AOPA Turbine Pilot Magazine - December 2018 - 32

PILOT BRIEFING
Peace of mind

Breaking down in the backcountry can be a real downer
unless you have tools and spare
parts with you. Snap-on dealer
Dave Helland, a pilot and A&P
mechanic, created a customized
Snap-on portable kit just for the
AOPA Sweepstakes Super Cub.

AOPA SWEEPSTAKES

STOL much love
Mods make Sweepstakes Super Cub ideal backcountry airplane
B Y A LY S S A J. C O B B

A THIN PIECE of metal mounted on each side of the fuselage in front of the horizontal stabilizer
draws almost as much attention as the AOPA Sweepstakes Super Cub itself. Many pilots guess it
is a splash guard, foretelling the aircraft's future on floats, but this aerodynamic mod has nothing
to do with water operations and everything to do with backcountry flying (see "High and Low,"
November 2018 Pilot.)
The tail strake, developed in the 1990s, is a common modification for older backcountry airplanes and is part of the CubCrafters Vortex Generator Kit. The tail strake and vortex generators
(mounted on top at the thickest point of the wings) are "like mini wing tips" that create vortices and
reenergize the boundary layer air to keep it attached longer to the wing and horizontal stabilizer, said
CubCrafters President Pat Horgan, adding that the kit can improve controllability at slow speeds
and reduce stall speeds on aircraft that are rigged properly and operated within their envelopes.
"It's not magic in itself," Horgan said of the tail strake, noting that the VGs and other foundational backcountry modifications such as CubCrafters' three-inch extended landing gear, and
foam elevator and rudder gap seals, combine to increase the aircraft's safety margin. The AOPA
Sweepstakes Super Cub has these modifications and is incredibly stable in all configurations from
cruise to slow flight, and stalls are docile. The Super Cub doesn't have a stall warning horn, but
it gives ample notice: Vibrations start in the floorboard and move to the control stick and seat as
the stall approaches.
A comfortable approach speed with full flaps is 55 mph with two pilots, about 20 pounds of gear,
and 46 gallons of fuel, but it could be slower when it's lighter. With a slow, steep, stabilized approach,
landing in the first third of a 2,600-foot grass strip in Idaho is a cinch. There's no floating and it takes
an ever-so-slight bump in power to cushion the landing. CubCrafters' three-inch extended landing gear coupled with Burl's Aircraft Alpha-Omega Suspension System and Alaskan Bushwheel's
26-inch tundra tires will make for a touchdown that is light and soft. With these modifications, one
thing is for sure: The lucky winner will love spending time in the backcountry with this Super Cub.

Fun fact

CubCrafters is well known as
an aircraft manufacturer that
produces high-performing Super Cub variants, but the company got its start rebuilding
the iconic aircraft and supplying backcountry modifications.
CubCrafters still prides itself on
providing modifications, restoration services, and support for
legacy aircraft.

CONTRIBUTORS
CubCrafters http://
cubcrafters.com/
Burl's Aircraft www.aoss.net
Alaskan Bushwheels www.
airframesalaska.com
Snap-on http://snapon.com/

www.aopa.org/sweeps
EMAIL alyssa.cobb@aopa.org

32 | AOPA PILOT December 2018

http://www.cubcrafters.com/ http://www.cubcrafters.com/ http://www.aoss.net http://www.airframesalaska.com http://www.airframesalaska.com http://www.snapon.com/ http://www.aopa.org/sweeps

AOPA Turbine Pilot Magazine - December 2018

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Turbine Pilot Magazine - December 2018