Globe Gc-1 Swift (GC1)
i
ICAO GC1 Small

Globe Gc-1 Swift

Single Piston· 539 globally registered

The American Champion 7GCBC Citabria is a two-seat, high-wing taildragger that has been the backbone of American aerobatic training and backcountry flying since the 1960s. Built by American Champion Aircraft in Rochester, Wisconsin, the Citabria ("airbatic" spelled backward) evolved from the Aeronca Champ lineage and remains in production today, prized for its rugged steel-tube fuselage, fabric covering, and forgiving handling characteristics. Powered by a 150-horsepower Lycoming O-320 engine, the 7GCBC variant adds a constant-speed propeller and extended fuel capacity, making it equally at home practicing loops and spins over a grass strip or hauling gear into remote mountain valleys. With a maximum takeoff weight of just 1,800 pounds and a stall speed below 45 knots in landing configuration, the Citabria operates comfortably from short, unimproved strips that would challenge most tricycle-gear aircraft. Its +5/-2G aerobatic certification and docile stall behavior make it a favorite among tailwheel instructors and sport pilots, while its tandem seating and excellent visibility appeal to backcountry adventurers. The type's simplicity (no electrical system required, hand-propping possible, minimal avionics) keeps operating costs low and maintenance straightforward, contributing to its enduring popularity in the general aviation fleet. SkyMeter has tracked 106 flights across 43 airframes and 43 operators, with FINNEGAN AVIATION SERVICES LLC the largest observed operator.

✈
ACTIVE AIRFRAMES
43
last 7 days
🏢
OPERATORS
43
unique airlines
📊
FLIGHTS
106
tracked
⏱
AVG DURATION
30m
per flight
⚠
INCIDENT RATE
7.5%
8 flagged
ⓘ

Safety in context

The incident rate counts flights with ANY safety event detected by SkyMeter: go-arounds (a routine response, not a failure), unstable-approach gate flags (advisory thresholds), rejected takeoffs (the system working as designed), and runway events. It is NOT an accident rate or fatality rate. For accident statistics, refer to the NTSB Aviation Accident Database (USA) or the Aviation Safety Network. See methodology for what each event type measures.

Performance

Speed envelope & approach

Vref
48 kt
Vref range
—
Vmo
—
Mmo
—
Vne
140 kt
Vno
114 kt
Vs0 (landing)
43 kt
Vfe
90 kt
Approach category
A

Dimensions

Airframe geometry

Wingspan
29 ft
Length
21 ft
Tail height
6 ft
Wheelbase
13 ft
Gear width
10 ft
Wake category
Light

Weight & identification

Operating limits

MTOW
1,975 lb
MALW
1,975 lb
Manufacturer model
Globe GC-1 Swift
FAA designator
GC1
Registered
539

Safety profile

Flagged flights · last 7 days

Family

Related variants

0

No related variants.

Recent incidents

Flagged flights of GC1

20
10/22/2026
33m
△ Low approach-stability score
10/20/2026
23m
△ Low approach-stability score
10/20/2026
49m
△ Low approach-stability score
10/19/2026
35m
△ Low approach-stability score
10/18/2026
27m
△ Low approach-stability score
10/14/2026
19m
△ Low approach-stability score
10/14/2026
19m
△ Low approach-stability score
10/14/2026
27m
△ Low approach-stability score
10/8/2026
1h 31m
△ Low approach-stability score
10/8/2026
22m
△ Low approach-stability score

Recent flights

Real flights of GC1 · airborne ≥ 20 min

30
10/23/2026
1h 7m
No alerts
10/23/2026
1h 28m
No alerts
10/23/2026
1h 14m
No alerts
10/23/2026
20m
No alerts
10/23/2026
2h 39m
No alerts
10/23/2026
28m
No alerts
10/23/2026
2h 4m
No alerts
10/22/2026
27m
No alerts
10/22/2026
38m
No alerts
10/22/2026
38m
No alerts
10/22/2026
33m
△ Low approach-stability score
10/22/2026
40m
No alerts
10/22/2026
49m
No alerts
10/21/2026
33m
No alerts
10/21/2026
41m
No alerts
10/21/2026
35m
No alerts
10/21/2026
21m
No alerts
10/21/2026
54m
No alerts
10/21/2026
56m
No alerts
10/21/2026
22m
No alerts
10/21/2026
22m
No alerts
10/21/2026
52m
No alerts
10/21/2026
1h 16m
No alerts
10/21/2026
21m
No alerts
10/21/2026
23m
No alerts
10/21/2026
20m
No alerts
10/21/2026
45m
No alerts
10/20/2026
23m
△ Low approach-stability score
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© SkyMeter · All flight data subject to ODbL attribution · Tracking window: 7 days (free tier)