Early gcbc vs. later gcbc

S

SideSlip

New member
Took a '74 7gcbc on trade 2 weeks ago, but someone made an offer that couldn't be refused, so it is now gone. I enjoyed it so much that now I am looking at a '66 7gcbc to replace it. (probably shouldn't have sold the '74, but money talks)

I found the spring gear '74 to be the sweetest landing taildragger I have ever flown, with wheel landings that I had no idea could be so smooth and docile.

Problem is, the '66 has the oleo gear. Am I going to like it as much?

Is it going to be slower than the spring gear?
 
Has noone here flown both styles?

While I have time in Champs and Chiefs,(~300hrs) they had the regular oleo gear, and as far as I can tell, the nobounce gear on the gcbc looks to sit lower and wider than what I have seen on the Champs. I would assume they use a diferent axle assemby (longer) to make the stance wider/lower.

I can say that I instantly felt better on the spring gear than the normal oleo gear of the champs/chiefs I have flown before.

By far the most docile landings I have ever experienced. Even in a crosswind, it is very easy to roll it down the runway on one wheel, I never felt that way with the oleo's. Especially doing wheel landings, this spring gear makes a pro out of you on the very first landing.

So, what do you think? Will I like the nobounce, or should I move the '66 and get a later model?
 
Hi, I have only flown the GCBC on spring gear, but have flown a Champ (basically a 7EC) on both the standard oleos and the long stroke / no bounce, the no bounce is very stiff / hard on the ground as the taxi spring is very stout where as the standard oleos have no taxi spring, and yes the there is what is called the wide stance gear and it is definitely wider than the regular Champ gear but I have no experience flying an aircraft equipped with the wide gear. I do like the no bounce oleos that I installed on my Champ. Sorry thats about all I know about them.
 
Thanks Mnflyer.

I do remember the rough ride of the nobounce. I have a friend with a 7EC with the nobounce, and I have flown it a bit, years ago.
I remember that it was a little "busy" on asphalt since the long gear hangs kind of toed in. The GCBC's that I have seen(in pics), look to have a much wider/lower stance, so I'm not sure if the gear would have the same characteristics on landing.

I expect the '66 will be a few mph slower than the spring gear(there's more metal hanging out there), and the wheel pants are less streamline than the '74.

I'm hopfully going this week to look at the '66, as the '74 is now with it's new owner, and it sounds like I will be the first here to give a comparison of the two gear types on the GCBC's. I was hoping for a bunch of positive remarks about the nobounce, because from what I've read most don't like the spring gear.

Oh well, if I don't like it, I'll leave it on floats(comes with them) and fly our Taylorcraft on wheels, or sell it and pick up a later model GCBC.
Even though we only had the '74 for a couple of weeks, it was the most fun I've had and even on my first flight felt more a part of the plane than any I have flown in the past.
 
Well, I guess I won't get the chance to try the comparison between spring gear and nobounce. The '66 is in such a sorry state of repair, there is no way that I could expect to feasibly bring it up to my standards. Oh well, onto the next I guess.

Maybe a Scout, the 180 would be nice.
 
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