Install flaps on a SuperCub?

I'm looking at a beautiful 1956 superb, but it doesn't have flaps...

Wondering how hard it is to have them installed?

Thanks!

Jim

jaudette wrote:Install flaps on a SuperCub?

I'm looking at a beautiful 1956 superb, but it doesn't have flaps...

Wondering how hard it is to have them installed?

Thanks!

Jim

It's 2-3 days of labor at a shop familiar with the process. Keep in mind, if it's originally a 90hp Super Cub, the type certificate doesn't allow for flaps. "Tango" or "Cub Specials" (105/108hp) do legally allow for flaps.

Now, in the real world where people use common sense, it's a Super Cub and we install the flaps regardless of type certificate. You could probably get a field approval for the 90hp, though that's a 3-5 month battle with the Feds.

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

Unless you want to win a short field landing contest, why mess with a really well balanced, great airplane? It has a wing that makes great use of free, natural energy.

Thanks for the replies guys!

On a covered airplane, it's a goat rope, and not worth the heartburn and $$$$.

Learn to slip the thing, and spend all that money on gas.

MTV (flapless Cub owner)

The plane is originally a PA-18A 90HP. The owner recently had it re-done with larger tail-feathers and a 150HP engine. It's VFR Day only. I'm sure I would want to upgrade it along the way... Just want to know what my limitations will be.

I'm not even sure what to ask???

Can any of you give me some insight?

Jim

jaudette wrote:The plane is originally a PA-18A 90HP. The owner recently had it re-done with larger tail-feathers and a 150HP engine. It's VFR Day only. I'm sure I would want to upgrade it along the way... Just want to know what my limitations will be.

I'm not even sure what to ask???

Can any of you give me some insight?

Jim

Post your question on Supercub.org, with SPECIFICS, as in specifically what do you want to do, model of the plane, etc. Lots of knowledge over there on Cubs, including who holds STCs etc.

MTV

Jaudette: (sp)

I strongly agree with Contact and MTV's original post.
As I read it sounds like it has recently been recovered, If so ya got a plane that is ready to to fly longer than you will live. Most likely.

My opinion is that too may people seem to think they need to sink the kitchen sink full of MODS to MAKE a good plane when all the plane needs is a good a good well practiced and practiced pilot. As they said - Spend the time and money in the air doing slips and more slips and more slips. There is almost nowhere I can think of that it wont already go. Do you still solo it from the back? I had a J-5 with a
C-85 or 90-12 in it. Got it all the way to Merril field in Anchorage and back after it spent a summer on the Dillingham river area being used as a supply pickup for mu friends set net fishing business. Had a 12gal right wing tank and I believe a 7 gallon header/J3 type fuel tank. 19-total.

I added a slow speed - 80mph tops - airspeed indicator for initial speed resolution.

Started a bit high with doing full lock slips and minimum air speed and learned over time - hour and hours - just how low i could go before rolling our of the slip and have the wings catch like an opening parachute - a soft whomph - and it would squat and quit. No flaps ever needed. used a lot of circle to land with the slip so I was always looking at the landing spot. Very common practice from rear seat solo in J3s. only other thing was to take out the wash-out to when the wing stalled- it stalled, but the high resolution airspeed indicator let me stay 2 mph over that speed (28 - it would fly, 26- it dropped) with 1800 rpm. If I like the attitude near touchdown I just pulled the throttle back to 1200 or Idle and the J-5 just said, "OK."

Nufffornow - almost dawn - Eye pain keeping me up occasionally.

Fly safe.
Chris C
PS: with you larger tail feathers it may be a bit touchier.

The OP's question is "how hard is it?" Not "should I?"

The OP wants technical specifics on the effort involved so he can be more knowledgeable. If anyone can expound on that please do rather than giving him an answer as to why he should or should not. I think we're all clear on the pros and cons of flaps.

It is certainly possible and has been done to those early -18A and -12 models. The sensibility of the mod is obviously debatable.

Sorry Zane,

My nostalgia with the original C-90 Super Cub got this thread going sideways.

Jim

contactflying wrote:Sorry Zane,

My nostalgia with the original C-90 Super Cub got this thread going sideways.

Jim

It's okay Jim, but as someone who asks a lot of questions looking for specific knowledge, it can be frustrating to get answers that provide only related opinions.

Actually Zzz... I'm totally good hearing why I should or shouldn't do it... It's one of the things I like about the experience that people have around here...

I guess I don't need to have flaps... I used the heck out of them in my maule to dissipate energy on my rollout. If I can land it slow enough with out them, I'm good without them!

Trying to see if I can strike a deal with the seller, this looks like a great bird for sure!

Thanks for all your replies... Keep''em coming!!!!

Jim

jaudette wrote:Actually Zzz... I'm totally good hearing why I should or shouldn't do it... It's one of the things I like about the experience that people have around here...

I guess I don't need to have flaps... I used the heck out of them in my maule to dissipate energy on my rollout. If I can land it slow enough with out them, I'm good without them!

Trying to see if I can strike a deal with the seller, this looks like a great bird for sure!

Thanks for all your replies... Keep''em coming!!!!

Jim

Hey that's fine. Just working on my tireless campaign of reducing bullshit and static for information requests.

That's not to say my friends in this thread are full of anything other than good advice.

Ha Ha! Right! I kinda asked for it in this thread when I said I'm not even really sure what to ask... Can a worms at that point!

Jim

You could probably do it on a covered wing, you'd have to cut the fabric back. I have heard that people have cut the stock long ribs back and made them into flap ribs. If you had the fabric off the wings you could replace the ribs with Dakota cub or univair ribs. That would be the way to go in my opinion, recover both wings. How old is the fabric? Next question is, does your frame have the flap pulleys. Not all super Cubs had them. If not, you're going to be welding on your frame. Then it starts to snowball into a bigger project. You can take your interior panels out and see if you have the flap pulleys. If you'd like I can get some pics.

After reading through the posts, I guess I'm not sure I'd put flaps on it after all. It's just been restored and I think I'd be able to get almost equivalent performance with good technique.

What do you guy's think VG's would do to its performance? Help or hurt?

Thanks!

Jim

If it was so great without, why did Piper put them on later models? To make up for poor technique? Probably not. It adds another dimension to the wing.

I say if you want flaps and have the money to make it what you want, put the flaps on it. You may fly it without and love it and not want them. Everyone has their opinion. Just because many say its "stupid" or a "waste of money" doesn't mean it is. This is Merica after all.

But what do i know. I always do what Im told!! [emoji6]

You will be disappointed in a 150hp Super Cub without flaps. It's fine on a J3 or PA11 or -90 cub. What you've got there is a whole other beast. Also, if you ever want floats, or want to sell it to someone who wants floats, you're gonna need flaps.

If it was just restored I wouldn't mess with it. Look for another cub. Much easier.

They say vg's make a huge difference, once I finish my cub I'm going to fly it with out them and then put them on. Every super cub I've flown has had vg's. They must work.

I've flown a sweet Clipper before. This one has 10hp less than mine and is dimensionally identical. Almost the same airplane except for the flaps and some other small things. It slipped really nicely and landed just a touch faster than mine does with half flaps and no slipping. Just a comparison of some smaller piper wings.


Good luck!