Aviat Eagle

{{Short description|1970's American sporting biplane}}  {{Infobox aircraft |name=Eagle |image=Christen Eagle II N49AE EDST.jpg |caption=Christen Eagle II |type=Aerobatic aircraft |manufacturer=Christen<br />Aviat |designer= Frank Christensen |first_flight=February 1977 |introduction= |retired= |status= |primary_user= |more_users= |produced= |number_built= |variants= }} thumb|Christen Eagle II

The '''Christen Eagle''' is an aerobatic sporting biplane aircraft that has been produced in the United States since the late 1970s. In the 1990s, it became known as the '''Aviat Eagle''' after Aviat Aircraft purchased rights from Christen Industries. As of 2025, the airplane title has reverted back to the '''Christen Eagle''' after a newly formed Christen Industries renewed production. <ref>{{Cite web |title=The Christen Eagle is Back! {{!}} Aero-News Network |url=https://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?do=main.textpost&id=7A352ABC-73DA-4C3F-AA54-589E02B227A3 |access-date=2026-03-06 |website=www.aero-news.net}}</ref>

==Design== The aircraft was intended to compete with the Pitts Special. Designed by Frank Christensen, originally of Salt Lake City,<ref>Frank L. Christensen</ref> the Eagle II is marketed in kit form for homebuilding. The Eagle II is a small aircraft of conventional configuration with single-bay, equal-span staggered biplane wings braced with streamlined flying and landing wires and an I-strut to form a box truss. The pilot and a single passenger sit in tandem underneath a large bubble canopy. The tailwheel undercarriage is fixed, with the mainwheels mounted on spring aluminum legs. The main wheels are housed in streamlined fairings. The fuselage and tail are constructed of chromoly steel welded tube, with the forward fuselage skinned in aluminum and the rear fuselage and tail covered in fabric. The wing structure is Sitka spruce wood and fabric covered. The engine cowling is fiberglass. By 2011 over 350 aircraft were flying.<ref name="WDLA11">Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: ''World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011–12'', page 94. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X</ref><ref name="WDLA15">Tacke, Willi; Marino Boric; et al: ''World Directory of Light Aviation 2015–16'', page 98. Flying Pages Europe SARL, 2015. {{ISSN|1368-485X}}</ref>

==Operational history== thumb|Christen Eagle II In 1979, the Eagles Aerobatic Team (Charlie Hillard, Tom Poberezny, and Gene Soucy) chose the Christen Eagle as a replacement for their Pitts Special airshow act "The Red Devils". The act continued until 1995. All three Christen Eagles hang from the lobby of the EAA Airventure Museum in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.<ref>{{cite web|title=Christen Eagles The Iron Eagles Aerobatic Team flew 2 identical Christen Eagle 540 aircraft from 1992–2014 |url=http://museum.eaa.org/collection/aircraft/Christen%20Eagles.asp#TopOfPage |access-date=29 March 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719095849/http://museum.eaa.org/collection/aircraft/Christen%20Eagles.asp |archive-date=19 July 2011 }}</ref>

==Variants== ;Christen Eagle I: Single seat variant. Lycoming AEIO-540 {{convert|260|hp|abbr=on}}. First design model, built at the San Carlos Airport. Four airframes built, one is now based in Dallas Texas, the other 3 are in the EAA Museum in Oshkosh WI.

;Christen/Aviat Eagle II: Most common variant, two seat dual controls. Lycoming AEIO-360.{{convert|200|hp|abbr=on}} The first Eagle II produced (Serial #001) is on display at the [http://Connecticut_Air_%26_Space_Center Connecticut Air & Space Center] in Stratford, CT.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ctairandspace.org/ |title=Home |website=ctairandspace.org}}</ref>

;Christen Super Eagle I 540: Two built. Lycoming AEIO-540 {{convert|300|hp|abbr=on}}. Formerly flown by the Iron Eagles aerobatic team, now owned by Professional Pilots based in Texas and Alaska.

;Christen Super Eagle II: Several examples built, two seats, limited fuel tanks.

==Specifications== {{Aircraft specs |ref=Jane's All the World's Aircraft 2003–2004<ref name="jawa03p521">{{Harvnb|Jackson|2003|p=521}}</ref> |prime units?=imp  |genhide=

|crew=Two |capacity= |length m= |length ft=17 |length in=11 |span m= |span ft=19 |span in=11 |height m= |height ft=6 |height in=6 |wing area sqm= |wing area sqft=125.0 |empty weight kg= |empty weight lb=1025 |gross weight kg= |max takeoff weight lb=1578 |fuel capacity={{convert|24|USgal|impgal L|abbr=on}} usable  |eng1 number=1 |eng1 name=Textron Lycoming AEIO-360-A1D |eng1 type=air-cooled flat-four |eng1 kw= |eng1 hp=200

|prop blade number=2 |prop name=Hartzell HC-C2YK-4/C7666A-2 constant-speed propeller |prop dia m= |prop dia ft=6 |prop dia in=4 |prop dia note=<ref name="jawa03p804">{{Harvnb|Jackson|2003|p=804}}</ref>  |perfhide=

|avionics= }}

==See also== {{Commons category|Christen Eagle}} {{aircontent  |see also= |related= |similar aircraft= *Acro Sport II *Sorrell Hiperbipe *Steen Skybolt *Pitts Special |lists= }}

==References== {{Reflist}}

*{{cite book |editor-last=Jackson |editor-first=Paul |title=Jane's All the World's Aircraft 2003–2004 |year=2003 |location=Coulsdon, UK |publisher=Jane's Information Group |isbn=0-7106-2537-5 }} *{{cite book |last= Taylor |first= Michael J. H. |title=Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation |year=1989 |publisher=Studio Editions |location=London |pages=254 }} *{{cite book |title=Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1987–88|publisher=Jane's Yearbooks|location=London |pages=585–85 }} *[http://www.aviataircraft.com/eagle.html Manufacturer's website] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20080813005526/http://www.cavanaughflightmuseum.com/Aircraft/Eagle/Page1.html Cavanaugh Flight Museum's Christen Eagle II]

Category:1970s United States sport aircraft Category:Homebuilt aircraft Category:Biplanes Category:Single-engined tractor aircraft Eagle II Category:Aerobatic aircraft Category:Aircraft first flown in 1977 Category:Aircraft with fixed conventional landing gear Category:Single-engined piston aircraft

Aviat Eagle

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