Sport Aviation's STOL Champion, CubCrafters, Helps ANN Bring You Oshkosh!!!
“The Carbon Cub SS is a thoroughly modern, high performance airplane that has taken the fundamentally superior design of the Piper Super Cub and reinvented it using 21st Century materials (such as carbon fiber) and computer-aided design technology.
Superior engineering results in the Carbon Cub SS having 50 percent fewer parts and being 250 pounds lighter than a similarly equipped Super Cub. Mounting a lightweight 180 horsepower engine to this airframe results in a horsepower to weight ratio of just 7.33 pounds (compared, for example, to a Cessna 172R's 15.33 pounds).
That results in a sea level climb rate of 2,100 feet per minute (compared to 650 fpm for a 172) - a deck angle that inspires involuntary expletives. No other LSA takes off or lands in a shorter distance, with better low speed manners.”
For ANN's part, we must note that every year, of late, the same old names show up in a list of LSA builders who seem to be standing up to the test of time. 'CubCrafters" is one that flirts with the top of the list, every time. With offerings for certificated, experimental and LSA airframes, CubCrafters has established a tough rep for building tough planes that fly well, and perform even better.
CubCrafters operates in a modern 40,000 square foot facility on the edge of McAllister Field Airport in Yakima, Washington. They say that it's an idyllic spot for flying and testing their planes... "Big skies, punctuated on the Western horizon by the always snow-capped peaks of the Cascade mountain range. 290 days of sunshine each year. The nearby countryside dotted with wineries, orchards and rangeland."
Yeah, they have a tough life.
But they do operate a tight ship... they tell us that, "It's worth noting that, unlike many manufacturing facilities, the CubCrafters factory houses all departments involved with the design, support and sales of our airplanes. This close proximity results not only in operational efficiencies, but also in a tangible sense of teamwork and shared purpose that is at the very core of our business. It is an indispensable part of what makes a CubCrafters airplane so special."
Did You Know? REALLY Cool Facts About CubCrafters
- CubCrafters offers three different models; the Carbon Cub SS, the Sport Cub 2S, and the Top Cub.
- The Carbon Cub is available in kit form, with a builder’s manual and access to a builder’s forum.
- CubCrafters will restore your Super Cub, to allow you to fly farther, stall slower and land in a shorter distance than any other Super Cubs.
- The CarbonCub SS and the Sport Cub both feature 180 horsepower engines.
- The Sport Cub S2, with a 100 horsepower Continental engine, delivers a climb rate comparable to regular aircraft with 50% more power.
- Top Cub can be ordered with a Garmin GTN 750 glass panel and GTX 330 Mode S transponder as options.
- The Sport Cub SS can land (and take off) in patches that you thought were accessible only to helicopters and hikers.
- The Sport Cub S2 can cruise at over 100 mph and has a range over 450 miles.
- The CarbonCub SS can achieve a sea level climb rate of 2,100 feet per minute.
- The CubCrafters Top Cub can be ordered with optional tundra tires (up to 35"), skis or amphibious floats, along with belly pods to further increase cargo and fuel capacity.
- The Sport Cub S2 can be configured with three different panel options.
- The Carbon Cub SS Light Sport can be ordered with a Garmin GDU 375, Garmin aera 560, Garmin GTX 330, and a PS Engineering PM1200 Intercom.
CubCrafters Makes News (and Plenty Of It!)
ANN's Daily Aero-Term (06.21.25): Marker Beacon
See All