The tailwheel Decathlon is a study in perseverance. The airplane traces its roots back to the Aeronca Champ, by way of the aerobatic-minded American Champion Citabria. In fact, American Champion developed the Decathlon as a better Citabria. The airplane entered production in 1970, but the company was immediately sold to Bellanca. Bellanca built the airplane and the follow-on Super Decathlon until it went belly up in 1981. The Decathlon design passed through the hands of several companies until in 1988 it ended up in the hands of a new company: American Champion Aircraft Corp., which also acquired the Champ, Citabria and Scout designs. The Super Decathlon and other models are being produced to this day at the American Champion factory in Rochester, Wisconsin.