SC or Husky?

[CptKelly]

Guys,
I'm looking at all my options. What does a SC do that a Husky won't? An old restored SC costs as much as a newer Husky, and the Husky comes with a constant speed prop, is decades newer, and is at least 20 mph faster than the SC. If a SC will take off in 100 feet, and a Husky will do it in 110 feet, thats not a big deal to me.... So tell me, what makes a SC so much better than a Husky? I am not trying to start any flame wars. Steve, if this turns into a flame thing, move it to R&R.

Mike

 

[Crash]

Husky

You usually get what you pay for. Why have Husky values dropped so fast on their planes that are only a few years old and Cubs continue to increase is a better question. You should fly both planes and deceide for yourself. Crash

 

[Fortysix12]

I talked with a least 2 owners who had both. They were partial to the supercub. Sighted the trim system and very firm heavy controls on the husky. I bought a 94super18. The supercub is nimble with good power to weight ratio. But on long trips the 12 is easier to reposition your body and get comfortable. Good airplane but I like the 12 better. In comfort the 12 is a 10 and the 18 is 6. Do you have an opportunity to fly a 18 enough to to figure it out.

 

[Taledrger]

The way I see it, it's about mission and budget. Both the Husky and the 12 mentioned above give up something to the 18. The 12 is bigger and more comfortable maybe, the Husky is faster. both give up some short field performance. To those who need or want the short field performance that is a deciding factor.
I personally would love to have the speed of the Husky over my 18 and because it's a recreational a/c I can afford the loss of some short field performance. The flip side is, it's not worth double the money to me. For the money the Cub wins hands down.
If money is no object, for my mission, I'd have a new Husky. Of course I wouldn't sell my Cub

Bob

 

[ground loop]

There are variations that need to be clarified. A cub isn't a cub these days. It depends on the previous owners pocket book and personal belief system (usually influenced by pocket book), which way the cub was modified. With the cub, how it was modified will make a huge difference. You can look at the two float plane videos on a recent thread and see how large the performance variation can be. With the Husky all you have to do is buy an A1-B model and you will be fine. The A1-A model will perform as well, but doesn't have the gross weight increase or some simple mods available. For the Husky there are few aftermarket parts and Aviat is very proud of what they sell.

 

[JP]

There is quite a thread out there already on this one, so be sure to run a word search. Mike Vivion had some very perceptive things to say about both airplanes. One point that I do remember from the thread was the discussion about the wing. The SC and Husky wings have some fundamental differences that make them different airplanes.

Overall, however, they are both superb airplanes and it really comes down to what you like and what you want to fly. I've a sneaking suspicion most people whould be happy with either and it really comes down to flying them and going with whichever one fits your overall feeling and mission.

We're blessed to have a choice and good ones at that.

 

[flyer]

husky if you are going far, or on floats or skis. price on a few year old husky or well rebuilt cub are close.
cub is better in the rough stuff and when you break it, it is reasonable to fix. the husky isnt.

 

[pzinck]

husky

Flyer ,why do you intimate husky is better on floats or skis? It seems husky is closer on wheels.The floated huskys seem to take much more time to get off on floats. In competition i have had closer competition on wheels,on floats they are no contest.Come to greenville and most people are disappointed in the husky against 12 or 18.

 

[Bill Rusk]

Watch out for the flap hinges that hang below the wing on a Husky. They will absolutely knock you silly when you walk into one, or off the float and into the lake.

Bill

 

[flyer]

pznick
husky has constant speed prop. it gets off better as far as ive seen and flown on floats and skis. a lighter cub which most are, would gain that advantage. its really too hard to find planes closely matched, so it really is blowing crap into the wind comparing them as both are very close and wonderful to fly.

 

[Steve Pierce]

They both have their pluses and minuses in my opinion. Everything is a compromise.

 

[Christina Young]

Mike, I see you are in North Carolina. Do yourself a favor: take a long weekend, come up here to NW New Jersey and fly them both at Andover Flight, and make your own comparison.

I own a super cub, and sometimes fly Damian's Husky in his short field / bush class (like I did yesterday). Some of the annoyances posted by others here I agree with (in my *very* limited experience) - the things that annoy me most is the trim system (the entire stick moves, and it takes a lot more force to overcome the trim), and the position of the flap handle with the 3rd notch (makes taking out the flaps in a hurry more difficult because you really have to stretch your left arm way back).

The Husky feels a lot heavier to me in the handling dept - it also floats more on landings, and reminds me somewhat of my Stinson there. That said, it does seem to climb out a lot faster than the SC, throws you back in your seat at full throttle, like a little rocket ship.

As a SC owner, I appreciate the multiple manufacturers and sources of parts - Husky parts come from one place, and are much more expensive in comparison (ask Damian!).

 

[CptKelly]

Thanks.......

Thanks for all of your comments.
I have flown a Husky, but never a SC. The Husky didn't seem all that powerful to me, I was a little dissapointed in that area, but did have a nice cruise speed. Would a 180 hp constant speed SC be as fast as a Husky? What is the fastest SC you have ever seen, and how was it equippped?
I did notice the heavy control feel on the Husky, and I didn't like the trim system either. But, on the plus side, it was a beautiful aircraft, very nicely appointed with a dynamite panel.

Mike in NC

 

[AKM5Driver]

Buy a Maule! Ha Ha, I know you've already researched them though. I figured you would have made a purchase by now, seems as though you have been trying to make up your mind for quite some time now.Good luck in making your decision!

Tony

 

[Torch]

Those aileron things on the husky that hang down are crap for a bush flown airplane. You catch some pucker brush with one of those and it gets bent you will cuss those things. If you are a lower 48 flyer and go from runway to runway then get a husky. I know a guy who tried some Alaska off airport with his husky and he just caught one of those aileron things (I wouldn't give 2 cents to learn their real name.) on an alder. It bent it slightly. He says his husky has never flown right since. Thanks but no thanks on a husky (let the feds waste taxpayer money on them) I will stick with my hard earned SUPER CUB. Just my .02.

 

[Anne]

Mike, it comes down to this: Do you want to be unmercifully harrassed on this site, or not? :lol:

Anne.

 

[StewartB]

I think Huskies are fine airplanes. Humans are pretty adaptable. Even Cub pilots can learn to fly a Husky. The one fatal problem with Huskies is the lack of baggage space. I wouldn't be able to get over that one. Therefore, I wouldn't go looking to buy one.
SB

 

[Alex Clark]

I had a chance to fly with a client yesterday in her A-1B. Most of my prior Huslkey experience was in the A models.

I am used to using either a PA-18 or a PA-11 on pretty much a daily basis so the Huskey differences really struck me while we were practising high approach short field landings.

1. The Husky full IFR panel was way too high and blocks all vision while in the flare.

2. The nose is heavier and it picks up too much speed on final.

3. The flaps do not create enough drag to slow you down for Alaksa type flying. Hers only look like they go about 30 degrees or so. Not nearly enough.

4. The seats are nice and comffy for long distance but stink for low, slow and dodging trees. They lean back too uch and are too deep.

5. The landing gear are more like an original 12, so they are fast but not really beefy enough for booney bashing, plus not draggy enough to help slow you down.

6. The trim system stinks.

I can get my little 90 horse PA-11 (if light) into places better than the Husky. Without having any flaps on the 11.
The Husky is better getting out and climbing out (compared to the PA-11 or 150 horse 18) due to excess power.
I did not notice that it was any better than the 180 horse PA-18.


The Husky is much faster, and since this one was IFR , it was cool to cut back through the rain clouds on the way home.
This one was new and really decked out,,,, but IF I was going to spend that much for Super Cub type flying I would just get a S-CUB.

If I wanted something faster that was almost a Super Cub, then I would get a nice PA-12, with a 160 or 180 horse.

 

[Cubus Maximus]

I don't want to be accused of sticking up for the Husky but as for the flaps being 30 deg. Yeah I know - but you can make the thing work and slow up the approach, the flying flap just requires a different technique. (a more nose high attitude for one and power reduction/planning further out for another - of course this doesn't help with the visibility)

Brad

Point the nose of the Cub where you want to go...
Drop the flaps, come in slow.

A Husky doesn't want to creep like a fly...
To make it short ya' gotta keep the nose high.

 

[Steve Pierce]

You drop the nose in a Husky and she picks up speed and you just passed your touch down spot. Alex, just fly it some more. You will get used to it. It takes more finesse I think but with practice you will like it.

 

[Alex Clark]

I like flying just about anything. It is a different plane than a Cub. Faster, nicer and more comfortable for a long trip. But not a Cub.

Sorta like an auto transmission CJ-7 compared to an old Army Willies jeep. They sorta look the same but .....

 

[mvivion]

Alex,

As the man said: fly it more, and STOP trying to fly it like it was a Cub. Figure out how the airplane wants to be flown, and you'll find that it performs pretty well in all regimes.

Try to fly it as if it were a Cub, and you'll never make it work for you.

That is the biggest problem the Husky has: People think it looks like a Cub, so it should fly like a Cub.

It takes pretty different techniques.

I thoroughly agree with you on at least the point about the instrument panel, though. That taller panel doesn't get in the way of forward vision for me (and I'm not tall) but you can't see around the edges of it any more, and I like seeing around the engine room.

As to the trim, it's powerful. You can't fly the airplane off trim, like you can in a Cub. Fly it on trim, and trim every time you feel any pressure in the stick. It only takes a tiny bit of trim wheel deflection to make it work. Again, it isn't a Cub.

As to a J-3 getting in where other airplanes don't, my old 90 hp J-3 would go where most PA-18's would fear to tread. It was light. That's the key to that, not flaps.

MTV

 

[Alex Clark]

Just put 3 more hours into the A-1Bw/31 inch Bushwheels) Husky, while trying to love it.
Anyway, I can make it land short for a Husky. Takeoffs are good. Steep approaches have to be full flap sinkers with nose up or slips with 20 degrees of flaps and nose up.
I think I actually liked the first models when they were lighter with basic instruments.

I am still glad it is somebody else's plane.