Today’s Top Aircraft For Sale Pick: 1947 Aeronca 11BC Chief
This vintage rag-and-tube taildragger promises a pleasant trip to another era.
The Aeronca Chief offers pilots a chance to travel back in time. [Courtesy: Hiller Aviation}
Each day, the team at Aircraft For Sale picks an aircraft that catches our attention because it is unique, represents a good deal, or has other interesting qualities. You can read Aircraft For Sale: Today’s Top Pick at FLYINGMag.com daily.
Flying an antique aircraft can be an enlightening, rewarding experience. A nicely restored example like this 1947 Aeronca Chief will attract attention and start conversations wherever you land. It can be a great way to connect with other pilots. An airplane that is many decades old and equipped with its original analog instruments like this one also can transport today’s pilots to an exciting era when general aviation meant operating without GPS, ADS-B, or anything digital. Let the sectional chart and your eyes be your guides.
This is a VFR machine ideally suited for pleasure flights to pancake breakfasts at airports within an hour or so of your home field. You can go farther as long as you are not in a big rush to get there. Rather than climbing high in search of a tailwind, staying low and accepting whatever the wind offers tends to be the best way to fly a vintage Aeronca. That way you see the terrain in detail, including landmarks on the chart. You can also more easily confirm that you are still moving at least a bit faster than the cars on the road below, especially when the road curves and you can maintain a straight course.
While a lot of aviation enthusiasts are familiar with the Aeronca Champ, fewer know about the Chief, which swaps the Champ’s control sticks and tandem seating for yokes and side-by-side seats. It was considered more of a grown-up airplane—and can be a more pleasant way for two people to travel.
This Chief has 1,281 hours on the airframe and 553 hours on its Continental C85-8 engine. The aircraft was restored, including new paint and interior in 1993, and still looks sharp.
Pilots seeking an intimate, hands-on flying experience with an emphasis on wheel landings and precisely coordinated turns can gain a lot from this Aeronca Chief, which is available for $29,900 on AircraftForSale.
You can arrange financing of the airplane through FLYING Financial Group. For more information, email info@flyingfinancial.com.
- FLYING Magazine: Restoration Nation: Aeronca Champ
- FLYING Magazine: Two Antique Men and One Antique Plane
- Plane & Pilot: 25 Bargain Birds For 2005
- Plane & Pilot: Aeronca 11AC/11CC
- The Aviation Consumer: Legacy Light Sport: Cub vs. Champ
- The Aviation Consumer: Aeronca Champion
Sign-up for newsletters & special offers!
Get the latest FLYING stories & special offers delivered directly to your inbox