Champion 8KCAB Decathlon
4 models built 1970–present · 821 on the US register today
The Decathlon, the serious aerobatic development of the Citabria with a shorter symmetrical-section wing, inverted fuel and oil systems and a plus-six/minus-five g envelope. Bellanca built the 150 hp 8KCAB from 1970 and the 180 hp Super Decathlon (8KCAB-180) from 1976; American Champion put the Super Decathlon back into production in 1990 with metal spars and has also built the 210 hp Xtreme Decathlon under the 8KCAB designation since 2012.
The variants
| MODEL | YEARS | ACTIVE | TAILFAX SCORE | WHAT CHANGED |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8KCAB | 1970–1980 | 370 | 28/50 | Decathlon 150 hp; Super Decathlon and Xtreme under American Champion |
| 8KCAB-180 | 1977–1980 | 1 | — | Super Decathlon: 180 hp, constant-speed prop |
| 8KCAB | 1990–present | 447 | 28/50 | American Champion Super Decathlon: metal spars (1990 on) |
| 8KCAB180 | 1990–present | 3 | — | Registry spelling of the Super Decathlon |
Family fleet, active
821
FAA registry
NTSB events / 1,000, 10 yrs
30.5
25 events over 821 active aircraft, pooled across the family
Data as of: FAA registry Sep 28 · NTSB Oct 2 · scores Sep 30