Work Continues On Company Demonstrator
CubCrafters announced Wednesday it has shipped the first three
Carbon Cub Wing Kits and the first Carbon Cub Fuselage Kit. The
company is currently producing the kits at a rate of two per
month.
Each container includes all of the parts and hardware necessary
for assembly, right down to the last cotter pin. Also included is a
comprehensive assembly manual which provides step-by-step
instructions with pictures and/or illustrations for every step from
setup to completion.
"The first builder has the wings complete and is working on the
fuselage kit. Being the first to assemble the wings and the
fuselage kit was bit challenging at times, but the customers’
patience and dedication proved to be very helpful in identifying
our assumptions in the assembly manual," said Kit Program Manager,
Mitch Travis. "All of the current owners have commented about the
quality and the engineering of the Carbon Cub Kit. I think they
each value having all of the components produced under an FAA
approved quality system."
Owners aren't the only people working on Carbon Cub kits. The
company's 2009 Carbon Cub demo airplane is also nearing completion,
with the signature "Flames Scheme" painted this week and the Cub
should be moving into final assembly in the next few days. Once
completed, CubCrafters’ engineering team will begin gathering
and compiling the flight data needed to publish the official
performance numbers for the Carbon Cub.
"It is a real treat to see this kitplane in production," said
CubCrafters owner and Carbon Cub Kit designer, Jim Richmond. "We
have modernized every aspect of the trusted old Cub. We have
simplified, streamlined, strengthened, and thought outside the box
in every way we could imagine. If there is a better way to build a
Cub, we want to know about it."
Introduced to the public at the 2008 Alaska Airmen's
Show, the Carbon Cub includes 40 non-structural
airframe parts built out of high strength carbon fiber, that were
previously metal or fiberglass -- which saves over 30 lbs compared
with a stock Sport Cub LSA.
While the monster aircraft unveiled then was outfitted with a
220-hp motor, the Carbon Cub demo airplane will start out fitted
with a 160-hp Lycoming O-320-B2B. Several different engines are
planned so that induction and exhaust systems can be designed and
tested for any combination the builder may want to use.