Charles Raines

1972 Champion “Citabria” 7GCBC N11867


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Sherer Forest Service Strip in the Bitteroot Wilderness Area of IdahoOn one of the many Forest Service Stips in the Pacific NorthwestEcho Bay, NevadaPierce Ferry, NevadaRebuilt instrument pannelOver the San Fernando Valley, California

During the first year with my first Citabria, I spent a lot of time practicing aerobatics. I enjoyed that tremendously but I also enjoyed flying in the mountains and to off-airport strips in the back country. There was another model Citabria better suited for this kind of flying. The GCBC had a slightly longer wing, flaps and a standard carbureted engine. It was very similar to a Super-Cub, but was slightly faster and had more space for camping gear, etc. When an opportunity arose to trade my KCAB for a new GCBC, I decided to part ways with my little red bird.

This was the first and probably the only new aircraft I will ever own. This was a great airplane for the kind of flying I was beginning to enjoy. I installed a full instrument panel with a good nav/com and actually flew some limited IFR when necessary to climb through an overcast to VFR conditions on top. I owned this bird for almost three years, during which time I put 595 hours on the tach. A lust for more speed, greater range and a desire for two more seats finally led me to part ways with an airplane I enjoyed very much.

Specifications