kcabpilot
Registered User
Okay, this isn't about a PA-18, it's about a J3 but what the hell, it's a Cub right?
My local FBO has a J3 for rent. It's normally just sitting inside the hangar admired but not flown much. I've pondered the thought for the past year, nahh!, what for? Well why not? How hard could it be to fly that cute little bugger around? So today I decided I'd get checked out in the Cub. After a refresher on the Armstrong Starter techniques I volunteered to do the grunt work and she lit off with an eager pop.
So I climbed into the back seat. Now I know how a horse, or any other such animal that has it's eyes on opposite sides of it's head, sees the world with zero forward vision. I took over the controls and somehow got my feet onto those little heel brakes rediculously buried under the front seat. Man, I hope I don't ever have to actually USE these things! I taxied to the end of the runway with my head stuck out the open clamshell door and the propwash in my face - way cool! I used my toes on the brake pedals for the runup, pulled onto the active, lined up with the centerline and poured on the coals - all 65 of em' Later on, as we passed through 200 feet about three miles from the airport I was thinking 'Man, now this is real flyin!' We did some airwork, turns, slow flight and stalls then headed back for touch and goes. Hey - how hard can this be?
Well the rest I'm not too proud of. Basically I was all over the runway with a lifted wing, on one wheel, a couple of bolters and one that I can only describe as a dropped ping-pong ball. All in a paltry 5kt crosswind. I was humbled.
But I did get at least two decent ones and man it was a total blast. It will probably take me another couple hours or so to get signed off but the prospect of how that sucker is gonna climb with just me onboard nearly takes my breath away
My local FBO has a J3 for rent. It's normally just sitting inside the hangar admired but not flown much. I've pondered the thought for the past year, nahh!, what for? Well why not? How hard could it be to fly that cute little bugger around? So today I decided I'd get checked out in the Cub. After a refresher on the Armstrong Starter techniques I volunteered to do the grunt work and she lit off with an eager pop.
So I climbed into the back seat. Now I know how a horse, or any other such animal that has it's eyes on opposite sides of it's head, sees the world with zero forward vision. I took over the controls and somehow got my feet onto those little heel brakes rediculously buried under the front seat. Man, I hope I don't ever have to actually USE these things! I taxied to the end of the runway with my head stuck out the open clamshell door and the propwash in my face - way cool! I used my toes on the brake pedals for the runup, pulled onto the active, lined up with the centerline and poured on the coals - all 65 of em' Later on, as we passed through 200 feet about three miles from the airport I was thinking 'Man, now this is real flyin!' We did some airwork, turns, slow flight and stalls then headed back for touch and goes. Hey - how hard can this be?
Well the rest I'm not too proud of. Basically I was all over the runway with a lifted wing, on one wheel, a couple of bolters and one that I can only describe as a dropped ping-pong ball. All in a paltry 5kt crosswind. I was humbled.
But I did get at least two decent ones and man it was a total blast. It will probably take me another couple hours or so to get signed off but the prospect of how that sucker is gonna climb with just me onboard nearly takes my breath away