I just posted a photo of N7542E. This is listed in the FAA database as a Champion Aeronca 7FC. I thought the 7FC was the Tri-Traveller, a tricycle gear airplane. Does anybody know anything about this particular plane? Has it been converted? Is the FAA database just wrong? The serial number is listed as 7FC-248.

Is it possible that the plane is a 7FC that has been modified to a tail-wheel?

That's certainly a possibility, although I don't know why anybody would go to the expense to do that. I was hoping somebody would know something about this particular plane.

Thanks for the reply.

ChrisK

If an aircraft has undergone an approved STC, such as conversion to taildragger configuration from tri-gear, the original model registration is not normally changed to reflect the effect of the mod. There are an awful lot of Piper Tri-Pacers that have been converted to the Clipper/Pacer configuration, for example, and they still show Tri-Pacer registrations. When the Cessna 150 was introduced, there were plenty of howls as to why did one have to carry around an extra 40 pounds? The Texas Taildragger STC is a taildragger mod of the Cessna 150.

Keeping the original registration simplifies tracing of applicability of ADs, for example, which are mandatory and wards off a lot of paperwork snafus and grief. And, where would you draw the line in changing the registration-based on the extent of the mod, or what? Keep the original simplifies aircraft records with a logbook entry of the STC installation. Would you want to pay the cost of re-registration? Probably not since Bill Clinton put Federal agencies on cost collection for all services rendered.

I just checked the aircraft profile page and the aircraft does in fact carry a 7FC-xxx serial number. There should be no question that it is a 7FC that was converted to taildragger configuration. Answers are frequently apparent without mystery.