A pre-war Chief of a different color, the "Citabria®" was first introduced by the Aeronca Champion Aircraft Corp. in the mid 1960's. Their famous Aeronca Champ, a plane in which d.freemont took his 1st airplane ride, was the basis for the souped-up and acrobatic air worthy plane known as the "Citabria®."  Citabria® spelled backwards is Airbatic.
The Airbatic “Citabria®” is sacred to d.freemont because of the relationship not only to the creator (df), but also for the relationship it has to famous persons.  The Taylor Craft Corp, after a series of buyouts, nurtured this great little airplane into the famous “Citabria®”… derivation of the name is Airbatic spelled backward, now owned by Bellanca Aircraft.  The principal engine was a Lycoming, interestingly; df graduated from Lycoming College in Lycoming County, Pa,  the site of Lycoming Engine Corp.  Originally built in north western Pennsylvania, these airplanes were used in greater numbers as trainers – in fact, df had his earliest training in one. The death of the world famous airman Steve Fossett in a Citabria® has many thinking about the unusual circumstances, like the great number of pilots lost in what is now called the Nevada triangle. Steve lost his life on a clear day less than 100 miles from his field. Some of his remains were located a year later. Is there any mystery here… df thinks so! The Citabria® is a fully certified Airbatic aircraft with more than adequate power to negotiate excessive winds and turbulence at lower altitudes.  The Nevada triangle is now being scrutinized by many associated with recently complied facts about lost aircraft in the neighborhood of Area 51.