Fly J3 from front seat?
- Thread starter CptKelly
- Start date
behindpropellers
Registered User
NE Ohio
Yes.
But ever sit in the front seat of a J3???
But ever sit in the front seat of a J3???
bob turner
Registered User
It is possible, and legal in a lot of them, to solo from the front seat without wing tanks. Check the type certificate for weight/balance criteria for front solo.
My old cub....
In my old J3, it wasn't possible to taxi the plane from the front seat, much less fly it from that position. How do I know? I tried it. With just a touch of power, just off of idle, the tail would come up. I quickly concluded that flying from the front seat wasn't possible. Now my old cub was a Reed Clipped Wing version, but I can't see that it would make any difference.
Comments?
Mike
In my old J3, it wasn't possible to taxi the plane from the front seat, much less fly it from that position. How do I know? I tried it. With just a touch of power, just off of idle, the tail would come up. I quickly concluded that flying from the front seat wasn't possible. Now my old cub was a Reed Clipped Wing version, but I can't see that it would make any difference.
Comments?
Mike
bob turner
Registered User
I was 6'1" and 195 lbs when I bought my Cub, but my duster pilot instructor was smarter than me and wanted to sit in the back. Stock 65 hp J-3, no radios, original instruments. He soloed me in the front, and to this day I have no problems at all flying from the front. Sure is more room in the back, though. Don't lock your brakes for more than a heartbeat or two, and release them when the tail comes up.
duckhunter
Registered User
greenville, ms
fly j3 from the front
I do it quite often, usually when my passenger is heavier than me or if i am taking a non-pilot looking around
I do it quite often, usually when my passenger is heavier than me or if i am taking a non-pilot looking around
JP
BENEFACTOR
The Big Woods of Maine
I've done some long cross country flights in the J-3. I bring along some sections of conform foam and use it when flying from the front seat. Makes a huge difference. On the last trip I flew a 7 hour day in the front seat without any problem, thanks to the foam.
Solo, however, I've aways flown from the back. Much more accommodating.
Solo, however, I've aways flown from the back. Much more accommodating.
Clyde and Susan
BENEFACTOR
I always fly my J-3 from the back except when I have a bunch of stuff to haul such as tool box, test cables, parts, and computer. There isn't room in the front seat to secure all that stuff so I put it in the back and fly from the front, no problem. My tools and the computer take care of the weight and balance problem. The carburetter heat is hard for me to reach from the back so I have a lanyard tied to it to pull it on and I use my right foot to push it off. By-the-way, you can always tell a J-3 Cub pilot by looking at his shoes; the sides are always scratched up from the frayed ends of the rudder cables. ...Clyde Davis
duckhunter
Registered User
greenville, ms
fly j3 from the front
i like the lanyard idea, with my shoulder straps on i can't reach the carb heat from the rear seat
i like the lanyard idea, with my shoulder straps on i can't reach the carb heat from the rear seat
Lippy said:Why would you want to? Visibility, room, and access to baggage is better from the back. Plus it's a bunch easier to fall into the back seat then slither into the front.
Lippy
Maybe he wants to experience the fun of flying with his knees hooked over the ear pieces of his headset...
scout88305
SPONSOR
Northern Minnesota
scout88305
SPONSOR
Northern Minnesota
Nope still straight and still a redneck. She is attractive though and I had a crush on her until she walked off Johnny Carson.
I do think if I found a personal trainer like her I’d bring a lawn chair and my cooler to the gym. Sitting with my feet up drinking a beer… 
wadecalvin
Registered User
Oregon
Jory Cofield said:lippy, old crowe
like I said never had a problem, in this particular aircraft there seems to be lots of room in the front, only J3 I have ever flown though maybe some are different? .... I find it no different than sitting in the front seat of my Supercub......
maybe you boys just need a little exercise??
the visibility from the front is also 100% better than in the back
I also enjoy being able to reach the carb heat, fuel valve, as well as the GPS.....
Yours must be modified like I'd like mine to be,. Its a wag aero cubby but the front seat hurts the top of my back because its so upright- cant hardly stand it for 5 minutes- I'd like a little more leg room and the seat to lean back like a supercub - dont mind flying from the back but the front is tough on passengers.
bob turner
Registered User
The spar location is what makes the Super Cub different in front. You can sit with your head in the approximate position of the J-3 spars when in the front of the Super Cub. The neat thing about the Super Cub is, when you need to transition a pilot to a biplane, put him/her in the back seat of the Super Cub for an hour of pattern work. Can't see nothin' back there. In the J-3, you can see fine from either seat.
scout88305 said:
What am I missing..? The Chinese censors have blocked it. Page comes up saying "this video not available in your country"
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BritishCubBloke
SPONSOR
Bellingen, NSW, Australia
If you look at the pictures, a lot of those 12-year olds who went to war in L4s in Europe used to solo them from the front seat. Looks pretty cramped as they were all skinny, but six feet!
