Our club in Michigan has a high-time 180 hp Scout that is ready for a complete restoration. We are considering replacing it with a 150 hp Citabria. Does anyone have thoughts on how the Citabria might compare to the Scout with regard to rate of climb, or
comments on the Citabria if that's what your club uses?

We instruct with 2-33A's, have turf or paved runways as options (KCAD at 1,300' msl), and are happy with our Scout. We'd like similar performance.

I talked to American Champion and they helped me compare the two models as towplanes.

Thanks,
Tom Lyon

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Thomas:
I have towed with both - and on both ends of the rope. I also owned a 7GCAA (no flaps, 150 hp) Citabria with a hook. Based on the use you describe the 150 hp Citabria will work out OK for you on all but the hottest days pulling a full load in the 2-33s.
Obviously, the initial acceleration will be less inspiring (you won't bang the 2-33 tail) and the rate of climb a little less, but the Citabria will manage the job. If you get 5 tows an hour with the Scout you can figure 4 with the Citabria. It will
also cost less to run and be less prone to cylinder head overheating than the 180 hp Scout. For coming in high and dropping the rope, the tug pilots will miss the Scout's flaps and they will have to remember how to slip an airplane. But except for the
flaps, the airplanes handle the same. Cockpit layout is very similar but the Scout sits higher on it's landing gear (especially with oversize tires which are common these days). Forward visibility when taxiing is limited in some Scouts - not so much in
the Citabria.
Good luck
ROY

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Thomas and Roy
We tow primarily from an airport that is 2,550' asl. We tow single place and a Blanik L-13. Out summer temps get into the 90's plus. Years ago we had a Citabria 150 and it was a weak horse on moderately to hot days. Towing the Blanik was exciting for
speed and climb. I once landed out on an airport next to the Snake River and about 200' lower than the home airport on a 90 F day. We had to fly over the water for about two miles before we had enough umph to get above the ridge along the river and
high enough to safely make it back to the home airport. We now have a Scout 8gcbc with a 180 climbing prop fixed pitch, and there is significant difference at our home airport. We take it on our regatta to an airport that is 5,900' asl and 4,400' long.
Density altitude issues are present on hot days but we "usually" go off the airport at 125" and climb at about 400' pm to release altitudes of 2,000' to 3,000'. Would not have taken the Citabria!!! The answer to you question is airport (s) altitude
and density altitude issues and gliders being towed..

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On Saturday, October 8, 2022 at 2:22:05 PM UTC-4, Boise Pilot wrote:

Thomas and Roy
We tow primarily from an airport that is 2,550' asl. We tow single place and a Blanik L-13. Out summer temps get into the 90's plus. Years ago we had a Citabria 150 and it was a weak horse on moderately to hot days. Towing the Blanik was exciting for

speed and climb. I once landed out on an airport next to the Snake River and about 200' lower than the home airport on a 90 F day. We had to fly over the water for about two miles before we had enough umph to get above the ridge along the river and high
enough to safely make it back to the home airport. We now have a Scout 8gcbc with a 180 climbing prop fixed pitch, and there is significant difference at our home airport. We take it on our regatta to an airport that is 5,900' asl and 4,400' long.
Density altitude issues are present on hot days but we "usually" go off the airport at 125" and climb at about 400' pm to release altitudes of 2,000' to 3,000'. Would not have taken the Citabria!!! The answer to you question is airport (s) altitude and
density altitude issues and gliders being towed..
Tom - you might find the Citabria adequate if you have nice clear approaches - i.e. no obstacles at all. Will need climb prop!

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Thank you for the comments! Very helpful.

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On Saturday, October 8, 2022 at 1:00:22 AM UTC-4, thomas...@gmail.com wrote:

Our club in Michigan has a high-time 180 hp Scout that is ready for a complete restoration. We are considering replacing it with a 150 hp Citabria. Does anyone have thoughts on how the Citabria might compare to the Scout with regard to rate of climb,

or comments on the Citabria if that's what your club uses?

We instruct with 2-33A's, have turf or paved runways as options (KCAD at 1,300' msl), and are happy with our Scout. We'd like similar performance.

I talked to American Champion and they helped me compare the two models as towplanes.

Thanks,
Tom Lyon

I would suggest finding a way to keep the Scout alive. Citabria is not anything like as the Scout.
UH

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On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 8:43:19 AM UTC-4, Hank Nixon wrote:

On Saturday, October 8, 2022 at 1:00:22 AM UTC-4, thomas...@gmail.com wrote:

Our club in Michigan has a high-time 180 hp Scout that is ready for a complete restoration. We are considering replacing it with a 150 hp Citabria. Does anyone have thoughts on how the Citabria might compare to the Scout with regard to rate of climb,

or comments on the Citabria if that's what your club uses?

We instruct with 2-33A's, have turf or paved runways as options (KCAD at 1,300' msl), and are happy with our Scout. We'd like similar performance.

I talked to American Champion and they helped me compare the two models as towplanes.

Thanks,
Tom Lyon

I would suggest finding a way to keep the Scout alive. Citabria is not anything like as the Scout.
UH

We tow with a 160hp Citabria at 260'asl in Eastern Canada. We find it wanting on the hottest days of summer with an L-23 and Puchacz when flying dual in the afternoons. We have 2,500' either turf or asphalt runways. The 235hp Pawnee works very well, but
costs more to run.

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Thanks again, everyone!

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On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 9:03:34 PM UTC-4, thomas...@gmail.com wrote:

Thanks again, everyone!

In a choice between a 180hp Scout and a 150hp Citabria, I’d look for a 180hp Citabria! Same ponies, less weight! Our club just upgraded from a 150hp Citabria GCBC to a 180hp High Country Explorer (Citabria 7GCBC) and this has proven to be a fantastic
tow plane (better than a Scout.) PS - I work both ends of the rope.

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On Wednesday, October 12, 2022 at 1:11:27 PM UTC-4, stephen.s...@gmail.com wrote:

On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 9:03:34 PM UTC-4, thomas...@gmail.com wrote:

Thanks again, everyone!

In a choice between a 180hp Scout and a 150hp Citabria, I’d look for a 180hp Citabria! Same ponies, less weight! Our club just upgraded from a 150hp Citabria GCBC to a 180hp High Country Explorer (Citabria 7GCBC) and this has proven to be a fantastic

tow plane (better than a Scout.) PS - I work both ends of the rope.
Thanks, Stephen!

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On Thursday, October 13, 2022 at 3:28:25 PM UTC-7, thomas...@gmail.com wrote:

On Wednesday, October 12, 2022 at 1:11:27 PM UTC-4, stephen.s...@gmail.com wrote:

On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 9:03:34 PM UTC-4, thomas...@gmail.com wrote:

Thanks again, everyone!

In a choice between a 180hp Scout and a 150hp Citabria, I’d look for a 180hp Citabria! Same ponies, less weight! Our club just upgraded from a 150hp Citabria GCBC to a 180hp High Country Explorer (Citabria 7GCBC) and this has proven to be a

fantastic tow plane (better than a Scout.) PS - I work both ends of the rope.

Thanks, Stephen!

We towed Blaniks for many years with a Citabria - at sea level. Any airport 2 - 3k ft higher and I would definitely recommend 180 hp, i.e. Scout.

Tom

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Thanks, 2G! We are at 1,300' in Michigan, which has a density altitude of about 3,500' on a hot summer day.

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