1927 Avro Avian, 7083

The 1927 Avro Avian, 7083, the only flying Avian in North America, is a story in and of itself. While Earhart’s original Avro Avian has been lost to time, this Avian has been fully restored to match Earhart’s perfectly, complete with the same official U.S. registration number (7083) and British registration (G-EBUG). Following are some facts about Avro and the Avro Avian, 7083.

- A.V. Roe and Company, established in 1910 and the first company to be registered as an airplane manufacturer, manufactured Avro Avian airplanes in England. The company later evolved into Avro International Aerospace and is now part of British Aerospace.

- Avro Avian airplanes, designed to be lightweight and sporty, are tandem seat, open-cockpit biplanes where the pilot and the passenger sit one in front of the other. The fuselage is made of fabric covered wood, with an aluminum engine cowling.

- During the late 1920s and early 1930s, Avro Avian aircraft were a popular choice among well-known aviation personalities including Lady Mary Heath, Bert Hinkler and most notably Amelia Earhart. Among many record-setting flights, Lady Heath flew her Avian 8,000 miles from Cape Town, South Africa to London in 1928. Similarly, Hinkler set many aviation records in his Avian and perhaps is best known for his 11,000-mile solo flight from England to Australia in 1928. Before the Avro Avian 7083 was acquired by vintage aircraft collector Greg Herrick, the airplane had been used to re-create this famous Hinkler flight.

- Before its U.S. registration, the Avro Avian, 7083 was registered in Australia as G-AUFZ, serial number R3/AV/127. Later in 1930, the registration was changed to VH-UFZ. When Herrick purchased it from Australian aviator Lang Kidby in February 2001, it was the oldest registered flying aircraft in Australia. Despite mixed emotions of removing the airplane from its homeland, Herrick elected to bring it to the United States to re-create Earhart’s 1928 flight across America.

- A number of improvements have been made to the Avro Avian, 7083 since its creation in 1927. Originally equipped with an 84 hp Cirrus II engine, today this Avian features a larger, more reliable engine — the 120 hp Gipsy Mk. II as in later models. Similarly, the weaker landing gear on this Avian has been converted from the light Mk. II type to a heavier Mk. IV to avoid landing problems.

Specifications

Maximum speed: 102 mph

Maximum flight range: 400 miles

Cruise speed: 87 mph

Initial climb: 650 feet per minute

Gas capacity: 35 gallons

Tare weight (weight when empty): 1,130 pounds

Maximum weight: 2,002 pounds

Service ceiling (how high the Avian can fly): 18,000 feet

Wingspan: 28’

Length: 24’ 3"

Height: 8’ 6"