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Northstar Cub

JeffP

Registered User
Michigan
Hi folks, I searched a bit here and found old/little information regarding a Northstar. I ask as I am looking at one and am searching for feedback on this aircraft. It is a low time both engine, air frame and on the surface seems really nice. Hopefully there is some firsthand experience one can share. I am a very low time pilot looking to get an aircraft to explore the back country as well as just some Sunday flying. It seems to be capable of meeting my needs, but would like to hear from others who may experience with these.
 
The original gear from Northstar is week where the shock absorber and tube is welded... Local one here folded under while taxiing and got the wing tip... We put a modified set of heavy duty cub gear on it... The airframes are build like a brick S@#t house.. Big heavy tubes..

The One here is coming up for sale.. Has an 0-360 constant speed up front...

Brian


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Jay Pratt has one and has had no issues that I know of. Started out on small tires and is on Bushwheels now.
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Thanks for such quick replies guys. Brian do you think the gear issue is something that effects all of these or are some made worse with not so perfect landings a new guy like me might have. I am pretty handy with making and modifying tube and pipe structures both aluminum and steel. one of the reasons i want to go experimental is to more easily be able to handle such items.
I have not heard you guys note any bad flying habits the planes may have so I will take that as a positive (other than gear failure lol). I will reach out to Jay but if anyone has any good or bad please feel free to add it. I did leave a deposit and plan to continue with making the purchase short of some sky is falling problem. Also spoke with the designer Morgan up in Canada of course he has great things to say about these planes but also seems extremely helpful and forthcoming as well. This should really fit my desires well and cant thank you guys enough for your direction. Hopefully Jay will share his experience also. As this progresses i will add some pictures of the plane and most likely ask for some direction from some of you more knowledgeable folks. Thanks everyone
 
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Williams and his Northstar were voted best something at OSH 15-20years ago. Maybe best designed kit plane. I've never heard a negative word about it.
 
I have not heard you guys note any bad flying habits the planes may have so I will take that as a positive (other than gear failure lol).

Not possible for me to tell if it is the plane, or the nut holding the stick inside:oops: so comments about habits might be just me!

Not flown them, but never have heard bad other than the above. Something in the back of my mind makes me think that Lou's is a NStar... or could be I am senile:???: or just confused again;-)

If you can not find a few days of reading through a search of old threads, I will be surprised.
 
Morgan Williams advised me couple times on building our Bushmaster, particularly the spring landing gear. The North Star won OSH prize for integrity of its structural engineering and design. I considered seriously building one but went Bushmaster because we had a couple fuselages and decades of gathering Cub parts.
 
Thanks for such quick replies guys. Brian do you think the gear issue is something that effects all of these or are some made worse with not so perfect landings a new guy like me might have. I am pretty handy with making and modifying tube and pipe structures both aluminum and steel. one of the reasons i want to go experimental is to more easily be able to handle such items.
I have not heard you guys note any bad flying habits the planes may have so I will take that as a positive (other than gear failure lol). I will reach out to Jay but if anyone has any good or bad please feel free to add it. I did leave a deposit and plan to continue with making the purchase short of some sky is falling problem. Also spoke with the designer Morgan up in Canada of course he has great things to say about these planes but also seems extremely helpful and forthcoming as well. This should really fit my desires well and cant thank you guys enough for your direction. Hopefully Jay will share his experience also. As this progresses i will add some pictures of the plane and most likely ask for some direction from some of you more knowledgeable folks. Thanks everyone

I'm going to say that it is probably just a few of them... There are two NStar's around here and only the one had the gear fold under...

Both airplanes do not have a lot of time on them... I have been maintaining one of them due to the owner/builder just not wanting to turn wrenches anymore... That airplane has been damaged a few times... First the gear failure... Then he got off a runway into some soft stuff and ground looped it... Then he taxied into a ditch and got the prop... Last he landed on a side road with huge pot holes, lost control and wound up in an irrigation canal... I rebuilt the left wing twice and another A&P friend has gone through the engine and did some airframe repairs... Now the owner is wanting to get it airworthy again and sell it, he is done with flying..

The other aircraft belongs to a local doctor who owners 4 other airplanes... He flies his 180 and Debonair more than the others...

I know the first aircraft has been flown by other pilots in the area and they all liked the way it flew and had no bad comments about it...

Brian
 
Being 4 miles from Morgan I know first hand that there have been many renditions of the shock strut over the past 20 years, so may depend on what you have on the current airplane to compare to what Steve saw fold under.
 
Wow Brian, crazy bad luck on the one in the ditch for sure. I will see what this one has on it for gear and proceed from there. I am new but hope to keep it out of the ditches and pointed in the right direction. I have very little shame so if I do ditch it or loop her I will share my shame here. 8)
 
Being 4 miles from Morgan I know first hand that there have been many renditions of the shock strut over the past 20 years, so may depend on what you have on the current airplane to compare to what Steve saw fold under.

Wayne there is also a minty red and white one for sale close to you owners says he is ready to sell it now , !00,000. CDN
 
Not possible for me to tell if it is the plane, or the nut holding the stick inside:oops: so comments about habits might be just me!

Not flown them, but never have heard bad other than the above. Something in the back of my mind makes me think that Lou's is a NStar... or could be I am senile:???: or just confused again;-)

If you can not find a few days of reading through a search of old threads, I will be surprised.

George

Mine is a Smith Cub (called Daytona Cub back then). Jay Pratt has a NorthStar. He did have it for sale a few years back, not sure if he still wants to sell.

Lou
 
Wayne there is also a minty red and white one for sale close to you owners says he is ready to sell it now , !00,000. CDN

Yah, Mr Smith is 2.5 miles from me. Alan King has one as well 6 miles to the East, similar vintage. Al helped Morgan build a lot of different shock struts over the years with oil over air.. over spring etc. Not sure what he's running these days.
 
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George

Mine is a Smith Cub (called Daytona Cub back then). Jay Pratt has a NorthStar. He did have it for sale a few years back, not sure if he still wants to sell.

Lou

Thanks for the correction Lou! Still a great machine you fly... so is the 180
 
George

Mine is a Smith Cub (called Daytona Cub back then).
I saw the original Daytona Cub at Llano a few weekends ago. I remember the year it came to Sun & Fun, walking from our airplane the first morning and I run into the Daytona Cub and then the Artic Tern. That was a pretty cool year at Sun and Fun.
 
North Star

Jay Pratt here, My North Stars Seral # 127. Not sure how many Morgan has sold. I have "tested" the gear many times. Seems stout! have had no problems with the airframe. Mine has 770 hours. Been flying it for 12 years.
I love the baggage capacity, the big baggage door. It is a very good all around camping airplane. I would sell only to build a Carbon Cub
 
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Jay I appreciate the response. I know they are not the lightest plane but I like the thought of what appears to be a tough airframe with good performance and fairly easy to handle. I have looked at other actual cubs but this one is basically a new airplane and priced at what a lot of fairly worn out cubs can go for so I feel pretty good about the plane. I of course want to land short but also plan on loading up for moose season. I will loaded heavy so short t/o and landing at gross are only going to be so good anyway. I will appreciate a strong airframe as I plan on spending a good amount of times on floats and think this will fit my wants as well as my needs pretty good. Once I get the purchase finished I will post up some pics of her and her new home.
 
This is the North Star I have worked on... Did the annual condition inspection today... It is for sale along with a set of not finished amphibious Montana floats...

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Brian


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I have serial # 108 which was the 8Th airframe and the 2nd Northstar to fly. I have about 500 hours on it and it is a terrific airplane. If you can find one for $75K U.S. grab it. These airplanes will land so short and so slow that the touch down point is under you on final. Very very stable strong airplane. Mine is a little heavier than most cubs at 1372 but the gross is an honest 2200 on wheels. Flew to OSH and guys thought it was funny because we brought a huge cooler full of ice. Most people buy there ice when they get there. You just about can't overload one of these things. Mine has an insulated cockpit warm at -30. I could probably strip out 200 Lbs and really give the short field contest guys a run for it but can't be bothered.
 
Wow... Old thread pop up... [emoji23]

I should give a quick update on the local plane..

Herb passed away on us... I sold the airplane to a fellow in Colorado and recently sold the unfinished floats to a GlassStar owner in California...

Brian
 
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