RAAus is proud to have supported the return to flight of a much-loved Champ aircraft through the RAAus Heritage Fund, along with assistance in bringing the aircraft back onto the register.
The restoration was led by Aaron Handford, whose dedication, care and commitment helped bring this historic aircraft back to flying condition. Projects of this nature require patience, skill and a deep respect for aviation heritage, and Aaron’s work has ensured this aircraft can once again be enjoyed in the air.
After many years on the ground, the Champ returned to the sky on Sunday, 14 June at 1307 hours, its first time airborne since 1969. With Trevor Bange at the controls, the aircraft began with a few short hops down the runway to assess the responsiveness of the controls before returning to the hangar for a careful inspection.
After a well-earned cup of tea and a final check over the aircraft, Trevor climbed back into the Champ, opened the throttle and departed for its first full flight in more than five decades. The flight lasted approximately 18 minutes and included upper air work, an approach with a planned go-around, and a landing. The aircraft performed exactly as expected and required no rigging changes.
Following a couple of celebratory cups of tea, Trevor took the Champ back into the air for a second flight of around 30 minutes. This flight included slow flight, stalls, 30-degree, 45-degree and 60-degree turns, along with several circuits. By all accounts, Trevor looked right at home and thoroughly enjoyed putting the Champ through its paces.
On 19 June, Trevor completed a third flight before inviting Aaron into the front seat to begin his transition into the Champ. That first dual flight lasted 0.9 hours and was described as both rewarding and overwhelming.
Over the following two weeks, instructors from Lone Eagle Flying School continued the transition training, completing a further 4.7 hours of dual instruction. The training covered basic handling, stalls, engine failures, circuits, circuit emergencies, go-arounds, crosswind landings, three-point landings and wheel landings.
In early July, Trevor recommended Aaron take the Champ for his first solo flight. Despite being mentally prepared, there were still a few nerves before lining up on runway 24. That first solo flight lasted 0.8 hours and included a brief local flight followed by six circuits. With each circuit, confidence grew and Aaron became more comfortable flying the aircraft he had helped bring back to life.
To date, the Champ has completed almost nine hours of flying since its return to the air. Its flying characteristics have been described as excellent, and it is easy to see why the Champ became such a respected training aircraft, later evolving into types such as the Citabria and Decathlon.
RAAus is delighted to have played a role in helping this aircraft return to flying condition. Projects like this are exactly why the RAAus Heritage Fund existed, to help preserve, restore and celebrate aircraft that form an important part of recreational aviation history.
Final finishing work, including painting the engine cowl, is expected to be completed in the coming weeks. Once complete, further high-quality images and video will be captured to properly showcase the aircraft and its return to the sky.
RAAus congratulates Aaron Handford, Trevor Bange, Lone Eagle Flying School and everyone involved in bringing this historic Champ back to life.
You can see some footage of the flights below in the Youtube Video marking its return to the sky.
