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Flew the Cub today, lots of learnings

TxAgfisher

MEMBER
East Texas
Several of you have followed along/ridiculed me as I begin to figure out the Cub world...

It’s finally back together - 31’s, gap seals, Steve’s brakes etc. and still looking for a prop. I got about an hour and a half in it this morning and I’m starting to figure it out. I had doubts the ASI was accurate but after a check today it passes. I guess the high DA is to blame for my discrepancies.

I got probably a dozen landings in, maybe more at a gravel strip about 20 miles from home. Heel brakes aren’t too bad - before, when they were really weak it was a challenge. Now, they are adequate but don’t see what the big deal is about putting it on its nose unless I really lock my knees out.

I’m a long way off from winning any STOL comps but that brings a question.... how in the heck do you see where you are touching down at those super high AOA’s? At about 40 mph it’s manageable but slower than that I can’t see crap. Still have some work to do on hitting my mark and what the sight picture is, but overall a productive day learning and transitioning from my 180.
 
In a 180 you look over the nose, in a cub you look out the side. At least that is what I do. I learned to fly in a pacer and went to a cub, 1300 hours never looked over the nose always out the side when landing. It was hard for me to look over the nose when I got the 180. Go find a good cub instructor it will have you a lot of heartache. Be very careful with the trim a cub will get on the nose or all the way over quickly!!!!!
DENNY
 
Set up to hit your spot & learn to be able to recognize sink in your peripheral. This works in any airplane....

Hitting your spot is by far the most important skill to master. Hitting your spot starts when you turn final. Technically, before that even... Sight picture will come with time regardless of your technique. Only after you can hit it every time should you worry about the other stuff like how short can I get it stopped etc.... If you are forcing the airplane to hit the spot at the last second, then you are not really hitting your spot.... A bump of power is waaaaay better than floating long. This will become more important and apparent as you find yourself stretching your comfort level into shorter strips.


About going over on your nose; It's easier than you think. Going over on landing rollout is almost always precipitated by a poor approach & not hitting your spot, followed by brakes, then poor control (rudder) input, followed by more brake..... When you watch this happen on a video many times the elevator or ailerons never move, and if they do they often go the wrong way.

It can also happen when you are not expecting it. When taxiing pay attention to where the wind is coming from AT ALL TIMES and use control inputs to reduce the chances of getting flipped by the wind. This happens a lot more than you think.
 
In 3-point the view from my 180 on big tires is very similar to my Cub on bigger tires, and that’s still true after jacking the Cub nose up another 4”. If there’s any uneasiness in the Cub it’s likely more about getting used to the peripheral view at such a slow speed as compared to the 180. I can easily bump the tail of either but I try not to. That makes the view out the front pretty similar. Try making your final leg steeper. Slower speeds, better vis. Get a helmet and jack up your seat. It may serve you well to put some weight in the back, too.

I’m in a bit of the same boat in my new Cub. I’m good at landing it slow and good at hitting a spot, just not both at the same time. Especially when going back and forth between planes. It’ll come.
 
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Yes, I have Keller flaps but I flew stabilized approaches before the change in flaps. Don't want to hit what I can't see. The Keller flaps are a huge improvement but you can still fly a stabilized approach with stack flaps.
 
I'm a relative flying newbie but in my J3 with no flaps the deck angle is always pretty steep on approach. Like others have said, I tend to kind of "memorize" the ground on either side of the landing zone before turning final and then use my peripheral out the side windows to track my progress down using the landmarks on the side of the runway. It's just like being able to see right where you're going to land except just 5 feet either side of your landing spot. A high approach really helps with this. Another thing that can help is riding a slip down. If I just really have to see exactly where I want to land I'll ride a slip right down to the flare so I can see out the side.

Keep in mind this is all no flaps. On an -18 (I flew one for a few hours this weekend-what a treat) you have much better vis with full flaps all the way through the flare. In the flare it does get pretty steep but ground references out the side still keep the touchdown spot fairly visible. Then again in an -18/full flaps you only flare for a second and it's done flying. Gotta love those flaps.
 
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I try to spot something a few feet away where I want to land while approaching, then I look at it by the side on short final.

 
Pitch dictates airspeed, power controls rate of descent. It's a balancing act. Most guys modulate the throttle to make adjustments.
 
I'm a transient who will be parking Pa-18 in Sandia area Apr-Oct '21. Look forward to exploring the Gila and wherever. Let me know if interested.

Also, don't underestimate the ease of flipping a cub. I use to be a naysayer...and it happens in less than the blink of an eye...depends on what you are doing with it, of course.

Chris
 
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