Citabria Super Decathlon: the aircraft Steve Fossett used

The aircraft that world aviation record holder Steve Fossett was flying when he went missing is a Citabria Super Decathlon, these planes entered production back in 1970 in the United States and was used for many roles these include personal use, flight training and can also be used for aerobatic use. The Citabria Super Decathlon replaced the standard Citabria, as it was much stronger and far more powerful.

The fuselage and its tail surfaces have been made from welded metal tubing; the outer shape of the fuselage has been constructed from wood and then covered in fabric. The wingspan of the Citabria Super Decathlon is 32 feet which also has a symmetric airfoil design; this helps to make the plan more manoeuvrable.

The engine used in the Citabria Super Decathlon is fuel injected; this helps the plane manoeuvre better while in negative g flight. The maximum speed of the plan is 200mph and a cruise speed of 128mph.

The plane has a range of 563 miles, and a service celing of 15,800 feet with a rate of climb of 1,280 ft/min.