STOL Feat Dazzles

CubCrafters, the Yakima, Washington-based manufacturer of high-performance backcountry airplanes patterned after Piper’s iconic PA-18 Super Cub, has achieved an unprecedented and, frankly, remarkable feat of aeronautical engineering and airmanship by landing one of its fixed-wing Carbon Cub aircraft on the heliport of the United Arab Emirates’ world-famous Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai.

The Bull’s Eye landing event was performed in cooperation with Red Bull and extreme sports promoter XDubai, and featured Red Bull Air Race pilot and Carbon Cub owner Luke Czepiela, who landed a specially-modified version of the bestselling CubCrafters’ aircraft on the 78-foot-diameter helipad—which is itself suspended 696-feet above sea-level atop the iconic 56-story hotel.

CubCrafters’ President & CEO Patrick Horgan stated: “All big moments start with little ideas powered by imagination and the desire to create something special. Red Bull has done many projects over the years that have inspired aviators worldwide, so we were honored to join them on this project to demonstrate the incredible capabilities of the kinds of aircraft our company designs and manufactures."

Micha Graczyk, Aviation Project Manager for the Bull’s Eye landing event, explained: “To ensure success, we wanted the airplane best-suited to the challenge, and CubCrafters was the obvious choice. They have a long history of innovation and industry leadership, relentless research and development, and an impeccable reputation for the quality of their aircraft. These attributes made us very confident in choosing them as our partner for this event.”

CubCrafters’ Vice President Brad Damm added: “Throughout the years, CubCrafters’ brand has grown to be synonymous with an adventure lifestyle, and giving pilots the ability to land our airplanes in the most challenging environments is core to our mission. This project, two-years in the planning and execution, really pushes the limits of what a best-of-class STOL aircraft, and an extremely capable and dedicated pilot, can achieve.”

The CubCrafters’ Bull’s Eye technical team was joined by renowned bush pilot, aviation engineer, YouTube personality, and Carbon Cub owner Mike Patey, who customized a number of the stunt aircraft’s features to ensure the event’s safe and successful outcome. Mr. Patey remarked: "It was a pretty simple formula. We cut weight, changed the C.G. to increase the effectiveness of the brakes, and added extra horsepower. I'm really proud of how the airplane performed. The Carbon Cub was a great choice to start with, and we made it even better for this event."

Event pilot Luke Czepiela set forth: “Working with CubCrafters and Mike Patey to prepare the airplane for this event has been a true pleasure. During the training and preparation, I developed full confidence in the aircraft and its unique capabilities that enabled me to successfully accomplish this mission.”

CubCrafters’, Red Bull, and XDubai extended their heartfelt thanks to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President & Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, along with the Government of Dubai, the Dubai CAA, the Jumeirah company, and the Burj Al Arab hotel for the leadership, permissions, and access to infrastructure by which the Bull’s Eye landing event was made possible.

FMI: www.cubcrafters.com/redbull