VH-CNO (1) Champion 7EC Traveler
(c/n 7EC-654)
A rare
Box Brownie shot of VH-CNO at Cootamundra in 1959 by Ben
Dannecker. The diminutive
aircraft was in
service with the Cootamundra Flying Club. This was in the days
when Champion
Aircraft painted
their registrations in 'package crate' stencil script.
I have photos of many U.S.
registered ones like
it. (Incidentally I have enlarged the rego section below).
The Traveler had
been imported the
previous year as a new production aircraft by Australian agents Fawcett
Aviation
of Bankstown and registered
VH-CNC in September 1958. It was sold to the Cootamundra Flying
Club on 9 March 1959,
but with a newer 7EC on its way by sea from USA, Fawcett re-registered
it the same day
as VH-CNO to allow their preferred registration VH-CNC to be used again
on the
new machine (7EC-689) in May 1959. Ben's
photo, therefore, was taken between March and
August 1959. At
that latter date the Club re-registered it VH-CFS, when the company
name was
changed to Cootamundra
Flying School. In June 1967 it was
re-registered again, this time to
VH-PTP. Both it and
7EC-689, VH-CNC are still flying.
In his publication Cootamundra Aerodrome, Ben Dannecker
records: "Pilot training at Coota-
mundra recommenced
with Wagga Flying School using Tiger Moths and Chipmunks with
Mr. A. Coote as
instructor. In March 1959 the Club purchased its own
aircraft, a Champion
7EC VH-CNO and Mr. Coote
became permanent instructor. The Club flourished under the
Presidency of Mr. Frank de
Britt, but due to the mercurial nature of aviation finances, the
club ceased operations in the
early 1960s."
