Hi all,

I'm considering purchasing a small-engined Super Cub to putt around in. Don't need lots of HP, but I just want a lightweight, fun airplane to fly around the pattern with occasional backcountry adventure.

One of the airplanes I'm considering (PA-18-95s are exceedingly difficult to find it seems) has an empty weight of 991 lbs, which seems heavy. It's a restoration on a new fuselage, 8.50 tires, and no flaps. C-90-12, electric starter, Alt, Becker radio.

My question - Is it possible to loose a significant amount of weight by deleting the starter, alternator, and battery, and going with a handheld radio, or, better, installing a small rechargeable battery to run the radio and LED lights?

I'd rather not replace the engine with a -8 as it's recently overhauled.

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

Plane power alternator, O235 flywheel, SkyTec starter, associated wiring was 48 pounds off the nose of my PA-11 experimental thing.

Switch to EarthX from Odyssey was another 12.

Yes, you could lose a few pounds by removing the electrical system. The question is: Do you really want to do so?

I owned a PA-11 with a -8 engine and it was in the mid eight hundred pound range, which left precious little useful load, with a 1220 gross weight. So, frankly, your airplane sounds about right, weight wise, considering you have an electrical system. The 1500 gross weight of the 18-95 offers more useful.

My 11 had a small battery to run the handheld radio.

Hand propping is an acquired taste, but don right it can be safe.

I might consider installing one of the new Earth X batteries, which are super light weight, remove the existing battery and box, then remove the alternator or generator, but leave the starter in place.

Around the home drome, you’ll still have a starter, just recharge the battery after each flight. Install a handheld radio, with external antenna, and a portable intercom.

You should be able to remove 25 to 35 pounds by doing that.

Take a good look around and see if there’s anything else that could be removed.

Finally, find out how it was weighed. Lots of mechanics just fill the fuel tanks, then weigh the plane, then deduct the factory listed weight of useable fuel from that weight to come up with empty weight. In fact, many of these fuel tanks actually hold a little more fuel than advertised. So, weighed with full fuel, hen subtracting listed useable fuel MAY wind up with a heavier than actual empty weight. It’s a say to get an extra gallon or two of fuel into some of these tanks,and it adds up.

Have it weighed with all fuel drained via gascolator in level flight attitude. You may find you gain some useful load. Maybe.

MTV