American Champion 7ECA Citabria financing, specs & price
Aerobatic, tailwheel, fabric, fun. Built 1964-present; Lycoming O-320 (150 hp); 2 seats; 100-knot cruise.
What a 7ECA Citabria costs to finance
Payment examples at three price points, using typical lender guidelines for single-engine aircraft and a 7.75% illustrative APR. Your rate depends on credit, loan size, term and the specific airplane.
| Example | Price | Down | Loan | Term | Payment @ 7.75% | Range @ 6.99–9.99% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Older / higher-time | $30,000 | 15% ($4,500) | $25,500 | 15 yrs | $240/mo | $229–$274 |
| Mid-market (most common) | $50,000 | 15% ($7,500) | $42,500 | 15 yrs | $400/mo | $382–$456 |
| Late / low-time | $85,000 | 15% ($12,750) | $72,250 | 15 yrs | $680/mo | $649–$776 |
Principal and interest only; excludes insurance, taxes and fees. Prices are typical asking ranges from our aircraft database — verify any specific airplane with Vref or Aircraft Bluebook and a pre-buy inspection. Not a quote or commitment to lend.
Get real numbers for your 7ECA Citabria
Share the tail number or listing and your timeline — a specialist will price it across multiple lenders.
7ECA Citabria specifications & operating economics
Performance & capacity
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 (150 hp)
- Production
- 1964-present
- Seats
- 2
- Cruise
- 100 kts
- Range
- 480 NM
- Fuel capacity
- 35 gal
Fuel economics (September 2026)
- Fuel burn
- 7.5 gph
- Fuel cost per hour
- $54
- Fuel cost per nautical mile
- $0.54
- Endurance (no reserve)
- 4.7 hrs
- Fuel for 100 hrs/yr
- $5,430
100LL at $7.24/gal (AirNav national average, September 2026).
What lenders and underwriters look at on a 7ECA Citabria
- Tailwheel insurance required
- Fabric covering—check condition and re-cover costs
- Aerobatic rating desirable for some variants
- Simple systems
Pre-buy inspection focus areas
- Fabric condition
- Fuselage tube corrosion
- Tailwheel spring and steering
- Wing strut attach points
- Engine mount
Pre-buy inspections are typically paid out of pocket, not financed. See the pre-buy checklist.
American Champion 7ECA Citabria financing FAQs
How much does a American Champion 7ECA Citabria cost?
Typical asking prices for a American Champion 7ECA Citabria run from about $30,000 for older or higher-time examples to $85,000 for late, low-time ones, with most trading near $50,000. Engine time, avionics, damage history and paint/interior drive the spread — confirm with a Vref or Aircraft Bluebook valuation and a pre-buy inspection.
What is the monthly payment on a American Champion 7ECA Citabria?
At a $50,000 purchase price with 15% down ($7,500), a $42,500 loan over 15 years is about $400 per month at 7.75% APR, or roughly $382–$456 across the 6.99%–9.99% range lenders published as of September 2026. Principal and interest only.
How much down payment do I need for a American Champion 7ECA Citabria?
Plan on at least 15% down for a single-engine aircraft built after 1960. Twenty-year terms are generally available on loans of $75,000 or more.
What does a American Champion 7ECA Citabria cost to fly per hour in fuel?
At about 7.5 gallons per hour and the September 2026 national average of $7.24 per gallon for 100LL, fuel alone is roughly $54 per hour, or about $0.54 per nautical mile at a 100-knot cruise. Add reserves, insurance, storage and the annual for the full picture.
Can I finance an older American Champion 7ECA Citabria?
Usually, yes. Lenders finance piston singles without a fixed age limit, though pre-1960 aircraft may need a larger down payment and shorter term, and airframes over 10,000 hours are often excluded. Complete logbooks, AD compliance and a clean pre-buy matter more than the year on an older 7ECA Citabria.
More American Champion aircraft
- American Champion 8KCAB Decathlon · ~$75,000
- American Champion 8GCBC Scout · ~$65,000
Similar price range
- Cessna 170B · ~$50,000
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- Beechcraft Sierra 24 · ~$52,000
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