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Ferrying a Super Cub to Bolivia

What about....thinking about a radar dome on the E3 Sentry....something like a roof mount car luggage carrier? Cept...it would look like an oblong drop tank mounted above the fuselage....Structure is there...wing attach fittings.. streamline tubing to create the tank support structure... plumb into one of the fuel level sight gauges and install a little ball valve...


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it would be pretty easy to fab one of those up using aluminum & rivets, put the seams out on the sides, some pro seal.... do the bottom mount with angle aluminum cross ways? rivet that to floor first and pro seal before doing sides....
 
rTE.PNGWould this work from Trinidad?
Georgetown and Boa Vista airports are ports of entry, miles are approx. (Google Earth).

TTPP> SYGO 300NM
SYGO>SBBV 280NM
SBBV>SBEG 355NM
SBEG>SWHT 320NM Carry 20 gallons from Manaus to Humaita and land there to pour it in, or buy car gas.
SWHT>SBPV 90NM
SBPV>SBVH 327NM
SBVH>SLVR 345NM
 

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Looking into the cruise prop idea. Got one 30 gallon tank in the backseat area and there is still lots of room for more. 60 gals back there would make me happy.

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For a trip of that distance, it seems like a cruise prop is essential. Is Brian Sutton’s constant speed prop an option? It sure makes long trips go faster, and would help with the efficiency.

I guess the problem would be finding someone who wants it when you get to your destination .
 
Interesting dilemma - a Super Cub I fly was ferried across the Atlantic, I can see it been done with a belly tank, but not sure how you stay within CofG envelope with a large ferry tank in the rear.


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I thought I would give an update on this ferry project.

I tested two cruise props and the results were interesting.
I didn't have OAT so the True airspeed calculations are approximate but conditions were similar.
When testing the 76/60 prop I had 120 pounds of extra weight in the rear baggage.

The airplane is a bit draggy with 7 degrees incidence, 35s, TK1s, dual shock T3, safety cables, and a belly pod.

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Catto 86/38
Redline 2700 rpm - 103 mph (about half throttle?)
Static ~ 2350 (can't hold it, brakes slip, tires slip or tail comes up)
Cruise @ 6500 ft and 7.7 gph - 84 indicated ~ 93 mph TAS (2500 rpm)


Sensenich 76EMS - 54 pitch
Full throttle at 1500 ft - 2750+ (115 mph)
Static 2520+
Cruise @ 6500 ft and 7.6 gph - 88 indicated ~ 97 mph TAS (2450 rpm)


Sensenich 76EMM - 60 pitch
Full throttle @ 1500 ft 2650 rpm ~ 117 mph
Static ~ 2350 rpm
Cruise @ 6500 ft and 7.7 gph - 88 indicated ~ 97 TAS (2400 rpm)

I matched up the EGTs to the same temp each time on cylinder #1 at 7.7 gph to give the most apples to apples comparison.
I really liked the way the 54 pitch performed. A 56 might be a little better in cruise?
The 60 would be a great break-in prop but otherwise didn't seem very useful on a draggy Cub.

The difference between the Catto and the 54 seemed about the same as the difference between the 54 and the 60 in takeoff and climb. The 60 really suffered with two people and full fuel.

I'm thinking I'll stick with the Catto and not bother buying a cruise prop and paying import duty on it.

We have two 29 gal tanks that will be installed in the rear seat area and baggage area totaling 58 gal. My empty CG with 6 qts. oil is 11.1 so the CG works out fine.

Usable Fuel ~ 90
Longest Legs - 650 sm (Brasil)
Climb Fuel Allowance - 5 gals
Reserve Fuel - 20 gals

Cruise 95 MPH TAS @ 6500 ft (I'll go higher if weather permits)
Cruise fuel burn 8 gph

This basically gives me 8+ hours at 95 mph (8 x 95) = 760 miles

With a 15 mph headwind (8 x 80 mph) = 640 miles + 10 miles covered during the climb = 650 miles

More than 15 mph headwind I relax in a hotel and wait for a better day ;)
 

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Longest Legs - 650 sm (Brasil)

This basically gives me 8+ hours at 95 mph (8 x 95) = 760 miles

With a 15 mph headwind (8 x 80 mph) = 640 miles + 10 miles covered during the climb = 650 miles

More than 15 mph headwind I relax in a hotel and wait for a better day ;)
DING, DING, DING! These numbers are ringing cautionary bells in my mind. Let's say that your forecast headwind on the 650 mile Brasil leg is 10 mph. You decide that it is a go. 450 miles into the trip the wind increases to 20 mph on the nose. Now what????? Mixture gets squeezed as far as possible, the pilot's seat becomes uncomfortable, the pucker factor rises, the jungle becomes more dense, NOW WHAT ?????? Having been in this position in the middle of Canada, I'm concerned for your thinking and safety. Perhaps the wind never blows that high in that part of the World? I don't know the answer to that.
 
It's nice and a testament to the value to this forum when a new "Thread" is started in this case a question being asked,
creative answers and discussion from this resource of knowledge and wit
and then to read it is actually coming together and ultimately fulfilled.
DJ please be safe and keep us informed.

40M
 
DING, DING, DING! These numbers are ringing cautionary bells in my mind. Let's say that your forecast headwind on the 650 mile Brasil leg is 10 mph. You decide that it is a go. 450 miles into the trip the wind increases to 20 mph on the nose. Now what????? Mixture gets squeezed as far as possible, the pilot's seat becomes uncomfortable, the pucker factor rises, the jungle becomes more dense, NOW WHAT ?????? Having been in this position in the middle of Canada, I'm concerned for your thinking and safety. Perhaps the wind never blows that high in that part of the World? I don't know the answer to that.
Good points. If it happens before the halfway point I'll have to turn around. After the halfway point I've got my reserve to help with surprises.
Honestly with a load it may be a little slower too.
Brazil usually wants you over 10,000 ft for radio contact so the key will be to start early and be on the ground by 3pm to avoid convective activity.
My numbers at 12,500 were 90 mph TAS at 7 gph. The Catto does seem to run out of pitch for cruise high up. That is where I think the Sensenich props would give me more options.

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You’re getting into the rainy season in the amazon. Weather could be more of a problem. Then there’s the Amazon low, a year-round E-W front, moving N and S, stretching from ground level to 35K, that must be taken into account. If possible follow rivers, bring a pack raft: your best chance @ self rescue. Also, during rainy season, everything floods and the sandbars and rivers disappear. Bolivia will have occasional strong storms out of the south. A lot of the Amazon is cris-crossed with roads, mostly dirt and I think you’ll find many strips to stop at and throw fuel in.


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Be sure to post pictures from time to time. This sounds like and awesome trip. Do you have a tracking link that we can follow along real time. We sure would enjoy checking your progress real time.

Be safe!

cafi
 
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Finally got the trip underway Tuesday. There was a big low moving north through Florida. Thankfully I only got stuck once. The locals were super friendly and several offered me wheels to go to town. Finally made it to the gulf coast.20180515_123248.jpg20180515_153015.jpg

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Landed X05 north of Tampa to pick up a life raft. Big shout out to Larry at Wings of Eagles (ferry flight company) who donated a used raft. The airport looked deserted at first but in 30 minutes I had three offers to stay the night! The Cub wanted to socialize with a Helio Courier and Citabria so we stayed with Andrew and Erika a super awesome pilot couple.20180515_220322.jpg

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Got an early start to escape more Florida weather.20180516_070225.jpg

Then on to KFXE. You know your Cub is slow when at max speed on 1 mile final the tower clears an a Cirrus for an intersection takeoff.20180516_134631.jpg
The tires generate a lot of attention.
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T3 prototype shocks ain't happy with the load.

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From KFXE it was supposed to be a short hop to the Bahamas in the afternoon. Headwinds and weather over the islands made it a long slog. Hard to feel cool when you are making 60 kts groundspeed with cells building everywhere. 13,500 ft turned out to be the max ceiling at ferry weight. Everytime I would see a low area to pop over it would build before I could get there. After a big detour, almost to Cuban airspace I found a spot to get through. 20180516_141830.jpeg20180516_164750.jpeg
Landed in Stella Maris on Long Island. The airport was deserted but some friendly pilots ferrying a brand new Cirrus helped me tie the Cub down amid swarms of mosquitoes. 20180516_184423.jpg

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Just want to take a minute for a big shout out to the Cub community in Georgia. I wouldn't have made it out of there with the help of Charlie Aileron, William and others. Also Clint at Vetterman exhaust rushed me a new muffler when I found a crack in one of mine last minute.

Stella Maris is quaintly small and out of the way. Oh, and expensive!20180517_121037.jpg.20180517_082430.jpg20180517_105006.jpg20180517_104957.jpg

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I went high to avoid 25kt headwinds down low. I still had 10-15 on the nose at 12K. I did find myself thinking fondly of the M20J I did this trip in last time. 1600 nm range, an autopilot, IFR capability and 155 KTAS cruise, hmmm.20180517_133609.jpg20180517_121058.jpg
Next stop was Punta Cana in the DR. Slightly cheaper than the Bahamas and three times as nice! No mosquitoes either.

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