Northwest Passage, 2011

[Major Nikon]

I found these photos of a guy that took a Piper Cub (airplane) on a 30 day excursion across the western US. For those who don't know what a Piper Cub is, it is a pretty interesting aircraft. They were built back in the 40's as an everyman's aircraft. They were relatively cheap to buy. The engine they came with had anywhere from 40 hp to 75 hp (a Toyota Yaris has a 106 hp engine). Needless to say, it's a very underpowered airplane which makes this trip all the more interesting. The higher you go in an airplane, the less performance you have. The highest this aircraft can go is around 9,000' above sea level. Out in the west, mountain ranges of 10,000' and higher are quite common, which means you have to find mountain passes to cross at lower altitudes in an aircraft like this.

http://www.vintageflying.com/vintageflying%20photos%202011.htm

[NV Whino]

1. Thanks for the info

Last edited Tue May 15, 2012, 12:54 PM - Edit history (1)

Maybe one could put wings on a Yaris and do the same thing.

Those are great photos, and what a great experience.

[Major Nikon]

2. Check out the ercoupe in a couple of the photos

It's almost like a Yaris with wings. It was made to be extremely easy to fly, almost like a car. It has no rudder pedals, can't stall or spin, and even had a steering wheel that provided directional control in the air and on the ground.

[NV Whino]

3. I saw that

Cute little plane.

[flamin lib]

4. I flew a Cub J-3!

Takes off at 30 mph and cruising speed was a whopping 60! Couldn't keep up with highway traffic but what a blast to fly.

Had an engine quit and my eldest brother was able to reach out the window and spin the prop to re-start it (no electric start on the 65 hp version).

On a windy day you could tie it to a fence post and fly it like a kite.

[Major Nikon]

5. I have a buddy that has one

I've never flown one solo, but I can imagine it's a lot more fun than flying one with two grown men inside. He always says, take off at 50mph, cruise at 50mph, land at 50mph. Somehow I doubt those numbers, but it sounds good.

[bluedigger]

6. I flew this Piper Clipper.

I learned to fly and did my first (and last) solo in this 1949 PA-16 Piper Clipper almost thirty years ago. It was basically a wide Cub that (theoretically) could carry four people. In reality the back seat was only good for an overnight bag, as it had the same little engine as the Cub. Woefully underpowered, with the glide ratio of a brick.

The pictures make me miss flying.

[Major Nikon]

7. I have a few hours in shortwing Pipers

For just around for fun, it's hard to beat them. You could fly them backwards in a strong headwind and land them on a postage stamp. Recently I saw a Tri-Pacer in decent shape and flyable condition selling for $10,000. I almost bought it for just something to put around locally.

[bluedigger]

8. I'm kind of proud of learning to fly in a tail dragger.

We must be a vanishing breed.

My flight instructor had to take me down to a grass field to solo. The asphalt was too damn fast for landing.

The plane was still registered last time I checked, but had been repainted a lovely battleship gray.

We paid $7,000 for it in 1983. $10,000 sounds like a sweet deal for a Tri Pacer, if it has any avionics. All we had was a radio.

[Major Nikon]

9. It's more expensive to insure a tail dragger for primary instruction

That's why you don't see people getting their tickets in one these days.

[bluedigger]

10. Most people don't buy their plane first.

My ex had her glider licence at 14 and pilot's licence at 16. I don't remember anything about the insurance - she dealt with it.

That plane would probably be uninsurable for instruction today - it only had ground brakes on one side - the instructor was SOL. It had a lot of quirks - like a single wing tank.

They revised (improved) the design pretty quickly with the other models, as you know.

[trusty elf]

11. Great pics, thanks. n/t