View: counter-clockwise rotating coastline, quickly...
CFI: "Well, that was a two turn spin. Now, that's OK! ....but, I think I asked you for a one turn spin."
Stomach: - gurgle -
Me: "Right. Let's try that again. I love the way this plane entered that spin, it just _flew_ right into it, in one smooth clean motion. I think I may have been captivated..."
CFI: Climb to 3,000 feet. Line up on the coastline again. To the left, one turn this time!
CFI: "Better exit, lined up just about right.
Why do you exit nose really down like
that, with power?" Me: "The aerobatic devil made me do it! That
entry was too slow that time, but I think
I got the one turn and the recovery better..."
Brain: "this is going to be hard...."
Stomach: - gurgle, gurgle -
The place is the coastline Northwest of Watsonville,
California, where I'm sampling the J-3 Reed Clipped
Wing Cub of Stick and Rudder Aviation, a
relatively new tailwheel and aerobatic FBO at
WVI (Watsonville airport). I'm there because I've
always wanted to fly a Cub. They have two at
$37 per hour wet. I'm also there because they
are cheap by California standards! One
Cub is the clipped-wing, the other a standard J-3.
And they have an "air knocker" 7DC Champ, for
those who want to learn of true aileron-rudder
coordination...
First, what is a Cub? Well, the airplane
known as a "Piper Cub" is a tiny tandem two place
high wing monoplane designed by brothers Gilbert
and Gordon Taylor, around aproximately 1930 (!!!).
The airplane was really first "mass-produced" by
the then new Piper Aircraft Company in the year
1937, fitted with 40-horsepower engines. By 1940,
the horsepower had grown to 65, enhancing the
Cub's vertical performance greatly. The J-3 model of the Cub weighed in at about 700
pounds, empty, and had a wingspan of 35.5 feet.
The airplane known as the "clipped wing Cub" was
STCed by old barnstomer Earl Reed of Kansas City,
and very definitely popularized by aerobatic
star Charlie Hillard. The Reed Clipped Wing Cub
has 7 feet of wingspan sawed from the roots of
the wings (3 ribs each side),giving a wingspan of
28 feet, and the lift struts shortened and
"doubled" so there are now two primary (large)
lift struts holding down each wing, rather than
one primary lift strut and one smaller rear strut.
Gross weight remains the same as before the conversion,
1220 pounds.
N58920 of Stick and Rudder Aviation is a Reed
Clipped Wing souped up with the 85-hp engine.
A Cub with an attitude. Rather than stalling
and landing at about 30 to 35 mph, the plane
now lands at closer to 45. A real hot-rod.
Cruise airspeed is easily in the range of 80mph!
With the shorter wings, cross-wind landing
performance is very much enhanced, but what
is really improved is the maneuvering capability.
This airplane rolls ecstatically and is
generally very well balanced. A joy.
Flying from the back seat (where you solo a J-3)
is weird. You can't see over the nose at all
in the landing attitude and must rely on peripheral
vision. My first attempt at landing this way
is terrible (I'm used to a Citabria where you
can see over the nose, just...). The second
and third attempts work better.
The Clipped Wing Cub sure seems like a good bird
for basic airwork and aerobatic training, though,
and at $37 per hour is hard to beat around here.
Check it Out! Stick and Rudder is at Watsonville,
CA airport (WVI) 724-2759. Talk to Steve or Paul.
Nosewheel-trained pilots will be amazed!
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What is a clipped wing Cub, anyway?