Monday, November 2, 2015

Improve A Cub Cadet

Take to the sky in a classic Cub Cadet.


The Cub Cadet was introduced to the aviation world in 1980 when the CubCrafters company made the airplane for production. The craft is a throwback to the early Cub Cadet from 1937. The modern Cub still used fabric-over-frame construction and is in the taildragger class of aircraft. Taildraggers are known as highly technical aircraft that require great skill for landings. Upgrading and improving a Cub Cadet is limited by your uses of the aircraft.


Instructions


1. Choose the iCub option if you wish to have the best of old style "steam gauge" instruments and modern glass cockpit instruments via the Apple iPad. The iCub upgrade uses an interface-mount that uses a 64GB iPad pre-programed with the apps necessary to navigate and fly the aircraft. CubCrafters handles the installation of the iCub features.


2. Upgrade the front wheels to Tundra tires. These are almost cartoonish in appearance as they are large black balloon looking tires. Tundra tires allows the Cub to be landed on soft fields, river banks, grass and other non-tarmac landing strips. Many Alaskan pilots who fly the bush use Tundra tire-equipped Cubs.


3. Install amphibs or floats to add water landings and take-off ability to the Cub. Use amphibs if you wish to be able to land on both tarmac and water. Amphibs have retractable wheels on seaplane floats allowing both land and water take-offs and landings. Standard floats limit the aircraft to water landings and takeoffs only. If your needs keep the plane on water, go with floats as they are less expensive than amphibs.


4. Add retractable skis to the wheels if you fly mountain terrain and hope to land on frozen lakes or glaciers. The skis drop down and retract allowing you to land the Cub on tarmac and frozen surfaces.


5. Upgrade the navigation system to the full FAA-approved GPS systems for cross-country flying. A variety of GPS systems for aviation are available that expand the abilities of the Cub Cadet.

Tags: Tundra tires, water landings