Long story short...Mike and I swapped delivery places and I have been flying my new Sport Cub. Though a relatively short-time pilot (300 hrs of cub time) this is the most enjoyable, stable, and pleasurable airplane I have flown. It is light weight (865#) with a few performance mods... Garmin, different kinds of lights, ELT, Scott tailwheel and LSA ALASKA BUSHWHEELS!! The tires are spectacular and beautiful addition to off-airport work. Some first impressions, even though I have only had really nasty gusty wind to fly in this week.
-- slow flight is incredibly stable...stalls uneventfully and power off stalls are more of a gentle mush. I think you can keep the stick all the way back, coordinate with the rudder and the plane will mush to the ground with the wing roots stalled and the tips still flying.
-- I love the flap handle placement...and the flaps are very effective
-- stabilized approaches are a natural...finals at 1.3 X Vso are still only around 40-45 mph and the plane is rock solid at that speed. It seems to want to flare itself on entering ground effect.
-- stopping an 850# plane is really easy, but I am having some trouble on the runout because I'm not accustomed to the @$#*% toe brakes.... lots of practice will be necessary here before I start landing on narrow places.
-- the engine seems very sensitive to fuel/air mix in order to maintain performance...I have to lean at my altitudes to get full throttle on take off, then immediately readjust when I level the nose.
-- because the plane is so lightweight, it is noisy. I need earplugs under the ANRs. I would rather have a noisy plane with low weights than a heavy quiet one.
-- It is going to be cold in the Montana winters...the heater doesn't do much...I guess I can fill the back with bird dogs for heat.
-- with one unacceptable problem, fit, finish, and workmanship are beautiful!
Bottom line, this is an extremely enjoyable aircraft...I have no regrets about the purchase. Ralph
-- slow flight is incredibly stable...stalls uneventfully and power off stalls are more of a gentle mush. I think you can keep the stick all the way back, coordinate with the rudder and the plane will mush to the ground with the wing roots stalled and the tips still flying.
-- I love the flap handle placement...and the flaps are very effective
-- stabilized approaches are a natural...finals at 1.3 X Vso are still only around 40-45 mph and the plane is rock solid at that speed. It seems to want to flare itself on entering ground effect.
-- stopping an 850# plane is really easy, but I am having some trouble on the runout because I'm not accustomed to the @$#*% toe brakes.... lots of practice will be necessary here before I start landing on narrow places.
-- the engine seems very sensitive to fuel/air mix in order to maintain performance...I have to lean at my altitudes to get full throttle on take off, then immediately readjust when I level the nose.
-- because the plane is so lightweight, it is noisy. I need earplugs under the ANRs. I would rather have a noisy plane with low weights than a heavy quiet one.
-- It is going to be cold in the Montana winters...the heater doesn't do much...I guess I can fill the back with bird dogs for heat.
-- with one unacceptable problem, fit, finish, and workmanship are beautiful!
Bottom line, this is an extremely enjoyable aircraft...I have no regrets about the purchase. Ralph
