Talkeetnaairtaxi
Registered User
Iliamna Alaska
Pa-18 or a Husky?
I spent most of my life in Alaska as a guide. My 2 favorite
Planes to fly have always been cub’s and beavers so I will probably start a war with my comments or have someone put out a contract on my sorry posterior or worse yet my parts suppliers will stop selling me cub parts.
A few weeks ago I was asked by a friend to test fly a new Husky, he figured since I have over 7,000 hrs working PA-18’s he wanted me to compare the new Husky to a Cub.
I Test flew a brand new Husky in Idaho. Starting at over 4,000 feet
elevation with a 180 lb person in the back seat and 2/3 fuel I did a lot of stalls, slow flight and a few dozen landings
I must admit I liked the Husky a lot. The husky is at least 20 mph faster than a cub, gets off the ground as short as a Cub and has better stall characteristics than a cub. Short field landing seem OK but not quite as short as a light 160 hp cub. Landings felt like I was in my heavy 180 hp cub. The only things I did not like on the Husky was toe brakes and that you cannot lay down and sleep in the Husky like you can in a cub. baggage.
I test flew a new Cub Crafters Top Cub for the same Client. Now the rub, I was put on the spot and asked what he should buy to fly Caifornia, Idaho, Nevada and eastern Oregon. After a lot of tought I grudging told him to buy the Husky over the Top Cub.
The reality is $200,000.00 buys a very nice brand new Cub or Husky but they are still only a 2 place plane, for $200K he could buy both of my Cubs.
I spent most of my life in Alaska as a guide. My 2 favorite
Planes to fly have always been cub’s and beavers so I will probably start a war with my comments or have someone put out a contract on my sorry posterior or worse yet my parts suppliers will stop selling me cub parts.
A few weeks ago I was asked by a friend to test fly a new Husky, he figured since I have over 7,000 hrs working PA-18’s he wanted me to compare the new Husky to a Cub.
I Test flew a brand new Husky in Idaho. Starting at over 4,000 feet
elevation with a 180 lb person in the back seat and 2/3 fuel I did a lot of stalls, slow flight and a few dozen landings
I must admit I liked the Husky a lot. The husky is at least 20 mph faster than a cub, gets off the ground as short as a Cub and has better stall characteristics than a cub. Short field landing seem OK but not quite as short as a light 160 hp cub. Landings felt like I was in my heavy 180 hp cub. The only things I did not like on the Husky was toe brakes and that you cannot lay down and sleep in the Husky like you can in a cub. baggage.
I test flew a new Cub Crafters Top Cub for the same Client. Now the rub, I was put on the spot and asked what he should buy to fly Caifornia, Idaho, Nevada and eastern Oregon. After a lot of tought I grudging told him to buy the Husky over the Top Cub.
The reality is $200,000.00 buys a very nice brand new Cub or Husky but they are still only a 2 place plane, for $200K he could buy both of my Cubs.