American Champion Super Decathlon

The Decathlon descends from the same Champion/Bellanca/American Champion lineage as the Citabria, but was certificated separately in 1970 (TCDS A21CE) as a dedicated aerobatic airplane: semi-symmetrical airfoil (enabling sustained inverted flight), inverted fuel and oil systems, and a stronger structure for +6G/-5G. The original 8KCAB (150 hp, fuel-injected IO-320) gave way to the Super Decathlon (180 hp AEIO-360-H1B, constant-speed prop) and, more recently, the Xtreme Decathlon (210 hp AEIO-390-A1B6). The Scout (8GCBC), a non-aerobatic utility variant, shares this same certificate but is out of scope for this page.

American Champion in Rochester, Wisconsin continues to build the Super Decathlon and Xtreme Decathlon new.

Do not conflate the pre-2003 "Super Decathlon" (NOTE 5, 1,800 lb) with the current one (NOTE 8, 1,950 lb). Both carry the same marketing name and the same AEIO-360-H1B engine, but a real 150 lb gross-weight gap separates them — worth checking by serial number when shopping a used example.

The current-production Super Decathlon cruises at approximately 123 KTAS at 75% power — American Champion's spec sheet states this as "141 mph / 3.4 hrs" endurance with a 45-minute reserve deducted, rather than as a standalone range figure; the ~417 nm range stored here is arithmetic on those two numbers, not a line the factory prints directly.

Fuel burn is a genuine gap, not an oversight. The manufacturer publishes fuel consumption "at altitude" (9.6 gph at 7,500 ft) without stating the power setting for that specific line, separately from the 75%-power cruise-speed line above it. Pairing the two would repeat exactly the mismatched-triple trap this catalogue was rebuilt to avoid (a Cirrus page once combined a 213 KTAS max cruise with a 55%-power range in one row) — so fuel_burn_gph and range_nm's partner figure are left as an honest gap rather than an inferred pairing. A buyer should expect something in the 9-11 gph range at cruise power but should not treat that as a cited figure.

Unlike the Citabria, the Decathlon has no flaps — Vs0 and Vfe do not apply to this airframe, and there is only one stall speed (Vs1, clean).

Super Decathlon (AEIO-360-H1B, 180 HP, 40 gal usable, 1,950 lb normal-category gross):

At the acrobatic-category gross weight (1,800 lb, 150 lb lower than normal category), useful load drops by the same 150 lb — a solo aerobatic flight with full fuel is comfortable; two adults at normal-category gross with full fuel leaves modest baggage margin.

• Flight Training (4): Occasionally used for tailwheel and upset/spin training, but the cost and aerobatic-focused handling make it a niche trainer next to the Citabria.
• Backcountry (2): No flaps and a higher wing loading than the Citabria make it a poor STOL choice; not what this airplane is for.
• Business Travel (1): Two tandem seats, ~123 KTAS. Not a business airplane.
• Aerobatics (9): The Super Decathlon is a genuine competition platform, competitive through IAC Advanced; the +6G/-5G envelope and inverted systems support sustained inverted flight, snap rolls and vertical maneuvers. Just short of a Pitts/Extra for Unlimited competition.
• Cross-Country (4): ~417 nm range at ~123 KTAS is faster than the Citabria but tandem seating still limits comfort on long trips.
• Cargo Hauling (1): Two seats, 100 lb baggage limit, no cargo-hauling role.
• Local Fun Flying (9): A genuinely thrilling airplane to fly — constant-speed prop, aerobatic capability and tailwheel character combine for a much more athletic feel than the Citabria.
• Surveying (3): High wing helps visibility, but this is not the mission the type is bought for.

• Typical Super Decathlon: VFR panel with airspeed, altimeter, accelerometer (required per TCDS Equipment section for acrobatic operation), compass, single comm radio.
• Modern American Champion factory: Garmin G5/GI-275 and an EI CGR-30P engine monitor are current standard/optional equipment.
• IFR: Rare — the mission does not call for it, and the type is not typically equipped that way.

• Xtreme Decathlon engine (factory option, NOTE 10): Lycoming AEIO-390-A1B6, 210 hp, same 1,950/1,800 lb weights as the Super Decathlon.
• Constant-speed propeller: Standard from the factory on all current 8KCAB models.
• Inverted fuel and oil systems: Standard — this is the airframe's defining feature versus the Citabria.

• Annual inspection: $1,200-$2,800. Fabric and inverted-system inspection add time.
• Engine overhaul: ~$45,000 for the AEIO-360 at 1,600-hour TBO (family-level estimate; no AEIO-360-specific published rate found — see reference/engine-overhaul-pricing.md).
• Fabric re-cover: $12,000-$20,000 every 15-25 years.
• Parts availability: Good — American Champion maintains parts support.
• Mechanic familiarity: Common for the airframe; the inverted fuel/oil systems and aerobatic-category inspection items want a shop that has seen a Decathlon before.

• 8KCAB base (150 hp, vintage): $50,000-$90,000.
• Decathlon (180 hp, pre-2003, NOTE 5 weights): $70,000-$130,000.
• Super Decathlon (180 hp, current-spec, NOTE 8 weights): $100,000-$200,000.
• Xtreme Decathlon (210 hp): $180,000-$250,000+.

Pricing was not independently re-sourced this session — carried over from the pre-split page's band, apportioned to the Decathlon side. A Vref/Bluebook pass is still owed for this page.

Key ADs:

• Strut attach fitting inspection (3-1691): Mandatory inspection times for metal-spar-wing strut attach fittings, per American Champion's Airworthiness Limitations (TCDS A21CE NOTE 3).
• Fabric condition: Not an AD, but Ceconite/Poly-Fiber covering has a finite life and needs periodic re-cover.

Common Problems:

• Aerobatic stress on airframe and engine: A Decathlon flown hard for competition or instruction sees more fatigue-relevant cycles than a Citabria flown for training; pre-buy inspection should weigh the airplane's aerobatic history, not just total time.
• Inverted system maintenance: The inverted fuel and oil systems add components (and failure points) the Citabria does not have.
• Fabric condition: As above — budget for re-cover on any airframe more than 15-20 years from its last one.

• Hull insurance: $1,500-$3,000/year. Tailwheel and aerobatic premiums both apply.
• Liability: $500-$900/year.
• Pilot minimums: Tailwheel endorsement required; aerobatic/spin training strongly preferred by underwriters.
• Aerobatic coverage: Policies specifically cover unlimited aerobatics within the +6G/-5G envelope; this typically adds 15-25% to the hull premium versus a non-aerobatic tailwheel airplane.