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Northstar Cub

Bill Rusk

BENEFACTOR
Sandpoint, Idaho
There is a link on this site to the Northstar Cub Clone. Anybody ever seen one, flown one, or built one? A lot of the stuff seems pretty dated. Are they still available? Just curious.

Bill
 
I saw one a fellow near Winston Salem is just now finishing. It looks really good. Quite well built. An impressive airplane, however quite a bit heavier.
 
Bill, I live 7.2 miles from Custom Flight. The original prototype is on the field next door approx 1/2 mile up the road. Al King, on here, has one as well 8 miles east of me and another just finished and flying across town. Nice airplane, squared wing tips and great performance. Flaps like two barn doors that come down what seems like 90*.

Website is out of date as all effort is spent in the shop getting kits out the door and working on their latest Galaxy project with the M462 Radial on the nose.

It would be a toss up between it and the Smith Cub...but think you'd probably get a kit quicker out of the Smiths. You'd have to give CFlight a call and see if they have a full kit available for immediate purchase. Historically the wait can be unbearable if they don't.
 
Irishfield

Thanks for the reply. Any idea how many are flying and how many kits are out there? Just trying to get this in perspective a little. There has been lots of discussion on the Smith Kits (I have one on order) but not much to no discussion on the Northstar. Thanks for the info.

Bill
 
Steve Herrick has been to a number of the supercub.org events in his Northstar. It is a real nice machine. He is in colorado and is a heck of a nice guy. Not sure if he watches the site much, but I could probably get you some contact info if you wanted.

sj
 
Northstar

Hi Bill,
I own a Northstarand like Jerry says, it does have lead counterbalance weights on the ailerons. It also has a realistic registered gross of 2450 Lbs. I think as an estimate there are probably about 35-40 kits out there somewhere. Mine was the third one flying and I would guess there are about 10 or 12 actually flying.
It is a really good airplane but I don't know how it compares to a supercub. I have never flown a cub, I sort of learned how to get a plane off the ground in a 172, but I taught myself how to fly the Northstar.
I had almost no time in a taildragger and hadn't flown anything for 3 years when I first flew the Northstar, anyway it doesn't bite newbies.
It's a very stable aircraft, and what it really does well is fly slow, land in short fields, and it is a pretty good platform for aerobatics.
It can do a 59 degree banked turn at about 30 mph. With the wings vertical it will climb in a spiral at about 1600 Lbs.
The flaps are about 22 square feet are a semi fowler design and extend about 60 degrees. There is so much flap you almost can't use it all. The sink rate is about 1500 Ft /min, and it is hard to judge the flare. Your touchdown point is under the airplane, you have to judge your vertical hieght with your peripheral vision to flare. You can also do a full side slip with all the flaps out and maintain control. Top speed is 115 with Borer 82x42 stall is about 28-30 with some flap no power.
I don't mind e-mail and would like to know about anyone else who has one of these.
Al King
awking@sympatico.ca
 
Bill,

There are two Northstar's in the Medford area. One flying and the other still in the process of being built. Construction is comparable to a Mack truck, big heavy tubbing in the fuselage, heavy wings with stamped ribs. Huge flaps, 60 deg semi fowler type and a nice feal on the controls. had cub type doors on both sides and nice access panels in the tail and boot cowl is hinged for access. The one I am familiar with has a 0-360 with 80" constant speed Hartzel. Thing goes like a rocket.

The few things I have against it are.

1- weight, empty weigh in was just under 1300
2- gear leg design. The Northstar that I am familiar with had the gear collapse on it after about 5 hours of flight. Bent the right wing and did minor fuselage damage. He replaced the gear with 3 inch Lee Booty super cub type gear modified to fit.
3- No covers over the gas tanks. I really hate having to cut the fabric to weald up a leaky tank.
4- I like heal brakes, the Northstar has toe brakes.

Good looking airplane though, ought to do real good on floats.
Ill give more info if you ask.
 
I recently emailed a few questions to Morgan Williams of Custom Flight re: his North Star. I thought his answers might be of interest to some:

Are you still selling kits for the North Star?
> Yes

How many kits have you sold?
> 34

How many North Stars are flying?
> about 15

What are the dimensions (wingspan, wing area, etc.)?
> Wing span 36'4", area 190 sq.ft. cord 63"

Can the North Star accommodate a 180 HP engine?
> Yes

How long a wait for delivery?
> Right now six months.

Is there a builder's site that is active?
> No.

Can I order the video?
> We do not have a sales/promotional video. We provide instructional assembly videos with the kit. They can be ordered for $500.00 CDN ,that amount being credited to the kit price when ordering a kit. Detailed info is on our site www.customflightltd.com. I apologize for the price list on the site being out of date, the current kit price is $61,837 CDN

Curious why your kit is about 15k CDN more expensive than the Smith
Aviation Kit. What accounts for the difference?
> I'm surprised that his is so expensive, I thought we were about double. The difference is QUALITY of design and manufacture.

Sincerely
Morgan Williams
Per CF Ltd.
 
norhtstar cub

does any one have any pictures of the northstars fusalage &wing before covering .I would like some pictures, thanks.
 
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