CHAMPION 7ED/7FC
Owner/pilot Mike Foote (VAA 365457) wrote to us concerning his terrific restoration: IIManufactured by Champion Aircraft in 1959/ N8539E began life as a Tri-Champ. In 1983 it was convelted to a tai/drag足 gerl but only 12 short flight hours later life changed dramatically for N8539E when it was severely damaged in a windstorm.
The ownerls initial impression was that it would never fly again. The remains went through several owners, each intent upon restorationl but finding the task a daunting onel each chose instead to pass it along to someone else with more ambition. My tum came in July of 1995. After 15 months ofintense restoration efforts, N8539E became a plane again on October 26 1996. 1 flew the plane from my home base in Olathel Kansas, to Oshkosh in 1997 and had it judged in the Contemporary category. My efforts were rewardedl as the Champion was selected as the Outstanding Champion aircraft for that year. It is still going strong and is just as satisfying to fly today as it was for the first time. II 1
TAYLORCRAFf DC-65 Chet Peek (VAA 13458), author of terrific books such as The First Cub and Resurrection of a Jenny, has got足 ten back into flying after losing his airplanes and Norman, Oklahoma, hangar during a tornado in 1998. Chefs bought Bruce Bixler's Taylor足 craft DC-65. This DC-65 is one of the rare early Taylorcraft Tandems, which had aluminum spars and ribs. A few in the same series became the first Taylorcraft L-2 liaison airplanes. Chefs airplane is finished in the Civilian Training Program's colors of blue and yellow. 20 SEPTEMBER 2001