N14KX - Flying "One For Kicks"

[twoeleven]

On July 1st, one day after I received my PPL, I stumbled into a 2008 Sport Cub S2 that had just been added to the line at Foothill Flying Club at KCCB, it was previously listed for sale on the CC website, and the new owner is a tail wheel instructor at the club.


I joined that day and took my first flight in it with the owner in back on Wednesday.

This is a very simple S2, with nothing in it but a six-pack, a whiskey compass, a radio, and with the brand new Mode C Transponder and CF cowl flaps it is 862 lbs., and it has no lights.


N14KX was previously prepped by CC for storage and then tucked away for a few years before being returned to flying condition. It had 58.6 hours on it when I showed up for my checkout that morning, and it still looks brand new inside and out. Club insurance requires some amount of dual before I can fly it solo, it might be five hours so I scheduled 2 more for tomorrow.


The Citabria I earned my TW Endorsement and solo in is parked at the other end of the runway, N14KX parks near that instructor's DC-3


It is a wonderful to fly airplane, plenty of guts, and flies straight with my hands off the stick. I had to demonstrate clearing turns, steep turns, slow-flight, and power on/off stalls...Which I had just done in the 172N for my check ride 7 days ago. The Cub proved to be a lot easier to do all of that in, despite never flying it before. Unfortunately a lingering marine layer had delayed our start so I only got in two landings before we ran out of time for the day.

I feel super lucky if not blessed to have access to this really nice Sport Cub right in my own backyard, can't wait to fly it all alone, it will most likely be my first solo flight as a new pilot.

Flying Wild Los Angeles(?), here I come.

Larry.

[twoeleven]

I flew N14KX again Sunday morning, completing 3.6 hours of the insurance mandated 5 hours of dual instruction required to rent and fly the S2 solo. Also, I brought a gift for the plane's owner, the CubCrafters Glare Shield Cover, as the sunshine on the gloss yellow painted glare shield was casting a huge yellow crescent shape onto the windshield. The cover fit perfectly, and functioned better than I had imagined, virtually eliminating the reflections and making me a $40.00 share co-owner of the aircraft...Right?

With the new cover in place, we headed from KCCB to KRIR, ducking under the Class C approach airspace for KONT. After the short flight over, I enjoyed my first operations from the grass. KRIR (Flabob) has a slightly modified pattern, as there is a large, rocky hill just about where you might otherwise be turning downwind to base. I really enjoyed Flabob and look forward to returning next time to also get signed off to land on grass, otherwise prohibited by the club's insurance.

Here is a short video of my first complete circuit, as filmed from my forehead.



I love flying this plane, and I can't wait for the next flight!

Larry.

[twoeleven]

[twoeleven]

[twoeleven]

[Californiacubs]

Congratulations Larry!! Huge step, more to come I hope.


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[rv8pilotpaul]

Nice!

[twoeleven]

Congratulations Larry!! Huge step, more to come I hope.


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Thanks Ben!

There is a playlist with all of my local training flights in the Sport Cub here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...8Qvy162ErlXrZM

Sadly, no gravel bar landings or water skimming , but I love flying this plane.

Larry.