Got to sit in both the xCub and the Husky this weekend. Taking a test flight of the Husky this coming Thursday.....

Had not considered the Maule, but I like the side by side seating.

cub

Interestingly enough the xCub fit me far, far better than the Husky, even with the seats forward........I had much, much better knee room.

They let you sit around the campfire and snicker at the others if you fly in with a cub.

Cub. Never been impressed with a Maule, it also has a yoke.

Edit: Except for the Acro get a helicopter. It's a great rating to get. A challenge and you can really go low and not break laws and stop on any small patch you can get permission to in air conditioned comfort.

does not surprise me that the XCub fits you so well…me, also have long legs, and while I do have my problems in normal Supercubs and Huskies, they feel a tad tight for me, I was once in a Cubcrafters Carbon Cub, and Cubcrafters since quite a while took measure of an Alaskan Cub fuselage mod ( sort of wide body) to taylor their Cubalikes in regards to fueselage witdth and comfort. Very comfortable and excellent seating position. Have to admit with my size 6.2, the Citabrias also always worked surprisingly well.

But the XCub seems to be in a class of it's own in the creature comfort department. ( and that ultimately also has an influence on how one perceives the way it flies..)

I see on that demo bird, Cubcrafters still has an "experimental" sticker on it..

but guess once it is through conformity inspection it will proudly wear it's brand new Type Certificate..

Congrats to Cubcrafters to be one of the veeery few who made it happen to produce a brand new Part 23 TC..

http://rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgMakeModel.nsf/0/f0f5bb0e13acee3d86257fca00675b63/$FILE/A00053SE.pdf

My father and I have owned a 180 hp Super Cub, a 150 hp PA-14 (Family Cruiser-basically a 4 place Super Cub), a 150 hp Super Cub, a C-185 with RSTOL, and now a 115 hp Super Legend Cub (and a Caravan). Clearly I am biased towards cubs. Go to Supercub.org and you will find the Beechtalk equivalent of the taildragger world.

Super Cubs feel very comfortable low and slow. I don't think Huskys have the same control feel. Citabrias and Scouts also do not fly as well on the low end of the speed spectrum. Champion aircraft are easier to get in and out of.

For good flying qualities and performance-keep whatever airplane you pick as light as possible. Resist the urge to equip it like your PC-12. Our 115 hp Super Legend flies and performs wonderfully because it is light. Too many people try to make Cubs and Huskys IFR-DON'T DO IT. Cubs don't belong in clouds.

before you get a husky try to lift the tail by hand and move it around. It's an incredibly heavy plane for what it is.

I'd add a bearhawk patrol to your list, in the unlikely case that you can find someone willing to part with theirs. It does everything the supercub does but cruises a lot faster.

so very true...

Ed: May you be related to the Lasater family of Beefmaster cattle fame? We knew them back in their Mexican cattle ranch days.
Having been weaned on Cubs and 180's, I understand your affinity.

Tom

So true... but I was the only one who flew in there with my pants still on and they tolerated me Wheel pants that is...

Bearhawk or Bearhawk Patrol (depending on what load you need to carry).

I sure wish there were more Bearhawks on the market (like the Vans market). I considered them pretty seriously when I was looking for a backcountry plane a few years back. I needed room for the dog and gear so unfortunately, a Supercub was out for us.

There were two on the market..... one in pieces and the other was pretty weak.

When I went through the shopping exercise, I found that there are just as many differences in mission in backcountry flying as there is anywhere else.

Tom: My great uncle Tom Lasater was the leading force behind the Beefmaster breed. He left South Texas for the short grass prairie of Colorado. My grandfather stayed in Falfurrias, Texas. My grandfather got his wings in 1929 at Brooks Field in San Antonio. I think he owned 19 different single engine aircraft before he quit flying due to age.

I have done some long Cub trips: Texas to Alaska, Texas to Colorado (many times) and Texas to Maine via Oshkosh. Most of my Cub flying has been short flights out of Fort Worth Meacham or out of ranch strip in South Texas. I find that 30 minutes in a Cub is very therapeutic. I suspect Huskies, Decathlons, Citabrias, Scouts, RV's and Pitts have similar medical benefits.

Ed: Great read on your family. We've mostly done Hereford. True on the Cub/Pitts therapy. One is non-impacting, the second is shock therapy. The original poster may take note.

Tom