Flight Test

It was a case of being in at the deep end. Lightning was flashing away to my right and I was deviating further and further off track westerly into France to avoid both the CBs, turbulence and darkly threatening skies. Dear old Aunty Ivy, my J3 Cub G-AGIV, was tolerating the conditions with the odd pivoting lurch and bumpy path at a ground speed of just 35kt. This implied the winds at play were around the 25kt mark. Not so good. I should not have been there. I had left Bremgarten on the Rhine’s eastern bank where the Allison engined Yak 3 that I had been test flying had an approach speed as low as Aunty’s 106kt Vne. Certainly a contrast. Normally my homeward flight could be completed within a long day of seven hours… this time the logged journey took more than an unfortunate 13. Had it been a film script I would have spent the night having met someone wonderful, but sadly, reality rarely bestows such a rich storyline, Aunty at least, had hangarage.

After that flight, with Aunty safely ensconced at my home airfield, with both my hands wrapped around a warming mug of tea, I decided rather reluctantly to syndicate her. Travelling, rather than just flying, was really using her for the wrong purpose. It was a gradual parting, having satisfied that her new carers were both competent and safe; guiding her around the home hills, I said goodbye. I didn’t fly a Cub again.

Fifteen years later however, and I found myself getting reacquainted with the type, good fortune sending me airborne with Mike Greenland in his family’s J3 for this flight test.

Old familiar

The old familiar Piper Cub is an aircraft that brings a smile to faces, whether as a young pilot recently sent solo, grinning to themselves as a hand plays in the slipstream through the open doors, or from a seasoned spotter’s point of view. Its straight wing with a rounded tips silhouette, easily identified. The Cub is certainly loved by all. It has good manners, is quiet, well behaved, mechanically simple, comparatively inexpensive to fly, but challenging enough to act as a trainer and slightly awkward to manoeuvre in a tight spaced hangar, thanks to its 35ft 3in wingspan. In its traditional colour of Loch Haven yellow, named for the Piper Aircraft construction

Inset ‘CH as it was when in Switzerland, and the Bordbuch stamps. Note plant, it is even simpler to spot the civilian J3. Furthermore, the generic distinction, apart from the dark matt green applied to the military observation version designated as the L4, is the additional glazing behind the rear seat, so as to increase the scanning range. After all, it was flown, low and slow, as an observation craft, in and out of fields – the Grasshopper – designated first as O-59, then L4 by the USAAC and USAAF during WWII engaging in liaison duties, to spot for artillery and advancing units, as well as providing medical extractions. Typically the enemy did not fire upon such ‘voyeurs’ so as not to give their position away. But nothing stands still, and as tactics changed with isolated aggressive actions by bazooka-armed Cubs, enemy soldiers who managed to down an observation aircraft were rewarded leave and the award of an Iron Cross. Quite an incentive.

Turning back the pages, in 1938 with growing unrest within central Europe and the expansionist Japanese policies a full four years before the United States was attacked at Pearl Harbour, there was an insightful incentive to increase the number of trained pilots. The Civilian Pilot Training Program (excuse the missing ‘me’, it is an accurate transatlantic spelling), was promptly established. The United States, all 48 of them then, under the support of Franklin D Roosevelt sponsored the training of civilian pilots. This was greatly influenced by being militarily prepared to counter the worsening Nazi aggression by Hitler and his transformed Germany. The intended target being 20,000 pilots a year. The CPTP flew 12,000,000 hours in five years, training 435,165 pilots from 1,132 colleges and 1,460 flight schools. The trainer of choice, the Piper Cub.

It has been estimated that 75% of all new pilots of the CPTP scheme were trained on Cubs. Furthermore, 80% of all military pilots of the US had received their ab Initio / initial flight training on the Cub by the end of hostilities. A record and an outstanding achievement.

Of 19,073 Cubs built, estimates put the number of Cubs still airworthy at around 5,500 Cubs. In 2017 some 85-plus attended the type’s 80th anniversary at AirVenture, Oshkosh.

Left behind

Many of the Cubs were left behind after WWII throughout Europe, where local clubs were formed around them. My own 'IV was ex 8th Air Force and had been in Belgium, originally as an L4 with the greenhouse glass, before later changing to the shorter, rear curved plexiglass area of the J3. As it was for many others of the marque, including the subject here. Michael Greenland's G-LOCH, previously HB-OCH as a Swiss resident. The airframe still carries its distinctive National tail of a Swiss white cross on a ‘field’ of red across the fin and rudder, while the rest is elegant in overall cream and several stripes of blue on the wings and fuselage and sweeping stripes around its wheel spats.

The earliest paperwork shows that ‘CH was based at flughafen Zurich Kloten (Airport) now the ‘Heathrow of Switzerland’, and operated by the 1959 Motorflug Groupe (a literal translation of motor flying group, as opposed to a gliding club, the translated compound Segelflugclub.)

Our recording system calls for two separate books: a copy of CAP 398, an Aircraft Log Book recording all flight times and CAP 399, and the Engine Log Book in which all engine operating times and maintenance is accurately noted and signed by an engineer.

Our LAA and CAA log records are similar to the Swiss system, but the Swiss also have a Journey Log Book that records each airfield visited by the named pilot. ‘CH’s book shows many local flights, but there is one that Michael pointed out to me showing the multiple airfields visited en route to Casablanca! The trip was apparently a couple making a honeymoon journey, during which they gained a stray dog, who flew home with them. For those who have seen the narrow tandem cockpit of the Cub, and possibly taken a dog aloft in any aircraft, may be slightly surprised at this. I certainly was, and no doubt some Customs officials were too, perhaps? Other journeys were to Gibraltar, Ascona (Italy) and Woburn (England).

Flicking through historic paperwork, certificates and the aircraft manual are all in four languages. German, French and Italian, these being spoken in separate cantons within Switzerland and then recorded in English, the international language of the air… which to say the least ‘upset’ a certain tall Gaul who Churchill described him as a startled Llama (a slightly unfair quip… to the animal of course). Yes, Charles de Gaulle.

Within the pilot’s notes I particularly liked finding a simple diagram of the circuit where each stage is accompanied with speed settings for the C65/C75 grouped with the same rpm and the C85/C90 of a slightly increased power in all four languages. The vocabulary for ‘Checks’ are: Kontrolle (German), Controles ( French – my keyboard lacks the hatted circumflex accent which should be sitting over the letter o) and Controlli (must be Italian). The climb after take of is flown at 60mph giving 450ft per minute with 65hp, the downwind speed being whatever the revs for the power setting suggested 2,150 or 2,300rpm before base in descending ‘sinkflug’ (precise and descriptive German of course) at 65mph, then again at 60mph finals where the ‘endanflug kontrolle’ will be done. Succinct! Knapp! Succinct! (the French concur) Succinto!

Family history

Mosquitoes, and his father John learned to fly with Volunteer Reserve. He had attended a technical school primarily in woodwork and worked at de Havilland. He flew commercially in Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, in the beautiful twin Gipsy Queen-powered Dove and the four Gipsy Queen-engined Heron for Central African Airways. Returning north to closer shores he flew the same aircraft for Jersey Airways and then progressed to Swiss Air with a brief spell at Bristol Filton, where Michael was born. He flew with mostly ex-RAF bomber types at BAE Systems before relocating to Switzerland where he flew DC-8s as a co-pilot. Captaincy followed on the DC-9, the Convair 990 Coronado and lastly the Boeing 747, retiring at the sprightly age of 57.

While the end of his airline flying, as well as the Cub, John had gathered a collection of very interesting aircraft on the way. A Fairchild Argus, powered by a Ranger in-line engine, was registered HB-EPF, which transferred to our CAA register to become G-LEPF, but now it resides in the States. John also built a PFA registered replica Comper Swift, G-LCGL. The small, high-wing, single-seat racer was powered by a Pobjoy Niagara radial. This

Pobjoy had an off-centre mechanical reduction gear for propeller efficiency to fully utilise the power. Its registration is close to an original surviving Swift at the Cosford Museum – G-ACGL. This is now at Breighton with the Real Aeroplane Company. The final aircraft on the list was a DH60G Gipsy Moth G-ATBL, powered by an upright four cylinder Gipsy 1 producing 85hp at 1,900rpm. This was flown from John’s home strip at Black Acre Farm, near Holt in Wiltshire.

The Cub was Michael’s first introduction to flying at the age of 12 when he had a truly memorable local flight of 58 minutes. There was no snow on the airfield, but there was on the surrounding mountains, a scenic contrast to cherish as a fond memory.

In the summer of 1978, aged 14, he flew from Switzerland with his father to the UK, overnighting in Nancy. The route and leg times being: Basel (1.23) Nancy (1.21) Reims (1.32) Calais (2.04) Lydd (.46) Elstree (1.31), making a tally of 8hr and 27min airborne, on their way to the Sywell PFA Rally in June. (A quick delve into my own log book shows it was a dull dreary grey and windy day when I flew there in Auster G-AIBX

Such a background of family flying was bound to have an underlying natural influence, and Michael started training courtesy of the ATC gliding at Kinloss in a 1944 built Slingsby T21 (Sedbergh TX.1). In June 1982 he joined the Royal Navy, training at Topcliffe on the Bulldog the following year, before moving onto rotary at Culdrose with the Gazelle. A step up in both weight, size, complexity and the power took him to the Sea King Mk IV. Its two 1,600shp Rolls-Royce Gnome turboshaft engines being so vibration free, you could place a glass of milk on the coaming and it wouldn’t show a ripple of disturbance. His metal being tested, and the rules slightly bent when becoming deck qualified, with a landing on a very dark and stormy night with a memorable swell as an ‘unusual’ two junior non comm’s crew in a multi-million pound aircraft!

After anti submarines, Michael flew the Westland Gazelle as an instructor, but also with the Sharks Royal Navy display team, later being their solo display pilot. Then (excuse the following apt expression) a change of boats midstream to fly fixed-wing again, the path being ‘graded’ on the Chipmunk, a revisit of the Bulldog, stepping up to the Harrier via the Hunter T8M. Now that really is an enviably broad span of types in a fellow’s logbook! A further non-aviation change saw him as second in command of a Royal Naval frigate at the turn of the century. Postings of both land and sea have followed including the ‘Dead Fish Police’, encouraging the Spanish ships to chuck back their lifeless undersized Tuna haul into the briny. He is still airborne in both rotary and fixed-wing, rotary for work and Cub as fixed-wing for fun, most recently out of Yeovilton, but soon to be from Middlezoy.

Restoration

‘Nothing stays the same’ is an old, old observation that is pertinent to so many aspects of life and our associated objects. The patina produced by use and age adds a certain flavour of character with use, time and wear. But, so anything mechanical that is in use will have to be appropriately attended to, possibly rectified or replaced.

Sywell-based LAA Inspector and engineer, Matthew Boddington, was given the task of rejuvenating Oscar Charlie, but with the instruction that the interior itself was to remain untouched, as Michael wished for it to maintain its comfortable originality. Moving with the times did, however, bring an 8.33 radio and a transponder mounted out of the way above the head of the front seater, in reach of the P1 (rear) seat. The original external cotton covering was replaced by Ceconite, but was resprayed to the same colour scheme.

During the restoration, there was an opportunity to check some of the enhancements fitted to ‘CH during its time in Switzerland, when it was sitting beside another Cub in the workshop. Several things struck them. The undercarriage main gear suspension, which was originally bungee shocks under leather covers, was now damped by hydraulics, and these in turn make ‘CH stand slightly taller. Disc brakes have been fitted, hidden by the spats. The glazing is also of a greater thickness and there seem to be fewer supporting bars within the window

Left

Below frames. Two wing tanks are also fitted in place of the original single fuel tank in the fuselage. ‘CH has also been fitted with a 90hp Continental C90.

Below There aren’t many aircraft that can beat the Cub for true joy of flight… check out Michael’s smile!

Restoration complete, G-LOCH was a worthy winner of the Best Vintage Piper trophy at the 2021 LAA Rally.

In the cockpit

The only complexity about this Cub cockpit is the awkwardness of actually getting into the seats. Place a right foot onto an angled, metal framed step perfect for anybody with smaller feet, while ducking your head down, lean into the cockpit, hands on the back frame of the front seat, bring a flexible leg and left foot up and through to the far side of the upward poking stick, stopping somewhere between a half-stand and crouch, then having not got your foot caught in the outside step, bring it in and settle onto the seat.

The matt black panel has six instruments: five in a row and one on top. From left to right there is an ASI in MPH, an RPM gauge, a small central compass with its correction card under the adjacent altimeter and then what looks like a ‘civilian’, cream-faced oil combined temperature and pressure dial. The last, a VSI with 100ft per minute graduations is mounted above the others. If you’re solo and in the rear P1 seat, it’s not possible to adjust the altimeter subscale without undoing straps and leaning forward, although I have seen the altimeter positioned on the extreme right, a short piece of fuel tubing fitting snugly over the knob and a cane reaching back on the fuselage wall so it may be twisted for an easier adjustment. A primer is far right and a cabin heater knob is above the oil gauges. Where is the carb heat? It’s on the right-hand side cabin wall, again a bit of a reach from the back seat. The red-topped throttles sit in tandem along the left cockpit window rail. Sitting in both wing roots are the fuel content indicators, slightly angled forward of the vertical. Absolutely brimming together, the two tanks hold 66 litres. However, of the last five litres for both sides, there is no indication. Think I would avoid the need to be aware of that. The rotary-style mag switch is up in the port wing root as are the headset jacks.

The trimmer falls to hand down from the throttle and is an unusual old-style car window winder, winding forward for nose down trim. The trim is actually achieved by the then novel and still unusual method of altering the angle of tailplane incidence in the airflow and not by a tab. As the Cub winder handle is wound backwards, it trims nose up. It’s a lovely engineering solution. PA28s, and others I am sure, use a similar winder, but in the Cherokee it is ceiling/roof mounted, rather similar to opening a sunroof (remember those?).

The field of view has to be one of its great assets. True, upwards is only catered for by the canopy extending between the wings and the rest of the blue shielded by those 35ft wings, but the view laterally clockwise from seven through the slight rise of the nose to five o’clock is good, assuming you can bob about to see beyond the front seat passenger who will probably want to prevent you from meeting another winged or stationary object. If you need to stop, then remember it’s heel brakes, not toe.

A taxi over wet grass will definitely need a carb heat check. Power rises to 1,750 revs and an anticipated left and right mag drop is between 75-100rpm with a full recovery on both.

Grasshopper

The take-off is best achieved into wind of course, but having kept straight with right rudder anticipating the application of power, the tail may be brought up to the level attitude after a count of four and a movement of the ASI needle passes 20, so that now the nose is below the horizon at a sedate and easily held attitude with no nose nodding as if the undercarriage was flexing under pressure. The perfect attitude is one where she flies herself off the strip at a very gentle angle allowing her to accelerate in ground effect, before climbing away at 60kt. Allowing for technique, this will take just more than 120 yards. And you still have to climb out and miss those hypothetical 50ft trees. The book climb figures for a standard 65hp Cub is 450ft a minute, that would be recorded in one of our LAA Permit flight renewals from 1,000 to 2,000ft taking 133 seconds / two minutes and 13 seconds.

However, we have the benefit of 90hp up front, an increase of 25hp. This certainly helps in gaining height, but is not so advantageous in the cruise. Michael tells me with 80kg pilots and half tanks, the climb is nearing the 800ft per minute mark, so it does climb pretty well.

In the cruise ‘LH’s C90 burns 22 litres an hour, so that combined 66 litre capacity can keep her safely aloft for two and a half hours. Standard ops are that the left tank is used first, then after 30 mins, the right tank is selected, when that reduces to the same level as the left tank, that is then selected, and so on. Cruise rpm is 2,300. There is a faded, but very good reminder, on a placard that states that aircraft fuelled with mogas operate in compliance with Airworthiness Notice No.98 should stick to below 6,000ft and max fuel temp 20°C.

Stalls are gentle with a slight shrugging as Bernoulli’s grasp slips away from the descending wings. Stick forces and rate of roll are not high or fast, but there is a need for balancing footwork as there’s plenty of adverse aileron drag to pull the nose away from an aileron only roll into a banked attitude. Strangely enough, for an observation aircraft with its mass under the wing, its lateral stability is weak and doesn't intend to return to wings level from the right wing low at more than a leisurely rate, but kept wing low for a side slip can often just sit there, wing low. Stability in both pitch and direction are much better and have instincts to return to the norm.

With the doors swung open in flight, this is where the Cub, of all its marques, reigns supreme. From here in the comfort of an otherwise enclosed cabin, the world is literally at your feet. And the views are in the highest of classes. There is no rush of wind into the cockpit, no rush to see the world go by, just a gentle passage of scenery, while delighting in being up and about.

It’s also a contrast for Michael, who has been recently active on the Squirrel HT1 and Bell Griffin HT1 Helicopters. Perhaps it is fitting to quote from the unit’s Latin motto, ‘Gaudeo Volatu’. I take joy from flight.

May I wish the enlightened sustaining number of pilot owners and their Cubs many more satisfying years and hours of flavoursome, safe flying. ■

PIPER J3C-65 CUB SPECIFICATIONS

General characteristics

Length 22ft 5in

Wingspan 35ft 3in

Wing Area 178.5 sq ft

Tare (Empty Wt) 345kg / 765lb MTOW 553kg / 1,223lb.

Wing Loading 6.85lb per square ft.

Power Loading (Original 65hp) 18.8lb per hp. (90hp) 13.6lb per hp.

Fuel Capacity 45/66 litres

Performance

Cruise Speed 75mph.

Stall Speed 35kt / 40.25mph.

Range 220 statute miles

Engine Continental Motors Corp C90-85

Propeller McCauley 1B90/CM7146