Me and a few friends are considering going in partners on a good B.C. airplane. You always hear talk about the Super Cubs, Huskies and 180/185's as being the best, which they probably are. For the money, though, I've always advocated for the Scout. I spent a couple summers towing banners with them and always thought it to be a good airplane. Am I missing something?

-Matt

P.S. We'd also like to put it on floats at some point too.

I found a mid-70's Scout for sale in Arkansas before I bought my 170. The guy wanted $49,000 for it, and I almost jumped on it. Sometimes I wish I had...

Scouts are great, I love the modern Champ design. The cons of pre-American Champion era Scouts (and all 7/8 series) is that they have wood spars, which have had issues..usually pilot error involving overstressing the aircraft. Replacement metal spar wings run upwards of $20,000.

They have roomy cockpits for a tandem arrangement, good heaters, and good ground manners (at least the 8KCAB I flew did, but you can take my tailwheel testimony with a grain of salt.)

I have over 2500 hours in two of them (scouts). Another 2000 in citabrias. I like them. I also had a nice light 160 hp super cub. The cub beat the scouts on take off and landing distance evry time, but by only 100 feet.

I'm 6ft 5in, 215 lbs, and the scout is way easier to get in and has more room once you are in, and it cruises 20 mph faster. I spent two weeks following five super cubs around Alaska (real heavy), slowed down to the cub speeds, and I burned the same fuel burn as the cubs (6.5 G/H). I hold 70 gallons of gas. Hey I don't see any reason not to fly scouts up there! John

The new Scouts have metal wings, and are a lot heavier than the older Scouts. The metal wings are retrofittable, for a price, of course. They're heavy. The issue with the wood wings was generally wing strikes, such as hangar doors, etc, not reported or properly inspected, I believe. It's hard to beat a wood spar, but they are also hard to inspect and guarantee that they're not cracked.

The Scout has a higher stall speed than the Cub or the Husky. It is an honest airplane, but it sort of flies like a Cessna, rather than like a Cub, at the low end of the flight range. That's not a bad thing necessarily, depending on what you are doing with the plane.

Vortex generators are a real plus on the Scout. I wouldn't own one without them.

The ones with big tanks carry way too much fuel, the ones with little tanks don't carry enough. If it's got the big tanks, you don't have to fill them.

It's faster than the Cub.

As noted, they are an honest, fast airplane with a big cabin and a good heater.

They had some serious QC problems for a while, so have a REALLY good pre-buy done. If it's got wood spars, buy it cheap, sooner or later they are going to get condemned, right or wrong, I'm guessing. That would be too bad, in my opinion, because I think good wood spars are great. Problem is how do you tell they're good?

MTV

There is no comparison of a Scout and a SuperCub, basically apples and oranges.I have delivered several new Scouts. They are relatively fast and yes, they hold a lot of gas. They have little or no baggage capacity due to structural metal. The fuel system is either on or off. The tanks do not feed evenly resulting in heavy wing attitude. I had a brand new Scout quit due to a defective fuel cap. Fuel was forced to the outer tank and out the vent. I still had at least
15 gallons of fuel left! I am not the only one this has happened to. This is not a problem to have in the backcountry.
Don't get me wrong, the Scout is an OK bird, it should stick to what it is designed for, towing gliders, pipeline patrol, etc..

Idaho SuperCub

I'm a Super Cub guy. That being said, i've flown the Scouts and have flown with Scouts. In capable hands they will go anywhere a Cub will go... in fact I would like to invite Idaho Super Cub guy to come down to the Boise area with his Cub and go play... at the end of the day I bet you will have a new understanding of there abilitys... Unless your very polished in your cub we'll leave you circling above.. Joe

I'd agree to a point. I've heard this from Cub guys for years, and I've got several thousand hours in Cubs.

There is no doubt in my mind that a VERY light Cub will outperform a very light Scout in takeoff and landing.

So--here's the question for you: How many of you regularly, or EVER, work your airplane right to the limit on landings and takeoffs. There are those who do, mind you, but not many.

An extra 100 feet of takeoff, maybe?? Who cares? Just don't land on some a--hole 200 foot long sand bar.

If that's the kind of edgy stuff you'd like to be involved in, go for a very light cub. Since you are talking a "club" type plane, I kind of doubt this is what you have in mind, and the Scout can be a fine airplane.

As I noted, they did have some quality issues some time back. I've also seen some really badly rigged ones (and Super Cubs, as well), so have someone take a good look at it first.

They are a fine airplane, and flown by the right pilot, will go almost anywhere most folks will take a Cub.

MTV

I have never seen a Scout at Mile High, Dewey Moore, or Simonds. I also know that a certain Idaho Scout dealer has quite a large inventory that they can't sell. One of which its previous owner regrets selling his SuperCub. I certainly would not buy one. I would take a Citabria with flaps any day, I trust their wing construction more.

Idaho Supercub

Are you talking new or old wing construction?
I've seen 185's at Mile High, Simonds, and Dewey Moore. Are you saying that you can't get a Scout on and off as fast as a 185? I'd have to differ at that statement if that is what you are saying. My dad sprayed for two operators that had them and I remember them being fairly sporty as long as you keep in mind what Mike said about the a**hole 200 footer.

Idaho Supercub... once again I invite you to go flying with me and some of my scout buddies... those strips you mention are easy compared to some we frequent. I do some instruction for customers of Bob Hannah, the local Scout dealer, and I think you need to do your homework.. he sells two a month (all that they will give him) and can't keep them in stock.

George ... whats up.. do you know how to post a video here? I have a good Scout clip. Joe

I guess we should let the numbers speak. Especially in alaska. These aircraft numbers are for US registered aircraft only.
Scout numbers in four selected states. Total U.S. registered 115
Alaska 7
Idaho 13
Montana 13
Utah 1

Piper SuperCub PA18-150 only, I do not mention the additional numbers of lower hp SuperCubs (Pa18-135 etc. or Top Cubs)
PA18-150 Total U.S.Registered 2275
Alaska 873
Idaho 36
Montana 128
Utah 15

As far as your challenge, I have flown aircraft as light as the J3 Cub, to the B777, soon the B787 Dreamliner. 20,000 hours and counting, I guess I don't need to prove anything to anyone. I also don't need to prove the capabilities of a legendary aircraft. As I have said, I have flown the Scout and I am not impressed with it. As far as to the SuperCub, why is it everybody always refers to their aircraft with SuperCub type performance.
Say hello to your flat land Scout boys in Boise!

Idaho SuperCub
,

Airline pilots are all the same. Talk the talk but let the autopilot do the flying.

Speaking of which, did you hear about the hunting dog named Co-Pilot? He was a hell of a hunter until someone made the mistake of calling him Captain, after that he just sat on his ass and barked!

Hi Joe!

Hope you don't mind the pic I pirated! I think it's awesome!

Idaho, if you enjoy flying in the sticks,you owe it to yourself to take Joe up on his offer. I met Joe and G3 last year just poking around Or. and can not say enough about the good time, good people, and great flying.

Met up with Joecub again this winter. And a friend of mine (retired MAF)was along in his cub as well. His comment just about summed it up. "He is as proficient as it gets in that thing"

Take care, Rob

I worked at the local airport as a line boy at 14. I started flying at 15 in a Citabria and was proficient in aerobatics . I soloed on my 16th birthday after I got my drivers license. I busted my butt flying cargo and cancelled checks in the middle of the night and with marginal equipment. Grand Canyon tours , corporate flying with no life, wrote my own 135 manuels and operated my own part 135 air charter. Finally, an airline job. I earned my right! I have the best job in the world, I get paid to fly the finest and most advanced equipment and have fun. What is funny is to this day I still grab a sandwich and watch airplanes at the local airport . I also visit the local airport bums regular basis. So don't give this "Airline Pilot" crap, I've been in this aviation business a long time.

Idaho SuperCub

Hi Shamu,

If you don't mind me asking, were you towing for Dobry? Just asking because I do some towing out of LGB as well and know he has about 8 or 10 scouts. That in itself should say alot about what a scout can do....

On the otherhand, the AP scouts are usually towing billboards on the order of 30'x100'.... the "otherguys" are towing as big as 50'x120' on cubs.... and of course none of this means much in the context of how you will fly your plane.

Take care, Rob

Idaho Super Cub,

Total numbers of aircraft registered means very little in this case, since the respective airplanes have been in service for such different periods of time. SInce the Super Cub has been in production for something over 50 years, AND during times when ALL aircraft manufacturers were shoving airplanes out the door by the hundreds, and the Scout is a pretty recent design, I hardly think you can compare numbers in service.

I know of Scouts in 135 service in Alaska, and I can introduce you to a fellow who'll take his just about anywhere the 135 Cub drivers go, and THEY'LL agree with that.

Back in the day, I used to think the Super Cub was the best airplane on the planet, and NOTHING else could compare. Nowadays, I've come to the reality that there are a LOT of great airplanes out there. Every airplane has its strong points, every one has it's weaker points, but nevertheless, they are great airplanes.

The Cub and the Scout are both great airplanes, in MY opinion.

The 777 is probably a great airplane to YOU, and I wouldn't argue that, but I wouldn't want to fly one. That is simply a difference in personnel, nothing else.

Now, if you want a REAL airplane, go find a Beaver . Makes a Cub look like a kid's tricycle.

MTV

Rob... Great to hear from you... hows life treating you.... we need to get together soon.... IdahoSuperCub.. sorry about the jab... I just think you haven't seen a Scout flown to it's full capacity...sure it doesn't fly like a Cub...NOTHING does!!!! I went for a long period of time feeling the same as you did about the Scouts, but seeing them flown by very capable hands has proven me wrong! If you ever get down this way come visit me at Caldwell airport. Forget about the challenge crap, I would just like to get to get to know you and you'll see i'm not totally full of crap myself

The back country version of the Ford and Chevy topic. Having owned both I have to agree an disagree. If I was living and working in the BC then I know doubt would have kept the SC.

But since I am not, I like the 75 gal fuel, ease of entry and speed.

If your limited with your time in the BC you can fill the Scout up leave your long runway, get there, be fairy light and not have to make fuel stops.
Or you could spend that weekend flying slow stopping at a couple airports along the way and talking about your trip.

I have flown some way out of rig Scouts that can behave pretty nasty.

I sold the SC, it did some things much better than the Scout, it just didn't do enough for my use.

A properly rigged, VG equipped Scout is a good honest airplane.

A Super Cub it is not, they both really are great airplanes.

The debate might be shorter if you ask about wives or electric cars.