Aircraft model
AERONCA 7CCM
Everything here is true of every aircraft of the type, not of any one aircraft.
The 7CCM is a military-derived Champ, one of the higher-powered late Aeronca variants with a 90 hp Continental. It is the familiar tandem two-seat fabric taildragger with the good forward visibility that comes from soloing off the front seat, which is the Champ's main advantage over a Cub.
The extra power over a 65 hp 7AC makes a real difference to climb and useful load and is worth seeking. Production was brief and the fleet is small compared with the 7AC, though most parts are shared. Fabric is the dominant lifetime cost and its age should be established first, with corrosion in the tube structure second. Aeronca's 7-series designations are numerous and easily confused; confirm what the aircraft actually is rather than inferring it from the registry.
What it is
| Seats | 2 |
|---|---|
| Landing gear | taildragger |
| Engines | 1 |
| Engine | Continental C-90-12F |
| Horsepower | 90 hp |
| Fuel | 100LL |
| Certification basis | CAR3 |
| Production start | 1948 |
| Production end | 1950 |
| Endorsements required | tailwheel |
Performance
| Cruise speed | 82 KTAS |
|---|---|
| Range | 300 nm |
| Service ceiling | 14,000 ft |
| Climb rate | 650 ft/min |
| Stall speed (Vso) | 38 KCAS |
| Takeoff over 50 ft | — |
| Landing over 50 ft | — |
Load and fuel
| Seats | 2 |
|---|---|
| Useful load | 500 lb |
| Full-fuel payload | 422 lb |
| Max takeoff weight | 1,300 lb |
| Empty weight | 800 lb |
| Usable fuel | 13 gal |
| Fuel burn at cruise | 5 gal/h |
Cost of ownership
| Price, low | $25,000 |
|---|---|
| Price, high | $50,000 |
| Prices as of | 2026 |
| Engine TBO | 1,800 h |
| Overhaul cost, low | $23,000 |
| Overhaul cost, high | $33,000 |
The fleet and its record
| Registered, all time | 199 |
|---|---|
| Active fleet | 91 |
| Median year built | 1947.0 |
| NTSB events, last 10 years | 4 |
| Fatal events, last 10 years | 1 |
| Events per 1,000 active, last 10 years | 43.96 per 1,000 active · base 91 active · thin base (low) |
| Personal-flying events per 1,000 active | 32.97 per 1,000 active · base 91 active · thin base (low) |
| Ownership transfers, last 24 months | 12 |
| Transfers per 100 active | 13.19 per 100 active · base 91 active · thin base (low) |
| Airworthiness directives | 1 |
| Directives, last 5 years | 0 |
| Rate confidence | low |
Peer scores
A score runs from 0 to 10 within the model's peer class: a position, not a grade, and the six are never added together.
| Peer class | Fixed wing single-engine, piston, 1 engine, 1-2 seats |
|---|---|
| Accident record | — · class median 25 · 181 models in class |
| Severity | — · class median 5 |
| Access | 8.2 of 10 · class median 987 |
| Support | 5.7 of 10 · class median 72 |
| Liquidity | 1.9 of 10 · class median 20.59 |