Have you flown a J-3 Cub?

Have you flown a J-3 Cub?

  • Yes, and I have a tailwheel endorsement.

    Votes: 55 35.5%
  • No, and I have a tailwheel endorsement.

    Votes: 16 10.3%
  • Yes, and I don’t have a tailwheel endorsement.

    Votes: 24 15.5%
  • No, and I don’t have a tailwheel endorsement.

    Votes: 60 38.7%

  • Total voters
    155
I flew one for the first time last April...about 2.5 hours of tailwheel training.

Way to small for me. Maybe the backseat has more legroom but the front seat definitely doesn't. I'd have no desire to own one, unless I could customize the location of the seat(s).

Other than that it was relatively fun.

The back seat is much roomier. Its also easier to fly it from back there IMO.

Cubs are small. I take a passenger for a ride occasionally but the J3 is more for me to go buzzing around in.
 
No, and I have a tailwheel endorsement in the 7ECA Citabria. Also have tailwheel time in a Glasair Sportsman.

I've never flown a Cessna 172 before either. :rolleyes:
 
I had a buddy take me flying in one recently - it was a blast. I loved every minute of it. I'll just need to remember to get some narrower shoes for next time - the rear seat rudder pedals are a bit cramped, and I found the lack of width made it somewhat of a chore to use the heel brakes.

Couldn't have been any more different than my normal kind of flying, which made it absolutely perfect. :)
 
I flew one for the first time last April...about 2.5 hours of tailwheel training.

Way to small for me. Maybe the backseat has more legroom but the front seat definitely doesn't. I'd have no desire to own one, unless I could customize the location of the seat(s).

Other than that it was relatively fun.

Egads, you sat in the front seat? :eek:

People often ask if they can fly a J3 from the front and my reply is always to ask "Have you ever been in the front seat of a J3?" Because if you had it's probably not an experience you'd be itching to repeat. The only good thing about it is the entertainment it provides as you watch some poor sucker shoehorn himself in there. I'm not sure I've seen anybody do it the same way twice. :)
 
The only good thing about it is the entertainment it provides as you watch some poor sucker shoehorn himself in there. I'm not sure I've seen anybody do it the same way twice. :)

I always patiently explain the best way to get into the front seat to passengers. Grab here, step on the tire, sit on the frame/door, swing your legs in, then sit in the seat.

Then I stand back and watch the show. 100% of the time they'll put their butt in the seat BEFORE getting their legs in, and then the real struggle begins :rofl:
 
I had a buddy take me flying in one recently - it was a blast. I loved every minute of it. I'll just need to remember to get some narrower shoes for next time - the rear seat rudder pedals are a bit cramped, and I found the lack of width made it somewhat of a chore to use the heel brakes.

I use sperry topsiders. Can't wear regular tennis shoes in the rear seat. Okay in the front though.

Heel brakes still suck. Fortunately the cub has a big rudder.
 
No reason to climb above TPA. Makes the flight more enjoyable to watch the scenery pass by.

No reason to climb to TPA for that matter depending where you are. Plenty of places where just above the wires is fine. My ex wife was fine if we had to climb for fences, take her up a few thousand feet though and she was hating it.:dunno:
 
Im hoping to get some more time in one this weekend :D
 
I always patiently explain the best way to get into the front seat to passengers. Grab here, step on the tire, sit on the frame/door, swing your legs in, then sit in the seat.

Then I stand back and watch the show. 100% of the time they'll put their butt in the seat BEFORE getting their legs in, and then the real struggle begins :rofl:

My wife cusses up a storm trying to get in the front seat of a Cub.
 
I've owned a cub, two Taylorcrafts, a Stearman , an 85 hp champ, a Luscombe, and a Cessna 195. My personal opinion is that one needs at least 100 hours in any of them to really be proficient. The cub was the least enjoyable for me, the champ was a lot of fun, the Taylorcrafts would have been fun had they had more than 65 hp. The Stearman was the most fun hands down but dicey in a cross wind of over 15mph ( direct cross wind) after the Stearman, the Luscombe F model is a lot of fun and much better than a cub which is overpriced and boring after an hour. The Luscombe is a beautifully engineered airplane, well worth the money if in good shape. Super cub is a whole different story but again way overpriced for a nice one.
 
Last edited:
The cub was the least enjoyable for me, the champ was a lot of fun, the Taylorcrafts would have been fun had they had more than 65 hp.
I comments to someone up at 6Y9 a few years ago (I think it was Pete) as we passed a Ford 8n for sale on the side of the road for $5,500 (IIRC)...

The ford 8n is the piper cub of the tractor world. Way overpriced with very little (if any) utility. And everybody wants one!

:)
 
.........................
The poll needs to be modified to include "no tailwheel endorsement - Tailwheel PIC prior to April 15, 1991".
Yeah, I'm sure a lot of us here were grandfathered in. I responded to the poll as I would a multiple choice question on an FAA written exam where none of the answers are correct, choose the one that's least wrong :D
 
The third choice is "Yes, and I don't have a tailwheel endorsement" which is correct for me since I did my primary training in a J3 in 1969.
 
Yeah, I'm sure a lot of us here were grandfathered in. I responded to the poll as I would a multiple choice question on an FAA written exam where none of the answers are correct, choose the one that's least wrong :D

Yeah sorry about that, forgot.
Thanks for saying it though, that way I can take it into consideration when looking at the results.
 
Yeah, well, with that point in mind, what is your purpose in such a survey?
I am very much interested in data that shows tailwheel training produces a better "stick & rudder" pilot.
 
So much love and praise for this little plane. Maybe a better poll would be how many here actually own a J-3 Cub?
 
I'd love to fly a Cub, especially one on floats. Alas there are no rentals and the nearest Cub flying club is about an hour's drive from me on the other side of town.
 
Yeah, well, with that point in mind, what is your purpose in such a survey?
I am very much interested in data that shows tailwheel training produces a better "stick & rudder" pilot.

I learned to fly in 1957. ( legally)At that time almost everyone obtained their license in a taildragger. My instructor said, " if you can fly this champ well, you can fly anything" the key was hours and experience. It takes quite a few hours, like 500 to really feel comfortable in crosswinds, short fields, soft field take offs, slips, etc. in a tail dragger. After that, for me, transitioning to a mooney, tripacer, Cessna 172, bonanza was pretty simple. The reason is that a lot more footwork is necessary in a taildragger to keep it in the proper attitude taking off and landing. My first tri gear check out was in a super 21 mooney. It was a breeze. Stall warning indicators and aoa indicators were not available in most, and no one missed them. You could feel what the airplane was doing well enough. Anyone who gets some time in a taildragger will understand it, but much more than a check ride is necessary. Glider time is also very valuable but I have very little time in one to my regret.
 
Did all my primary in an L2 taylorcraft, finished up in an F19 taylorcraft and was flying my BC12 taylorcraft solo while working on my license. First plane I got checked out in once I got my ticket was the J3. Its a lot different than any of the Tcarts. All this was done in 89 so no endorsement and none needed. I really like the J3 for fun flying. Its not much of a traveler though. I flew a friends J4 a few times and its cool too.

Frank
 
Yeah, well, with that point in mind, what is your purpose in such a survey?

Honestly, I was just really curious for a long time and wanted to find out the statistics.
 
Back
Top