Piper Super Cub : Whats it like?
Join Date: Jan 2003
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Awesome post J.A.F.O.
Mimics my experiences totally.
The best time you have is summer evenings - a breath of wind, buzzin' around at 500' dropping into grass strips with an average length of 350 metres, seeing some friends - everyone loves to see a cub and have a trip if possible.
When I was living in east anglia I did 6 strips in one hour, one evening - just awesome and ended the evening with my mates for a pint in the Gamekeeper at Old Buckenham village (they had 30 mins each as Pax).
Just the best - happy times.
Lister - you lucky chap
Arc
Mimics my experiences totally.
The best time you have is summer evenings - a breath of wind, buzzin' around at 500' dropping into grass strips with an average length of 350 metres, seeing some friends - everyone loves to see a cub and have a trip if possible.
When I was living in east anglia I did 6 strips in one hour, one evening - just awesome and ended the evening with my mates for a pint in the Gamekeeper at Old Buckenham village (they had 30 mins each as Pax).
Just the best - happy times.
Lister - you lucky chap
Arc
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Unless I missed it, no-one mentioned one minor vice on the SuperCub .. from an on-speed trimmed low speed approach to the miss, the forward stick load will catch you by surprise the first couple of times .. be prepared to use both hands and then somehow work out how to wind the trim forward.
Otherwise a fairly conventional tailwheel ... however, I think the fellow who coined the phrase "the most fun you can have with your clothes on" certainly was talking about SuperCubs ...
Otherwise a fairly conventional tailwheel ... however, I think the fellow who coined the phrase "the most fun you can have with your clothes on" certainly was talking about SuperCubs ...
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John,
I'd not noticed that particular vice, probably I did at the time but the memory hasn't stuck. What stays with me is the heel brakes. What kind of twisted mind conceived of that abomination! Made up for in spade by the thrill of meandering along a few hundred feet above the ground in a tandem cockpit.
I'd not noticed that particular vice, probably I did at the time but the memory hasn't stuck. What stays with me is the heel brakes. What kind of twisted mind conceived of that abomination! Made up for in spade by the thrill of meandering along a few hundred feet above the ground in a tandem cockpit.
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Could have been a quirk of the several Cubs I flew (all glider towing and related flying). The Type was my first tailwheel and the instructor gave me a good going over (I had to start towing the next day). The first miss just about gave me heart failure .. the rotten sod had briefed me but then he just sat back laughing (while keeping a close eye on the proceedings).
Great machine for paddocks .. with the gliders, one had plenty of outfield paddock retrieves ... I recall one paddock where the only option, late in the afternoon, was into sun .. long grass and rocks, sheep, etc., make for eyes wide open on the flare and roll out.
I won't relate any other dreadful tales .. pleading the stupidity of youth .. but we collectively did the odd thing or two which probably we would choose not to do now .. can remember thinking that the chap who checked me out for paddock retrieves probably didn't need to do the steep turns under the canopy of a large tree ....
A couple of us, on wave camps in the mountains, would get all the birds launched and then wave soar in the Cubs for an hour or two for the fun of it ..
Towing two gliders to/from camps used to be fun ... .. I recall a couple of such trips where the gliders dropped into country airstrips (several times) rather than run the gauntlet of weather ...
The Blanik which pulled to high tow and off on a booming day at about 300 feet shortly after takeoff ... pity the student in the front seat didn't adhere to the "have a look at the tow rope going after you pull the bung and before you roll off" ... an interesting inverted view of the aerodrome surrounds .. lost the rope and managed to pull out of the departure above the trees .. but not much above ..
Wonderful machines for spot landings .. full slip into the flare ... with the occasional ring and last foot of the cable left on the boundary fence if one didn't judge the approach well ..
The stories can go on and on ...
Can't ever recall any problems with the heel brakes .. but, then again, they never worked all that well anyway.
Seriously, though, I heartily recommend glider towing to any of you who wish to polish up your flying .. nothing like a chap in back who wants a perfect tow in minimum time (=money) to give you unsoughtafter advice post flight on where you went wrong ...
Great machine for paddocks .. with the gliders, one had plenty of outfield paddock retrieves ... I recall one paddock where the only option, late in the afternoon, was into sun .. long grass and rocks, sheep, etc., make for eyes wide open on the flare and roll out.
I won't relate any other dreadful tales .. pleading the stupidity of youth .. but we collectively did the odd thing or two which probably we would choose not to do now .. can remember thinking that the chap who checked me out for paddock retrieves probably didn't need to do the steep turns under the canopy of a large tree ....
A couple of us, on wave camps in the mountains, would get all the birds launched and then wave soar in the Cubs for an hour or two for the fun of it ..
Towing two gliders to/from camps used to be fun ... .. I recall a couple of such trips where the gliders dropped into country airstrips (several times) rather than run the gauntlet of weather ...
The Blanik which pulled to high tow and off on a booming day at about 300 feet shortly after takeoff ... pity the student in the front seat didn't adhere to the "have a look at the tow rope going after you pull the bung and before you roll off" ... an interesting inverted view of the aerodrome surrounds .. lost the rope and managed to pull out of the departure above the trees .. but not much above ..
Wonderful machines for spot landings .. full slip into the flare ... with the occasional ring and last foot of the cable left on the boundary fence if one didn't judge the approach well ..
The stories can go on and on ...
Can't ever recall any problems with the heel brakes .. but, then again, they never worked all that well anyway.
Seriously, though, I heartily recommend glider towing to any of you who wish to polish up your flying .. nothing like a chap in back who wants a perfect tow in minimum time (=money) to give you unsoughtafter advice post flight on where you went wrong ...
There's sometimes a little screw in the cockpit wall just at the right position to skin your knuckles on, so every tug pilot has a permanent scar on the right hand from this...
Join Date: Aug 2003
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...ah, now you are talking.
The Cub is only a start. After mastering that, there are a host of tail-draggers to go for for even more fun......
The Cub is only a start. After mastering that, there are a host of tail-draggers to go for for even more fun......
Why do it if it's not fun?
Join Date: Jul 2001
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Took me a while to find it, but here's my write-up of my first flight in a Cub. Admittedly it was a Super Cub, but close enough to the earlier cubs for the experience to probably be similar.
FFF
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FFF
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Join Date: Jun 2004
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J3 is only an L4 without the extra glazing. They're fun as well, I guess, just don't have as good a view out.
Sometimes it's better not to be able to see out.
Join Date: Nov 2000
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The most tricky part so far I've found is getting into the damn thing!
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Ooh arrgh land
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I hate to tell you all this now... but I have just been informed that the person in the cue ahead of me for the cub share has stopped umming and arrring and decided to take it. That was the last share 
.
So, if anyone wants to post telling me how awful it is, feel free.
Ho hum. Thanks to all anyhow, a great insight. Your posts have certainly opened my eyes to another dimension that is possible.
Regards to all,
Bigal
.So, if anyone wants to post telling me how awful it is, feel free.
Ho hum. Thanks to all anyhow, a great insight. Your posts have certainly opened my eyes to another dimension that is possible.
Regards to all,
Bigal
Big Al
The first share I looked at buying was in an L4 (the one that Lister now has) but it was just a bit too far away for me to get any use out of it; the second share was in a Super Cub but there were reasons why I couldn't go for that one, too. Now I've found a J3 share very near to home and, for reasons which are too dull to go into, I can't afford it.
But I've flown a Cub or two, on my own and in company, front seat and back and one day I'll own one or part of one.
Perhaps this year I'll only manage half an hour on a summer evening with the door open but I'll enjoy what I get.
Never give up.
Out of interest does anyone know how the Husky compares? No, I know I can't afford that, either - I was just curious.
The first share I looked at buying was in an L4 (the one that Lister now has) but it was just a bit too far away for me to get any use out of it; the second share was in a Super Cub but there were reasons why I couldn't go for that one, too. Now I've found a J3 share very near to home and, for reasons which are too dull to go into, I can't afford it.
But I've flown a Cub or two, on my own and in company, front seat and back and one day I'll own one or part of one.
Perhaps this year I'll only manage half an hour on a summer evening with the door open but I'll enjoy what I get.
Never give up.
Out of interest does anyone know how the Husky compares? No, I know I can't afford that, either - I was just curious.