For a long time, the Piper PA-18 Super Cub was considered to be one of the most popular and safe aircraft in aviation history. The Super Cub is a two-seat, single engine plane that is capable of carrying up to 800 pounds without any passengers or cargo on board. It can take off from rough fields with less than 200 feet of runway – making it an ideal aircraft for pilots who need to fly out in remote areas. The Super Cub has been used by many different industries including police departments, agricultural workers, and search and rescue teams. Its durability has made it a go-to airplane for people living in harsh conditions because its reliability means they don’t have to worry about maintenance costs.

Manufacturer:
Piper Aircraft
Country:
United States
Manufactured:
1949 to: 1983
ICAO:
PA18
Price:
US$.03 million (1980)
Avionics:
Engine:
1x Lycoming O-320
Piston
Power:
150 horsepower
Max Cruise Speed:
110 knots
204 Km/h
Approach Speed (Vref):
37 knots
Travel range:
400 Nautical Miles
741 Kilometers
Fuel Economy:
Service Ceiling:
19,000 feet
Rate of Climb:
960 feet / minute
4.88metre / second
Take Off Distance:
152 metre - 498.68 feet
Landing Distance:
221 metre - 725.06 feet
Max Take Off Weight:
794 Kg
1,750 lbs
Max Landing Weight:
794 Kg
1,750 lbs
Max Payload:
170 Kg
375 lbs
Fuel Tank Capacity:
36 gallon
136 litre
Baggage Volume:
Seats - Economy / General:
2 seats
Seats - Business Class:
Seats - First Class:
Cabin Height:
Cabin Width:
Cabin Length:
Exterior Length:
6.88 metre - 22.57 feet
Tail height:
1.6 metre - 5.25 feet
Fuselage Diameter:
.9 metre - 2.95 feet
Wing Span / Rotor Diameter:
10.7 metre - 35.10 feet
Wing Tips:
No Winglets

For pilots seeking to get the best and real bush-plane experience, the Piper PA-18 Super Cub is no doubt the best aircraft for you. This is geared with floats—a fun, versatile, and extremely relaxing aircraft to fly—making it the best addition to any of your fleet. 

Development

The Piper PA-18 Super Cub is a 2-seater, single-engine aircraft. Further, it was created from the Piper PA-11. The original Piper Cub was the J-3, a very lightweight tandem seater aircraft designed in 1937 and 1947 by Piper Aircraft. Did you know that the initial design was the Taylor Cub? However, the company made the classic Cub version, which sold more than twenty thousand aircraft.

The overall design was relatively basic with a fabric surrounded tube frame with a strut-braced high-wing monoplane with a big-area rectangular wing. It was also powered by a 37 hp air-cooled piston engine driving a fixed-pitch propeller. 

Orders and Deliveries

The Piper PA-18 Super Cub is a two-seater, single-engine aircraft. The aircraft was created from the Piper PA-11. In close to forty years of production, more than nine thousand were created. Super Cubs are typically seen in roles such as glider towing, banner towing, and bush flying. 

Floats and skis turn the Piper PA-18 Super Cub into an all-season aircraft, and a substantial number of owners rotate wheels, floats, and skis on a yearly basis to squeeze the most amazing and fun possible out of their machine. 

In addition, CubCrafters, makers of the Carbon Cub and Sport Cub, also totally recreates PA-18s and can install about any legal alteration. 

Design

Thanks to its high-lift airfoil, functional flaps, rugged landing gear, and bilk balloon tires. The 1700-millimeter Piper PA-18 Super Cub has excellent short-take-off and landing performance. That enables it to function from just about any terrain. 

This aircraft also uses the newest FMS hardware and design and has pre-installed ball-link type pushrods, incorporated servo connectors in the wing structure, and can be assembled effortlessly using no glue at all. 

Engines

Like all successful designs, the aircraft becomes developed along with larger engines with more capabilities and speed. As stated earlier, the PA-11 was the original Cub with a larger 65 hp Continental A65-8 piston engine. It then morphed into the 95 hp Continental C-90-8F piston engine, often called the PA-18-95.

Nonetheless, the first real Super Cub features dual fuel tanks, flaps, and an O-235 Lycoming engine generating at least 108 hp. The power was still raised until the 1954 model with a 150 hp Lycoming O-320 that is considered the Super, Super Cub. 

Performance

The performance of the Piper PA-18 Super Cub is extremely fantastic. However, like a most airplanes, the lighter, the better. Some reviewers discovered that when they get more than 1,200 pounds empty, they do not fly as the lighter Cubs too. Keep in mind that weight is everything, especially in a Cub. 

The aircraft is influenced by density altitude. There seem to be some aircraft that fly better with weight compared to most. The Piper PA-18 Super Cub is one of them. The general rule here is the calmer, cooler, and lighter, the better. 

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