First ever ski flight

Finally got my cub out of the hanger after I installed skis. Bumpy as hell! Does anyone make lighter bungees to soften up the ride a bit?

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Are you talking about the gear bungees? There are different "stiffness" bungees, but the bottom line is that straight skis on bare ice, as in your photo are going to give a rough ride. Nature of the beast.

Get out into some snow, and you'll have a blast.

MTV

That is just the nature of the beast!! I will be happy to stretch them out for ya I really don't think softer bungees would help. Just look at the pic and you have no give between the ski and fuselage. If you have been flying on bushwheels it will feel like you are going to rip the gear off!! Once you get out onto some fresh snow it will be better. Snowmachine groomed strips can really get rough. Look close at you gear bolts when you go back to wheels, I have a buddy that bends at least one every year.
DENNY
edit; I got to learn to type faster mike beat me to it.

Thanks for the input guys, I ask because my instructor mentioned how rough it was and some guys put lighter bungees on for skis. Wasn't too rough at my home strip and was pretty smooth at Red Shirt, but trying to land on big lake it was pretty damn bad. I'll try to stay in less tracked up lakes for the time being.

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On that note, after I finish up my 10 hours to satisfy my insurance company, I'll be looking for some guys to go flying with.

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One thing to bear in mind is that skis can be REALLY tough on airframes. Crossing snowmachine tracs or ski tracks that have set up can make you think the gear is coming off the plane......and it may, depending on how fast you hit them.

Unless there's a groomed strip, I generally try to stay in untracked snow. Of course, there's always a possibility that said snow is hiding something like a log or???

Ski flying is simply the most fun you can have in an airplane. But, it is true off airport flying, which means it's up to the pilot to decide whether a given landing is safe or not.

Here's an article about ski flying that may offer some suggestions: https://backcountrypilot.org/knowledge-base/pilots/ski-flying

MTV

A good instructor will keep you off snowmachine tracked up areas , you are asking for broken gear crashed wrecked airplane if you dont stay off them. think what happens when one ski is on powdery snow and the other impacts a ridge left from a snogo, and or both impact.

AcmeAero GEN 3 Suspension. That’s an upgrade worth checking out.
Good looking cub btw.

Thanks! Good cub to learn in, dont really care about willow rash. Planning on re covering it and throwing a 160 in next fall.

I'll check out that suspension

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That was a good read. Thanks MTV

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ASOS has a STC for a PA 18 and is right off Birchwood. Night and day difference on wheels, I don't think it will help on skis. I will let you know when I get my motor back on.
DENNY