The PA-18 Supercub - NZ Ardmore

[cloudhigh]

Folks,
It has come to my attention that people are after bars on their shoulders and missing the best bits of aviation and flying itself! :ugh:
Nothing like flying a Piper Cub with the window open at 80 kts low level around some islands.
People must remember that this aircraft is a training aircraft so no it doesn't fly very fast and no it doesn't have a lot of things that modern day aircraft have and it’s because of those reasons pilots today are still being trained in it.

Must say I never knew the option was their until I started talking to people.
Well I'm here talking to you now! :ok:

If anyone wants to be given the opportunity to fly the Piper Super cub let me know.
Based at Ardmore, Auckland.
Welcome to www.flythecub.net - Home of BTU - Ardmore (http://www.flythecub.net)

[j3pipercub]

80 kts is waaaaay too fast, but then again, you're flying one o'them hotted up sooper ones...

Queens Birhday weekend I'm taking a j3 on a roadtrip. I say roadtrip cos you could probably drive there faster :)

j3

[Jabawocky]

I am going to do some J3ing tomorrow as well. :ok:

[Aerozepplin]

Ahhhh the cub. Nothing makes me smile like a slow speed jaunt in one. Could they have made an easier plane to fly?

Anyone got some interesting comparisons with the J3 vs PA18? I've only flown the super cub, haven't plucked up the courage to ask one of the grumpy buggers who seem to own all the J3s for a ride yet.

[VH-XXX]

The Cubs are really making a come-back with many a version available now including carbon fibre. The Savage Cub seems the pick of the bunch over here, nice machine and the default colour is classic yellow of course... Would be a fun little machine on floats too.

[cloudhigh]

That is the problem with those planes, you can drive sometimes quicker (depending on terrain) however my car over a cub? yeah the car would be up for sale.

Must say the ye ol J3 would be interesting to have a go in!

[j3pipercub]

You joining the dark side Jaba? :)

As far as PA-18 vs j3, if you want to go anywhere, take the Super cub, but if you just want to mess around and have a ball within 70NM of the airfield, go the j3. The yellow, the exposed cylinders and the hand swinging, just awesome...

[PyroTek]

Just love the cub! It's almost the only thing I've been flying as of late.. the J3 type. Same on Jaba is flying tomorrow.
Very very good fun, turns a few heads also!

:ok:Pyro

[Andy_RR]

I fondly remember my tailwheel endorsement time in G-BBYB at the Tiger Club, Headcorn.

I also remember discovering, whilst doing solo circuits, they lack the auto-land capability of, say, a C152... Thankfully, the only damage was to the pride and underwear.

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-sf2p/v140/72/18/540947803/n540947803_188209_2444.jpg

ah, happy days!

[Biggles66]

Did my endorsement at Clacton :). Then flew my Jodel all over Europe. Bliss!

[ForkTailedDrKiller]

You joining the dark side Jaba? http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/smilies/smile.gif

Yes, I can see a hacksaw being taken to that funny looking nosewheel on the Retard Vehicle!

Bend the main struts forward a bit - maybe a lump of lead down the back to keep the arse down - and away you go!

Jaba, and the first tail wheel Retard Vehicle Mk10!

Dr :8

[remoak]

Geez you boys and your tail wheels, I don't know... I mean, what's the point? It doesn't let you fly any faster, harder to keep control of on landing, crap visibility when taxying, worse in high winds... what's the attraction? I'm waiting for the penny to drop... so far it hasn't... AND I do have a little tailwheel time (in DC3s). That thing was a bastard to get into... but it was kinda cute I guess, and sounded pretty good at METO...

I might buy a Cub and convert it to tricycle, just for fun... I'll call it the TriPacerRacer conversion... :}

[john_tullamarine]

I might buy a Cub and convert it to tricycle, just for fun

How crass can one be ?

After getting the last glass ship off .. nothing quite like soaring for a while with the engine caged on the SuperCub ...

If it's fun in a Boeing .. it's better in a Cub, even if the latter does qualify for the "if it hasn't got four hosties, it's too small ..."

[remoak]

How crass can one be ?

A lot crasser than that... but I digress... :E

Come on John, you are an expert, what's the attraction? I don't get it. Is it just a romance thing? Or is it an ego thing ("I can fly tailwheels... not like your easy-peasy 152...")?

I mean nobody can seriously believe that there is any advantage to a tailwheel configuration... so why do folk go out and get taildragger endorsements?

Seriously.... not dissing backwards airplanes, just wondering what the attraction is. Maybe not getting it is an aviation stigma in itself...:E

[conflict alert]

I mean nobody can seriously believe that there is any advantage to a tailwheel configuration... so why do folk go out and get taildragger endorsements?

no advantage, something that's just a bit different, of no use to you unless you are going to fly one, bit more arm and leg movement.

[haughtney1]

Come on Remoak, you are just jealous mate....
I learnt to fly in a Super-Cub, probably ground loop the thing these days, mind you, it was always easier to fly with a glider attached...and dont get me started on the "pregnant" Super-Cub.

[john_tullamarine]

A lot crasser than that... but I digress...

as can we all ... pass, brother.

you are an expert

not too sure about that .. however I did read a book or two on a topic or two and that seems to get me out of a few problems here and there ...

Is it just a romance thing? Or is it an ego thing

anyone can go off and buy some taildragger time and make believe play at being a Spitfire pilot .. no can't be that

nobody can seriously believe that there is any advantage to a tailwheel configuration...

So far as the configuration itself goes, outside of rough field work you probably have an argument .. and, having frightened myself witless with hidden obstructions in said rough field work .. there is an argument for staying right away from that sort of thing

However, I reckon that there is a lot of confidence building to be had in tailwheel flying. For instance, the majority of mine is either towing or, to a lesser extent, jump flying. Nothing quite so consistently a complainer as a glider pilot who doesn't get an efficient (read cheap) time to height so one learns quickly to fly the beast accurately .. and then, having used the glider to keep straight on the takeoff .. comes the problem of getting back on the ground with only yourself to defeat the crosswind ... I reckon I learnt a LOT about landing stick and rudder work in a bunch of SuperCub, Callair, and Pawnee time on towing work ... now, the Callair brings back some memories ... how we didn't manage to kill ourselves with full flap landings still amazes me. Then again, Peter F (if the memory is OK) gave me a couple of circuits in a Wittman Tailwind (or something of very similar name?) some decades ago down at Latrobe Valley .. that was a bit different and gave a whole new perspective to my thoughts on directional stability.

so why do folk go out and get taildragger endorsements? bit more arm and leg movement.

I suggest that that is the answer. A few hundred hours in suitable taildraggers and one necessarily learns a few survival skills which probably don't become apparent in the nosegear configuration. Certainly one can transfer those skills to the nose wheel Types one might get to fly...

[desert goat]

True, there's no practical advantage in a taildragger- there's no practical advantage in having a motorbike over a car either, but it doesn't stop 'em being fun:cool:

[spirax]

My experience would suggest that a pilot with tail-wheel time would usually have better stick and rudder skills than one that has only flown nose-wheel types. And the fun factor is significantly greater! Not to mention what it can do for the confidence..:ok::ok:

[ForkTailedDrKiller]

there's no practical advantage in a taildragger

You need to get out more!

I have put taildraggers in places no trike would ever venture and seen others put them into places I would never venture!

Dr :8

[remoak]

Hey, if you need a helicopter... buy one... :}

Seriously though, I watched the Aviat Husky video and I understand now... :D:D:D

I SEEEEEEEN de light!!!!!! Hallelujah!!!!

[slackie]

...and name me any trike that's even a half decent aerobat??

[haughtney1]

...and name me any trike that's even a half decent aerobat??
Ummm F15,16,18,22 :}:E

[frigatebird]

Even more fun at the time..
J3 Kitten single seater with VW engine -
http://i784.photobucket.com/albums/yy129/bird__photo/ultralights/scan0009.jpg

[remoak]

..and name me any trike that's even a half decent aerobat??

Ummm Shorts Tucano, BAe Hawk, and what about them Harvards and Yaks and stuff?

The only reason those little carbon fibre thingies are taildraggers is that it is the only way to keep those big props away from the ground!

[Frank Arouet]

what's the point? It doesn't let you fly any faster,

A PA-22 does 7 knots better with a tailwheel than the nose gear. Imagine the drag of a bloody great nosewheel on a DC3 for example.

But of more importance a taildragger is a "CONVENTIONAL AIRCRAFT" a tricycle is not!:rolleyes:

[j3pipercub]

Ummm Shorts Tucano, BAe Hawk, and what about them Harvards and Yaks and stuff?

Just a small point, I thought a Harvard was a tailwheel?

And remoak, if you convert any cub to a tricycle, I will hunt you down and convert you into a tricycle...:}

j3

[Frank Arouet]

http://i465.photobucket.com/albums/rr13/scud_2008/001-2-1.jpg

[tinpis]

The year this photo was taken you could have hired her for about 3 pounds six shillings
All over grass airfield NORAD but lights from the tower .


http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y150/tinpis/aviation/ZK-BKUb.jpg

[Frank Arouet]

Young blokes today will never have it as good, even with all their "wizbangery". When I was short of money and couldn't afford the outrageous rates of 1970 on the Canterbury Cub, I'd go to Wigwram and fly gliders. In Sydney, 1968, I flew lots of hours in VH-MUG, a C172 from the Aviation Centre, for $10 per hour solo.

And, on an average wage, I could afford it. What's happened since???

[Exaviator]

One has to agree that there is nothing like flying a SuperCub for the sheer pleasure of basic flying, particularly on a nice day with no turbulence and your landing strip is some virgin snow on the top of Mount Whistler in BC Canada.

http://i954.photobucket.com/albums/ae22/Exaviator/TheHalversonCub.jpg?t=1275723034:ok:

[27/09]

Tinny,

That Cub is still on the register. If I'm not mistaken about the airfield, that hanger is still there and the houses in the background as well, but the nearby control tower has been replaced.

[slackie]

Ummm F15,16,18,22 http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/smilies/badteeth.gifhttp://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/smilies/evil.gif
They're not "aerobats"!! I'd like to see any of them perform any significant -ve G manouevres let alone gyroscopic manouevres, (how the hell do you spell that "m" word?).

I will concede the Yak 52 is "half decent", but it's one of the only ones.

And yes they do need the prop clearance, but if a trike was the "preferred" method then the Extra 300 would be 10 feet tall with a nose wheel...how bad would that look!!!:eek::mad:

Anyway, back to the thread. Whilst I've flown a couple of SuperCubs, I'd really like to try a J3, no radios, no electrics, door/window open....there's something to be said for going "back to basics"!!

[tinpis]

27/09 Correctamento! A few years earlier this would have been parked beside it
Slackie would have liked the old tower, nothin to do all day but smoke cigarettes and drink tea and fire lights at Fletchers .

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y150/tinpis/02-08-08-467.jpg

[remoak]

Just a small point, I thought a Harvard was a tailwheel?

Sorry my bad, was thinking T-28 Trojan but typed Harvard (looks like a Harvard except it has the wheel in the correct place)...

[Aerozepplin]

the wheel in the correct place

You're a bad bad person. :=

[remoak]

yeah I get that a lot... :}

[haughtney1]

I'd like to see any of them perform any significant -ve G manouevres let alone gyroscopic manouevres,

Never seen an F22 up close doin its thing Slackie? trust me, talking to the driver last year at Farnborough during the trade day...he pulls plenty of -ve.
Interestingly, he flys an edge 540 in his spare time..:ok: