Work Continues On Company Demonstrator

CubCrafters announced Wednesday it has shipped the first three Carbon Cub Wing Kits and the first Carbon Cub Fuselage Kit. The company is currently producing the kits at a rate of two per month.

Each container includes all of the parts and hardware necessary for assembly, right down to the last cotter pin. Also included is a comprehensive assembly manual which provides step-by-step instructions with pictures and/or illustrations for every step from setup to completion.

"The first builder has the wings complete and is working on the fuselage kit. Being the first to assemble the wings and the fuselage kit was bit challenging at times, but the customers’ patience and dedication proved to be very helpful in identifying our assumptions in the assembly manual," said Kit Program Manager, Mitch Travis. "All of the current owners have commented about the quality and the engineering of the Carbon Cub Kit. I think they each value having all of the components produced under an FAA approved quality system."

Owners aren't the only people working on Carbon Cub kits. The company's 2009 Carbon Cub demo airplane is also nearing completion, with the signature "Flames Scheme" painted this week and the Cub should be moving into final assembly in the next few days. Once completed, CubCrafters’ engineering team will begin gathering and compiling the flight data needed to publish the official performance numbers for the Carbon Cub.

"It is a real treat to see this kitplane in production," said CubCrafters owner and Carbon Cub Kit designer, Jim Richmond. "We have modernized every aspect of the trusted old Cub. We have simplified, streamlined, strengthened, and thought outside the box in every way we could imagine. If there is a better way to build a Cub, we want to know about it."

Introduced to the public at the 2008 Alaska Airmen's Show, the Carbon Cub includes 40 non-structural airframe parts built out of high strength carbon fiber, that were previously metal or fiberglass -- which saves over 30 lbs compared with a stock Sport Cub LSA.

While the monster aircraft unveiled then was outfitted with a 220-hp motor, the Carbon Cub demo airplane will start out fitted with a 160-hp Lycoming O-320-B2B. Several different engines are planned so that induction and exhaust systems can be designed and tested for any combination the builder may want to use.

FMI: www.cubcrafters.com