What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

Flying with Piper Cubs

Vlad

Well Known Member
Some day I will own a Cub. On big Tundra tires. I fly an RV model now which can do pretty much everything a Piper Cub does. I thought so until after I went to a Cubs gathering up north in Maine.

A VAFer (SkyGoddess here) also has a Cub and every year they have a party on a private field in the woods of Maine by a river. He knew I am not indifferent to the little yellow bird and invited me to join the fun. Airport where they all congregate is Zinck 90ME. What's easy for a Cub should be easy for RV I thought.

Early Sat morning fueled up I instructed my RV to fly Piper Cub's style all day.





Normally all my trips up North lay through NYC. My imagination on routes was exhausted and went up. Up more and more till there was no VFR airspace left.





Settled peacefully on top of everything and were cruising in Piper Cub style.






Hardly burning any fuel.







There was nothing to do no buttons to push no efises to troubleshoot. Waive to occasional airliner.






All familiar terrain in good old USA. Here is Alton Bay seaplane base. I will come here in February when it freezes.






In 2 hours arrived over Rumford, ME. Do you see the field? From 17,500'?






You don't? How about now? 10K.






Still nothing? 5,000?







Then were merry-go-arounds. Again and again. At least 4 times. Runway 1500', hidden in the woods along the river and I've arrived when sun was already way up. All those rotors along the mountains and over the river were awake.

Yes, RV can land where Cubs go. But can she taxi? It was pouring last night.

 
Keep moving puppy don't stop. More power!





That's definitely not Salmon or Peaslees this is some serious grass. Crowd cheering.





Ufff. Parked. It's not easy to be Piper Cub.





I got the guardians. Stay away bears.





I am safe here.











SkyGoddess Prince. Thanks for bringing me here John. Next time I tug Turbo...





Sea Cub owned the river all to himself.






Panel almost like on my RV.








Airfield and plane views.






There was about a dozen Cubs with more to arrive.
 
Last edited:
Vlad, it doesn't get any better than that. I loved doing the grass strip thing in my T-craft and that's why I built a -6 taildragger. John looks like, well, John. Having a good time. Did you run into a guy named Jim Crane there. Flies out of Venice also. Tundra tires and all. :D A friend said he went to a cub Fly-in in Maine recently.
 
Last edited:
I just took a trip down memory lane (aka my log books) and found about 50 hours in Cubs (actually J-3 and an L-4) out of 7B3. What fun !

Vlad - I hope you traded some stick time :)
 
Last edited:
Cub Fun

I just purchased a 1946 all original 1100TT Cub. I love the thing as much as the RV-3B almost! It is a great option to have the Cub and the RV-3B in the hanger.

2ce2osw.jpg
 
Gary, Jay I am not too good with last names. There was a Jim and there was at least one more John.


These Cub drivers are fast on ADM. Within 20 minutes the decision was made where to fly and what to do.





Everybody fired up and started to taxi.





This guys fly like helicopters they don't need ground effect.











I was the last one in line. I had plenty of minutes and taxied very cautiously. I should have stopped short of the beginning of the runway there was a deep rut running very close to "the threshold". I walked the field before and saw it. Decided to jump over. Bump, shook the nose and kept moving, have to check that nose fairing after landing.


Gaggle of Piper Cubs divided into sub-gaggles. First I flew with the seacub. A notch of flaps and RV seats nice and quiet at 65 knots.






Then I located another sub gaggle going at least 3 knots faster and joined them from the rear. They talked air-to-air - Where is that RV guy? What he is going to do?-






Then I repositioned to another sub-gaggle. These were the fastest almost 73 kts. They were looking for some potato fields.






Cool guys. Interesting chat air-to-air. Almost like RV drivers. Landed at Twitchell airport for fuel. Airport manager was very happy to see so many airplanes. Now we look like an airport he said.








I inspected my nosewheel fairing. Hmmm yeah. It's good I have a nosewheel. The tailwheel could have been completely ripped off in that rut. Looks provocative but it's not. One main fairing lost a bottom screw but they were intact.






If you can't duck (tape) it ..............

Cub drives have plenty of duct tape and advice. Good to go. Now I am official citizen of West Virginia.

 
Last edited:
Fired up and go again. How many pilots can hand prop these day?












Their destination was Wiscasset and I had one more event to visit. I stayed by the wing of a Cub whose driver learned to fly in his father Pietenpol. I met that Pietenpol a year ago.





I stayed by his wing for 10 minutes and peeled off. Bye Sawyer see you next year!







Next destination was an hour away. Crow Island, Massachusetts. A CIA fly in.


 
Last edited:
Продолжение следует... :D

To be continued ( no, my Russian isn't good. Google translate is) :D

That was Jim Crane. His Scout is parked on your -9's left in the first photos. He said this about our Vlad:

"That?s the flyin. Starts on Thurs, and goes until Sun. That?s the Scout off his left wing with 3 blade prop. I met Vlad, hes a hot sh$@ (edited out:)), and a good stick to get in/out of my friend Phils strip. Its kinda rough, I think he cracked his front wheelpant. "
 
SkyGoddess Prince. Thanks for bringing me here John

Vlad,

John is a neighbor of mine. Two years ago when we landed at 7FL6 he was the first to greet us. I believe that at the time you were at the fuel pump. Glad you get to know him. Last March we flew to Sebring for breakfast and met Gary and Turbo. It is a small world.

IMG_2875.JPG

John with his SkyGoddess Prince (painted under side).
 
Продолжение следует! :)

...to be continued.... ( thanks Google!)

Vlad, thanks for going " where no RVa has gone before! sorry to see your new 'blue' nose wheel....looks like it was quite the rut, but good to know you survived to fly on.

how did you feel after that little prang? Some of us who have never really bent an airplane I'm sure have a much different outlook than, say, cub drivers, who evidently scrape, scratch and mangle little parts fairly often!
(note to self; add small roll of speed tape to toolkit!)

keep up the adventures!
 
Vlad you are a brave man to hang out with that crowd :) Are you currently experiencing a case of bushwheel envy?


I wasn't able to make it to Phil's in the Cub, but am on an email list with most of those guys and it appears everyone had a great time. Thanks for the pictures.

Come join us next year at Sentimental Journey- lots of grass strip flying there!
 
Vlad,

John is a neighbor of mine. Two years ago when we landed at 7FL6 he was the first to greet us. I believe that at the time you were at the fuel pump. Glad you get to know him. Last March we flew to Sebring for breakfast and met Gary and Turbo. It is a small world.

IMG_2875.JPG

John with his SkyGoddess Prince (painted under side).


Ted small world indeed. We talked with John a lot he is a good neighbor.


...

how did you feel after that little prang? Some of us who have never really bent an airplane I'm sure have a much different outlook than, say, cub drivers, who evidently scrape, scratch and mangle little parts fairly often!

...


it feels like a broken fingernail. It hurts at first then it grows back and gets manicured. My plane has a lot of small scratches and scrapes it's been to many fun places. I don't go anymore to big RV gatherings till painted. Some shiny planes drivers throw the same jokes and it's not funny anymore.

BTW you should see those Cubs some of them are beauties. Not a single scratch.



Vlad you are a brave man to hang out with that crowd :) Are you currently experiencing a case of bushwheel envy?


I wasn't able to make it to Phil's in the Cub, but am on an email list with most of those guys and it appears everyone had a great time. Thanks for the pictures.

Come join us next year at Sentimental Journey- lots of grass strip flying there!



There is always next year. I will come to Phil's field with fairings removed, 5 gallons in the tanks and VGs. Been to 28th Sentimental Journey with three other RVs. Can't wait till 29th.


 
Продолжение

To reach Crow Island from the North fly parallel to this drag strip. Keep your heading don't get distracted by racers.






Crow Island is a paradise. Grass is smoother then asphalt at my airport. I parked far from the festivities hoping nobody would notice my duct taped fairing.







Hidden between ultralights.







A lot of interesting machines there.











Wow! Placard with passenger warning. There is only one seat.







Many trikes on this airport.







More in the hangar.







Funny tower. How it's possible to transport this wagon through this swampy area? By air crane maybe?





Food stand donations appreciated.


 
Look at this beauty







and her panel.






Flight line inspected burger consumed mission accomplished.







Railroad Tower cleared me for takeoff and one low pass.







Flight home promised to be boring but I remember today we fly Piper Cub style all day. Farther to the sea staying away from the beaches and iPhones. Staying lower not to confuse banner towing bees. JFK lady asks to reset transponder but a couple feet jump is enough for a radar contact.







Overpopulated Coney Island.







Underpopulated Crow Island.







Checking an engineering marvel...









... following the bends of Raritan River and landing at home base with VRF fuel reserves and three hours of daylight time left. That's the way Piper Cubs fly. I want a Cub.


Конец :D
 
Flying the Raritan

Vlad:

Just flew up the Raritan on saturday in my Cub, bringing it home from its annual at Old Bridge to Andover.

Central Jersey has a whole different look at 60 MPH.

Ed
 
Vlad:

Just flew up the Raritan on saturday in my Cub, bringing it home from its annual at Old Bridge to Andover.

Central Jersey has a whole different look at 60 MPH.

Ed


Let's get together some day Ed. I want a ride :)


 
Let's meet up at the skymanor fly-in?

I think it is on sept 7th.

I have a Franklin engine w/o radio, real old-school!!
 
Back
Top