Aeronca 65-TAF Defender
NC36817 (c/n
F1561TA)
The
Aeronca 'Tandem' was designed specifically for the CPTP pilot-training
program. One of
the more notable features
about this trim little trainer was the fact that the rear seat was
positioned
some 5 inches higher
than the front seat for better visibility from the back. Because
of this feature
these aircraft became
known as 'High-Chair Aeroncas'. Three different engine
choices were
available, as the
65-TAC; 65-TAL and 65-TAF. The above machine has the Franklin
4AC-176-B2
engine rated at 65 hp at
2250 rpm. The above image came from a 1942 Aeronca
brochure and,
improbable though it
may sound, this aircraft was still on the register into the 1990s.