Good point, and maybe should be in another thread but I was just looking to compare to a stock 182F I fly occasionally.

Jay,
We have a pretty good test on that as Gresham's "Fugly" has the same PPonk engine (different prop though) and the same tire set up as mine. Tom's is the later wide body and mine is the narrow body.

We have flown quite a bit together... usually Tom following me. If any, the speed and climb differences were pretty dang small. So small that simple fuel weight differences could have accounted for it.

All things being equal, the narrow bodies are about 150 lbs lighter.

If I could get a Johnson Bar Flap on a wide body... I'd lean that way.

Ours isn't. We have a 3 blade prop and we can maybe indicate 130 MPH in the 8-10,000 foot range. Haven't done a GPS test to check but seems slower than my other one.

I like Cubs, but just can't get in/out of them. So I bought a Citabria - much easier to enter/exit, and a lot roomier once you're in. And I like flying in the front seat, which makes forward visibility a non-issue (no S-turning required for this 5'10" guy). My issue was useful load, so I went for a 7ECA with the O-200 (the lightest airplane with the largest useful load).

Cruise with the O-200 is only 95 mph (maybe 100 if I put the wheel pants back on), but that's blindingly fast compared with a J3... At max cruise, it burns 5.6 GPH, but I typically see 4.5 GPH (block time) when I'm doing pattern work, or just playing around. The more common O-235 powered ones are about 10 mph faster, and burn about 1 GPH more than mine does. They also climb a bit faster, use less runway, and carry less useful load (about 50-70 lbs).

Good 7ECAs are available all the time in the $28-36K range, with low-to-mid-time engines and decent fabric. Cubs and SuperCubs are "cult planes" with prices that reflect that cult status. I have several friends who have owned Cubs over the past few years, and every single one of them gets frustrated by their lack of speed and the difficulty of getting in/out of them.

The Citabria doesn't have the fold-down door of the J3 and SuperCub, but it does have a sliding window on the left side that keeps me reasonably cool even during our 95-105ºF summer weather here in Dallas.

If you REALLY want a Cub, then nothing else will do, and you'll spend accordingly. But if you want a 2-seat tandem taildragger that is fun to fly, you can do a LOT worse than a Citabria.

Yes, no graceful way to get into or out of a Supercub ( a bit like some well known sports cars..)…..and nothing to be ashamed of….

but maybe exactly that is one of the many ( built in) features that has created the "cult"…..

( a bit like Cindy Crawford's "beauty mark"..)

Here's a "Deal or No Deal" twist to this thread:

I'm talking on the phone with a "friend of owner" who has an airplane listed online. The photos look pretty good, the numbers look pretty good, and the price is about what I'm hoping for.

Here's the problem: it was overhauled in 2006 and has been flown less than 120 hours since then and only 25 hours since 2010. The last annual was done a little over a year ago, but "it shouldn't take long to do the annual because it hasn't flown since then."

I've heard that the Lycoming 4's don't have the same problems with dormancy as the Continental 6's. But, 25 hours in the last 7 years? That sounds like an awful lot of sitting around.

Have a mechanic that knows these little engines do a pre-buy and bore scope. 99 to 1, you won't find a problem. I would not be very concerned.

Jgreen

Stuart:

Today's the first time I've seen this thread. Now your request to let you know if I ever sell my floatcub makes sense.

I'm feeling pretty badly for both of us at this moment. I wish one of us had bought Bob Martin's plane.

viewtopic.php?f=51&t=128454

jh

N7776D would be my first call.

jh

N9653P would be my second call. Mainly due to its location.

jh

This guy has advertised for a partner for quite some time now. I'd consider asking him if he just wants to sell it.

SUPER CUB PARTNERSHIP NJ • $25,000 • PARTNERSHIP OFFERED • Partners wanted for 1952 Super Cub Special, restored fully 2014, like new, based at Sky Manor, NJ • Contact Dennis K. Johnson, Owner - located Hoboken, NJ USA • Telephone: 2016596329 • Posted July 21, 2017 • Show all Ads posted by this Advertiser • Recommend This Ad to a Friend • Email Advertiser • Save to Watchlist • Report This Ad

jh

A fast one and a slow one, I think you are on the right path

sounds like pretty typical usage to me. maybe even a little on the heavy side of average

I just sold a 1969 Citabria that had 1,500TT. I only put about 50 hours on it in 4 years. It ran like a top and never had to add oil.
I wouldnt worry too much about the engine.

I looked at a rarely flown Citabria GCBC about 10 years ago with an O320 Lycoming. As part of the inspection, I had the mechanic pull a cylinder and I'm glad I did. The cam was rusty and the lifters were worn. There's really no way to get a look at the cam without removing a jug. It added a few hundred to the prebuy inspection but it was worth it to me. I passed on that plane.