Hello Cub flyers,
I'm a Seattle resident looking to get my Sport Pilot license in the next year or so. I'm quite tall (6'5") and about 220 lb. I'm interested in flying on weekend getaways, both in the backcountry and to paved airports around Washington and the inland northwest. It seems like the Sport Cub is a really nice plane that could do those things, and it's one of the few LSAs comfortable for tall people.
I have some easy questions for you guys:
* Is there a place that rents or does training in Sport Cubs in the northwest? The nearest I can find is Twin Oaks, which is outside driving distance. Would it be easier or more sensible to train on a tricycle-gear LSA at a nearby FBO and then go somewhere else to transition?
* I'm trying to estimate cost of ownership and operation. Purchase prices and hangar fees I can estimate, but I have no idea how much the annual and hourly costs of operation, maintenance and inspection run. Those of you who own, could you give me some advice on what your flying budget looks like? Are there easy ways to keep costs down (e.g. getting a repairman's certificate?)
* Can the Sport Cub run legally on mogas, and if not, is there an STC effort in the works to make it so?
* Do people often buy Sport Cubs in partnerships? Say I wanted to buy an S2 with one or two other people and hangar it at Harvey Field. How would I go about finding other people who wanted that? What is the purchase process and lead time for a new Sport Cub?
Thanks!
Bruce