Just finished a rear stick cover for a PA-18 from .032 2024-T3. It has a curved top and three angled sides. I used a small hammer to set rivets in the areas where the squeezer couldn't reach. The project was ridiculously time-consuming but I'm happy with my amateur results. I intended to paint it but think I'll just leave it au naturel.

Wow! Thats nice! Good work.

Kurt

Very nice! Our old stick covers were somewhat similar, but rectangular, with a flat top that was easily removable with a couple clamps. Pull the top lid, insert stick and rear seat has controls.

As much labor as something like this incurs, price a plastic stick cover from Atlee Dodge......

MTV

A tandem aircraft without a rear stick removal and safetying system is only half an airplane! It's a gotta have. As is a easily removable cargo deck (handy when camping out for a flat surface to cook on outside also), that uses the rear seat attach points.

Thanks for the compliments. Courier guy, I agree rear stick covers are mandatory. I am curious about the cargo deck you referred to. Do you have a picture?

mtv is right about the Atlee option, it's a good option. I like the idea of a removable top lid.

In addition, part of the pre-flight briefing should be for your passenger to keep their feet off the rudder pedals/brakes. I know of one accident because the passenger had his feet on the brakes.

The L19 that I flew years ago had folding rear rudder pedals, they went flush to the floor and removed any risk of unwanted or unexpected inputs. On occasion I’ve wondered about if they could replace the standard ones on the right however others much wiser then I say it not possible.

You guys have brakes for the passenger?! Not me, saved a bit of weight and eliminated the need for a passenger preflight briefing, same with the rear throttle. The most I do with a passenger is let them handle the stick and rudder, and they're damn lucky to be able to do that

Not a super cub, but a RANS S7-S, my "forward cargo deck" is a piece of aircraft plywood about 3/16" thick, strategically oriented with the grain to provide stiffness where needed. This grain/stiffness helped me to be able to go with overall thinner plywood. 2 main runners, 3/4" x 1.5" are screwed and Gorilla glued to the bottom of the ply, on the same centers as the seat attach points, they were made from my 1946 T-Craft spar remnants, so they are clear spruce (and have good mojo). That's the rear support.

The front bears on a telescoping aluminum tube, with a center support, the spruce runners cup the tube, half circles in the runner match the tube's OD.The tube is supported on the side longerons by two short stubs of 4130, that the tube slips over, they were welded in as I built the plane, as I had done similar on my first S-7 and it worked so well I did it again. The telescoping tube has a pip pin so once engaged to the side stubs, it stays there. When I take a passenger I take it out, in about 10 seconds, I have forgotten a few times and unless the passenger is quite large it is not a deal breaker as their shins are underneath it. two mid point supports (so it's supported in 3 places I guess) have tabs and more pip pins, so the deck pops out in seconds.

The stick stub, machined to match the ID of the removed control stick, is underneath the deck, so no further stick stub protection is needed, the deck is it. The pic is of it in use, it's stout enough to hold a persons weight, the notches are so the door latch clears. One nice feature is there is about 6 or 8" of room between the belly carpeted fabric and the deck bottom, making a good storage area for stuff I usually won't need ready access to but still want to haul and be able to get to at the end of the day, when the deck is usually cleared already. I find that several sub divided areas better for gear storage, rather than in one large junk pile. It's perfect for carry a large cooler with a couple cases of beer, (did that one time) and the seat belts are accessible and are used for their purpose. Also a large tee pee (folded) that I once airdropped to some backcountry skiers simply by opening the door and side slipping, as the deck is about even with the door sill. The deck and the main baggage area further aft gives me about 5' of cargo space,with a center bulkhead, pretty good for a plane this small.

After taking a closer look at Vmc's fine work I hesitate to post any further pictures

how do i get ahold of VMC?

I had my first MI at the age of 40, 2 marathons and 24 years later I had 7 bypasses. Every passenger gets a stick and instructions on how to fly/land/call for help in the first five min of flight. Many fly just fine once you show them you can do most everything with the rudder and throttle. I fly 20-30 fights a year with people that have never been in a small plane before with no problems. Giving a passenger the ability to save there life is kind of important. Protecting the stick when hauling cargo is just as important.
DENNY