Citabria Window latch conversion

Flyingj

Flyingj

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 9, 2021
Messages
177
Location
North Texas
Has anyone converted their left window that only opens a few inches, to the type that opens all the way up and latches to the underside of the wing? I don't know which models do this but my newly acquired '99 7GCAA doesn't open all the way up. According to ACA, there is a kit that will convert it to do so. Curious why there are two styles and if any of you might have knowledge of which is better.

I'm in Texas and it just seems that the additional airflow would be worth it in the summertime but would like to hear from actual experiences.
 
Would love the open window for picture taking . Please send pictures if anybody has the mod.
 
Remember PP ground school where they talked about the corkscrew flow coming off your prop and hitting the fin? It hits that window area too - that may be why the window is restricted on stock aircraft.
 
I have the window that opens a few inches. It has a 130mph speed limit.. What’s the limit with the window open??? I’ve heard the speed limit was due to the skylight blowing out.
 
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Haven’t flown it yet with this mod. ACA just finished our restoration this month and we are waiting for good weather to fly it from the factory back to Denver. Will be the Spring before I try flying it with either (or both) windows open!😂🌞
 
b727plumber said:
Haven’t flown it yet with this mod. ACA just finished our restoration this month and we are waiting for good weather to fly it from the factory back to Denver.
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I did almost the same route last summer in my Decathlon during my big Florida-to-Oshkosh pilgrimmage. After OSH I visited the ACA factory and flew to Colorado Springs, with camping stop halfway at Johnson Lake, Nebraska. 3rd leg was back home.

Screenshot_20210724-213705_2.webp
 
6 days. Most days were 5 to 6 hours in the air, which is fine. CO to MS was pushing 9 hours, and really sucked in the August heat. By the end of the trip I was cruising at 9.5K just to cool off.

ACA to Denver could be done in a day with an early start.
 
b727plumber said:
Haven’t flown it yet with this mod. ACA just finished our restoration this month and we are waiting for good weather to fly it from the factory back to Denver. Will be the Spring before I try flying it with either (or both) windows open!😂🌞
Click to expand...


How does the window open on the right side/door?
 
The right side doesn't open unless you've got a seaplane door which is split like a Piper Cub. There's one for sale in the classifieds unless he's sold it already.
 
Bob Turner said:
Looks like it was in really good condition before the restoration.
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It was. Short story is that it was chocked outside our hangar for an hour, on a blue sky, July afternoon in Denver. An unexpected, dry microburst, picked it up and backed it into a wrought iron fence & adjacent hangar. (Another Citabria on the field, that was tied down outside, got totaled that day!)

Did just enough damage to the rudder, vert stab, lh aileron, fuselage, etc to warrant a recover so we went all in since it was torn down to the frame.

If I showed you pics of the damaged parts, you wouldn’t think it would have been too bad but the small amounts of damaged fabric were spread around the airplane.

In the end, by throwing our own money in with some insurance money, our 1979 is now a 2021 7GCBC. Complete recover, paint, interior, all the 2021 mods available (carbon floor, baggage door, empennage storage, etc) except for aluminum gear and we left the panel pretty much the same.)

ACA literally replaced everything they touched - wood, cables, pulleys, nuts, bolts, etc. Pat and crew did an amazing job!

This old flight school airplane has been reborn like new and we can’t wait to get her home and be her caretakers for many years to come!
 
I believe what you had was a "photo" door. We always called it the Bird dog door since the L19 Bird dog has this same door/window arrangement.
The Seaplane door is an entire door hinged at the top...
It allows you to get out of the seat and walk forward on the starboard float to access the prop and peek under the hood. In rough water it also allows the plane to pitch your butt into the water.
Chris
 
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