‘67 Citabria 7GCAA restoration/milman spar conversation

Wow! That’s awesome! It was soooo cool to follow along your project! It looks great! Congrats!
 
Don't know how you could just "put her away" and enjoy the holidays... I'd wanna fly her every day! Very nice job!
 
Very nice job on this restoration. Are you an AP or IA? How can the average owner learn and venture out to do this job? I am a member of EAA and I took a fabric covering workshop already. I am signing up for another one soon and eventually complete all of them.

Thanks for sharing all these pictures.

Manny Vargas
 
@evargas163 My dad was the IA for the project and I did all the work under him. I took the fabric course about 10 years ago and then did small projects over the years. Elevators, rudders, bottom wings, but this was the first full project.

I can’t speak for the others, but with poly fiber, anyone could cover an airplane with it. It’s so straight forward and tells you literally everything. The difference between an ok job and a great job though, is just the amount of patience the person has!
 
I was 26, and just read the manual and covered my J-3. The tail feathers still have that same fabric on them - a half century later. Easy- peezy - just follow the directions.

Ray Stitts gave me a few personal hints - doing the curves with surface tape, just put poly dope down and tack the tape at one end. When dry, pull the tape around the curve, tack the other end, let that dry. Iron the tape carefully to avoid scalloping, and finally brush the poly dope on the tape.

Never a need for bias tape, but if you do use it, for God's sake, cut the splices off!

A modern hint: when using the polyester reinforcing tape, brush a coat of poly over them after they are stuck. Let that dry before atempting rivets or rib stitch. Took me a long time to learn that one.
 
@Bob Turner i have walked up to a few planes with the bias tape splices and I just shake my head.

An iron with regular tape works great but definitely not as satisfying as pulling the bias tape around a wingtip and having it form around it perfectly
 
Mine formed perfectly. If you pull the regular tape, it even goes around the top of a J-3 rudder perfectly. Only place I use bias is my giant leading edge tape on the Cub outer leading edge - a huge piece of bias cut fabric.
 
Just AMAZING Clifford!
Btw, you look tall!
I'm 6'-6" and was wondering if i could fit into a Citabria.
Thoughts?
Thanks again for posting your pics, you are a true craftsman sir!
bart-
 
Thank you Bart! It was a fun 11 months and 1800 hours!

I stopped measuring at 6’5” but I’m around 6’6”. I fit perfectly with little room the spare. I made sure to recover the old foam seat cushions as I was afraid the new foam would be too thick! Mine also has heel brakes which is a plus for not having to bend my ankles so much haha
 
That's GREAT news Clifford!
I don't remember ever having trouble a 6-3 but thank God I quit growing at 6-6!
11 months from start to finish??? UN-Beleivable
I'm looking at a 7GCAA right now.
I retire from AA in a few years and need to get back into the GA arena again.
CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!
Thanks again for your quick response Brother.
Bart-
 
Definitely something you need to test before any purchase. I legit told the previous owner that before we talk about anything, I just need to sit in it. The first one I was looking at was a no go with that test. If you’re in love with a particular one, wouldn’t be too much to bring a seat to a local shop and ask for them to make one a few inches thinner.

Enjoy Bart! I work airport ops at jfk and I get to hear pilots last flights all the time and it’s amazing.
 
What a small world!
I'm in and out of JFK often.
Thanks again for the advice about the thinner seat cushions, where there's a will, there's a way!
 
Clifford Daly said:
Definitely something you need to test before any purchase. I legit told the previous owner that before we talk about anything, I just need to sit in it. The first one I was looking at was a no go with that test. If you’re in love with a particular one, wouldn’t be too much to bring a seat to a local shop and ask for them to make one a few inches thinner.

Enjoy Bart! I work airport ops at jfk and I get to hear pilots last flights all the time and it’s amazing.
Click to expand...

Where do you live? Long Island? I didn't realize you're just around the corner from me. Come on out to Sky Manor in Pittstown, NJ and I'll buy you breakfast just to see your nice airplane!

edit.....I should add, it will be very nice to meet you in addition to seeing your very nicely completed airplane!! lol
 
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Im interested in those drawings on your bulliten board in one of the pictures. I imagine those are wing drawings with dimensions? If so, where did you find them? I am doing a spar swap on my 67 GCAA now and really need the drawings. I plan on calling American Champion tomorrow to see if they have them. Great job by the way!
 
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