CC340 Engine Makes 180 HP On Takeoff

Yakima, WA-based CubCrafters seems determined to offer a Cub for nearly anyone's tastes. On Tuesday, the company unveiled its new Super Sport Cub, the company's most powerful aircraft to date... and, it's an LSA.

Available immediately, the Super Sport Cub is an upgraded version of CubCrafters' existing Sport Cub S2. The two-place aircraft boasts the largest engine in the LSA industry, a whopper 340 cubic inch engine producing up to 180 HP for takeoff and climb, and a continuous 80 HP at altitudes up to 12,000 feet.

That translates to a rate-of-climb well over 2,100 feet per minute, according to the company... which also notes the Super Sport Cub's power-to-weight ratio exceeds that of a P-51D Mustang, providing takeoff distances of less than 100 feet at gross weight.

All of this is made possible with the certification of CubCrafters' own ASTM compliant engine, the CC340. In partnership with ECI, CubCrafters has created a four cylinder, air-cooled engine that is certified to ASTM standards.

Power and efficiency are achieved with electronic ignition, high compression pistons and a new light-weight design. Cruise power settings produce a miserly 5-6 gallons per hour fuel burn while enabling the newest Cub to loaf along at a cruise speed of 120 MPH. Open the throttle and you can see 138 MPH... putting the Super Sport Cub in rarefied air, at the top of the LSA 120-knot speed limit.

CubCrafters calls the Super Sport Cub "a complete redesign of the venerable Super Cub." Using carbon fiber composites extensively, 2024-T3 aluminum in the ribs and wing skins, and a more efficient fuselage design were just a few of the many improvements. CubCrafters tested the airframe to 40% beyond the ASTM requirements of 4Gs for certification.

"We don't know of any other LSA manufacturer who has actually tested their airframe to margins this far in excess of the requirements" said Jim Richmond, CEO and founder of CubCrafters. "We tested it to 5.65G's for the design limits, and 8.5G's for the ultimate loads".

The airframe is an identical twin of the Carbon Cub developed for the home-built market, and the two aircraft share nearly all airframe components. Base price for the two place S-LSA certified Super Sport Cub starts at $163,280.

FMI: www.cubcrafters.com