The never ending airplane search.. I’m a huge fan of SuperCubs and tandem seating but it doesn’t seem possible to have two people plus dog in one. Maybe with a wide body Javron, higher gross, and extended baggage. Is there some airplane I’m missing that will give 80% cub performance but cruise a little faster and carry the load? I’ve also checked out Scouts which seem to fit the bill but the baggage compartment might be too small for a bigger dog. Plus pretty hard to get back there. Thanks for any input.

Sir, Didn't you get a RANS S-7?

On your search for the 2 people and a dog, I'm thinking you're going to have to go with a 4-place. PA-14 would fit your criteria. A friend has one that he says he will sell me when his flying days are over. He's 77 and is more limber than I, so I don't see it getting into my hangar anytime soon. Nice planes though, like a very small 4 place Super Cub.

Another option might be finding one of the Super Cubs that have the third seat. If you've already looked at the Scout, and don't feel it will work, I think you're going to have to look at side by side seating. The Scout has one of the roomiest of the Tandem birds.

Have you considered the Legend MOAC? They are wider and also can be had with a 3rd seat. I am a huge fan of the Legend series. If I win the lottery, I would buy a Legend Cub before a CC.

Okay, I’ll say it: Just buy a Maule.

Two people and gear AND GAS to go anywhere is tough in most two place aircraft. Getting a big dog into baggage compartment in a tandem is a chore, and then where does survival gear, etc go?

So, you’re looking at a four seater, basically. Maule, Aeronca Sedan, Cessna 170, 172, Pacer, tri pacer, etc.

MTV

Nope. Never got the Rans. We had a small window to get it done and we couldn’t agree on how to get the plane to the mechanic I wanted to pre purchase it. He couldn’t fly it and He didn’t want me flying it. Then he mentioned that he “was thinking about just keeping it now”. So I left it at that. Not meant to be. Still searching but having room enough for my SO and dog is important and I’m starting to prioritize it.

MTV. I knew someone would say it. And you’re right. Those insurances rates come from stats and it always worries me I’ll loop it. Sure I could figure it out with some solid instruction. Thanks for the help!

If you are open to experimental - take a look at the Bearhawk patrol. It’s got about a 1000 lb useful load, cruise 150+ mph, land at 35mph - huge Maule style baggage door, and the back seat is wide enough to hold a person and dog, some builders have made that back seat a 2 person (small peeps) seat. You can get into the back seat through that big baggage door, so easy to load your rear passenger vs standard tandem seat planes.

Or just get a Skywagon

corefile wrote:Or just get a Skywagon

+1 LOL

A bushmaster/producer would also fit the bill of what you are looking for, especially if you are open to experimental.

Bearhawk 4 Place is your plane, it has a useful load of over 1000 pounds with a massive cargo area.

The original 4 Place is back on the market as the previous deal fell through.

4 Place BH’s seldom come on the market, but I personally am building as I want experimental.

Your first post seemed to describe a pacer

An early model C180 would work perfectly. I have a full fuel payload of around 600 lbs. Dog weighs 70. Leaves me enough load for one passenger, and and about as much camping gear I can carry. I think you have to go 4 place unless you have a really small dog. Dogs like to be comfortable flying. I flew out to the Alvord desert a few years ago and loaded the airplane not my dog's liking coming home. I had to reload to give him more room. He wouldn't get in the airplane - still makes me laugh. A Stinson 108 wouldn't break the bank and could work for the mission.




My dog prefers the 180.



Josh

Utah-Jay wrote:Bearhawk 4 Place is your plane, it has a useful load of over 1000 pounds with a massive cargo area.

The original 4 Place is back on the market as the previous deal fell through.

4 Place BH’s seldom come on the market, but I personally am building as I want experimental.

If I didn't have a family of four, and could go back in time, I'd do a Bushmaster. Technically a 4 seat airplane but lower empty weight than BH 4-seat or Maule M7 class, so it's a little smaller and lighter and more fun solo.

It's a Super Cub wing but slightly lower AOI which makes it cruise a little faster. Ton of room for gear with the rear seat out.

Can do then certified with STC or experimental. O-320 or O-360. Lives in the Piper ragwing parts ecosystem. PA-22 projects are found in every barn for a song.

I agree with Asa. Seems like you're describing a Pacer. I do trips with the gf, dog and gear in my Pacer all the time. Taco loves flying, jumps right in the back door

100 lb German shepherd on top of our gear, we took the back seat out shortly after we bought the Maule and it hasn't been back in since. What I believe is that our dogs go wherever we go as part of the "herd", regardless the kind of machine we get into. I don't think they're affected by anything the airplane experience provides, and in many regards the airplane provides a smoother ride that most of the roads we drive anyway.

180/5

The Bearhawk Companion is a 2 place, side X side plane with nearly the useful load of the Bearhawk 4-place.

A 180 or 185 will suit all of your needs

If certified/experimental doesn't matter, I agree with the Bearhawk suggestions above, either the 4 place or the companion. If you need/want certified, I vote for a Stinson 108 all day. I have a 108-3 with a wife and dog and it's amazing. My dog does better with the back seat out, and there's plenty of room for him (chocolate lab) plus our bags. I keep tools/emergency stuff in the baggage compartment. Useful load on mine is 900lbs, and it's a bit on the heavy side being metalized. With full fuel, my wife, tools/emergency stuff (35lbs), dog and me, I still have about 140lbs for bags/gear. I've had it a year and am so glad I bought it! Good luck!

Do you really “need” a tailwheel? The 182 is hard to beat. Just sayin…….

My wife and I used to fly in our old 65hp Tcart with our dog and a couple backpacks in the baggage sling, she was about 55lbs in her prime. It was cozy but we made it just fine. Glad we don’t have to anymore. Both her (the dog not the wife) and myself are a bit chubbier than we used to be. I have fit all four of us (myself, wife, 4 yo and 2 yo both in car seats) plus the dog, plus a couple bags in our PA-20. It’s a little tight but works well enough. Granted the Pacer does have extended wings and a borer prop, it would be real piggish that close to gross without those mods I think.

DeltaRomeo wrote:100 lb German shepherd on top of our gear, we took the back seat out shortly after we bought the Maule and it hasn't been back in since. What I believe is that our dogs go wherever we go as part of the "herd", regardless the kind of machine we get into. I don't think they're affected by anything the airplane experience provides, and in many regards the airplane provides a smoother ride that most of the roads we drive anyway.

Indeed, Spike (10 lbs) loves riding in my crane's operator cab, not to mention the truck cab, especially when we pull up next to a lower vehicle with bigger dogs, that he can look down on! I bet the first wheeled vehicle of any kind, took a dog about 30 seconds to figure out he wanted to ride also.