XCub and NXCub Now Available as Experimental Amateur-Built Kits

Backcountry aircraft manufacturer CubCrafters has tied two new aircraft into its experimental offerings by debuting kits for the XCub and NXCub. The announcement came on Day 0 of this year’s EAA Oshkosh AirVenture, with both designs now on site for visitors’ viewing pleasure.

“We’ve had builders asking for an XCub kit for years, and we’re proud to finally make it happen,” explained Brad Damm, Vice President of CubCrafters. “This is a big moment, not just for us, but for every homebuilder who’s dreamed of building a truly modern, high-performance backcountry airplane.”

The XCub is a high-wing taildragger built for the backcountry and STOL operations, with the NXCub being its nosewheel sister. It boasts a useful load of over 1,000 pounds, cruise speeds of 150 mph, a stall speed of 39 mph, and a range of 800 miles. The machine can get off the ground in 120 feet, climb at 1,500 feet per minute, and land in 80 feet, making it an impressive STOL performer. And, all this while weighing just over 1,200 lbs.

The bird has been on the market since 2016 as an FAA Part 23-certified aircraft. It has seen great success, with nearly factory built 250 factory-built XCub and NXCubs already in the skies. However, the manufacturer has decided that the time has come to make the XCub and NXCub a part of the CubCrafters experimental lineup by offering them as Experimental Amateur-Built kits.

“Offering the XCub and NXCub in kit form is a milestone for both our company and the homebuilding community,” commented Patrick Horgan, President of CubCrafters. “These kits represent more than just a set of parts, they are 15 years of refinement, field experience, evolution built in from the start.”

The kits, unveiled during the 2025 EAA Oshkosh AirVenture at Wittman Regional Airport (OSH), are promised to deliver the same certified-level performance and owner support as the ready-to-fly version… but likely at a much smaller sum. Customers can configure their kit as they please, choosing between Lycoming O-360 or CC393i engines, basic VFR to IFR glass cockpits, and completely do-it-yourself or CubCrafters builder-assist.

The XCub Kit and the first completed kit-built NXCub are both on display at CubCrafters’s Oshkosh exhibit, located at Booth #273/274.

FMI: www.cubcrafters.com