Kit Mods

[Jason Tepool]

Wow Dan! I've loved following your progress here. It really makes me miss having my own project to work on. It won't be long and we'll hear about that first flight! I'm anxious and it's not even my project!

[clipwingcub]

Dan, this looks very nice. You have done a super job.

I noticed that the landing gear were left uncovered. What are the advantages to doing that?

Tony

[Dan L]

Dan, this looks very nice. You have done a super job.

I noticed that the landing gear were left uncovered. What are the advantages to doing that?

Tony

Hi Tony, I did leave the gear uncovered for a couple of reasons. I'm planning to put the plane on 31" Bushwheels right away and use it like I did my previous PA18, meaning landing mostly off-airport on very unimproved surfaces. In that scenario covered gear legs can have the fabric looking ratty before long. And leaving them open also allows for a close inspection of welds for cracks. Not likely with 31's but more so with skis which can put a lot of side and twisting loads on gear legs. I also am not using the teardrop shaped aluminum bungee covers. I have some snap-on covers.

I'm looking forward to getting the airworthiness certificate and taking to the air soon.

[Dan L]

The big day came and N338MH was ready for the DAR. He came on July 21st 2011 and I've got an official pink colored airworthiness certificate in the plane. I did not go with the light sport certification because I didn't want to be limited to that gross weight restriction.

DSCN1929.jpg

After he was finished inspecting it and doing the paperwork he said he wanted to see it run for a little bit. So here it is uncowled and uncovered after running for a few minutes.

Planning on the first flight Saturday morning after a tire change buttoning it back up.

Since I know there's been interest in the time I've got into this project, I have a total of 770 hours in this build over almost 11 months. I picked up the big crate at Cub Crafters on the last day of August 2010 and the airworthiness certificate was issued July 21st 2011. In addition to my 770 hours my friend Bill helped me with wings and rigging once everything was moved to the hangar. He had about 20 hours helping me with that. And my sons probably had a few hours each helping me with things like wing flipping, trailering parts to the hangar helping tighten fasteners on the firewall, etc. So with everyone's help and my own time total up to no more than 800 hours.

It was a fun, rewarding, enjoyable project. I was asked what the most difficult part of it was. I had a ready answer; tightening those darn nuts on the fuel tank straps. The manuals and DVD's lead a builder right through all of the steps to completion. The covering process is not difficult but without any prior experience with it I'd recommend some guidance from an experienced builder. I had previously recovered a PA18 and I think this job went smoother and looks a little nicer. I do not have any other experience with an experimental.

I want to thank Mitch for his help throughout. He was always there when I'd call or e-mail and had an answer when I needed one. I also want to thank my friend Bill for his help in the hangar and my sons for helping out when I needed an extra hand. And I especially want to thank my wife Sally for her patience with me being over at the shop at home nearly every morning and evening for most of a year. I have a business that I need to run everyday so most all of my build time was before or after regular business hours and on weekends.

I made a few goof ups and don't mind telling on myself. I had the trim limit switches reversed and swapped their positions after putting the tail feathers on. I broke a corner on my first windshield drilling the last hole on top, and did the same with the skylight fitting it around the lifting ring. I also had a dead short on my circuit breaker for the EI oil pressure/temperature gauge. My CB's are on the top of the panel and the boot cowl side panels join together there with a half inch lip projecting down. The rear edge of this lip touched the load side of the CB and grounded it out. The CB did its job though and saved the gauge. This was my own panel design so I'm sure the CC panels are different in this area.

I'll post more pictures after the first flights.

Dan

[Pete D]

Congrats! Its a good looking Carbon Cub.

Pete D.

[Centmont]

Spectacular Dan.... Can't wait to meet you somewhere and see it. Ralph

[clipwingcub]

Outstanding!!!!

Thanks again for posting the updates.

Tony

[Dan L]

I made that first flight this morning. It was both thrilling and uneventful - just what I'd hoped for.

first_flight.jpg

Somewhere in the last day or two I misplaced my camera so this is just a cell phone image of N338MH pushed out of the hangar and ready for that first flight. It is on 31" Bushwheels now and weighs an even 1000 pounds on these tires.

I flew about an hour and a half and made seven landings on the grass. It wheel lands just like my old Super Cub but it sure takes off quicker. My old Cub was a fairly light PA18 at 1130 pounds on 31" tires and 160 hp. But this Carbon Cub leaps off the ground in comparison.

After an hour or so I landed and taxied back to the hangar where Bill and I adjusted one rear lift strut one full turn and tightened the aileron balance cable. I went up again and it felt very nice, even and flew like it should.

I'll fly it more in the morning.

[EVRoosevelt]

Congratulations on the first flight.
EV

[clipwingcub]

Congratulations!!! It looks great setting on the Bushwheels.

T