would be prudent to thoroughly inspect both the airframe and engine to ensure no serious issues have surfaced during that time.
However, provided the fabric is intact and no corrosion is present in the engine, the next owner will likely enjoy the simplicity of this classic taildragger for many years to come.
You can arrange financing of the aircraft through FLYING Finance and quickly calculate your monthly payment using the airplane finance calculator. For more information, email info@flyingfinance.com.
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