Champ V.S Cub

J3 Cub Or 7AC Champ?


  • Total voters
    23

wittpilot

Just Plane Crazy
Cub's are just so nostalgic. However, a Champ has quite a bit more room. It is tough for a taller guy, like myself, to get in & out of the Cub, especially if it has the stock tank upfront.

10313352_790027816230_1167790845640352038_n.jpg
 

Montiey

Master Tinkerer
I do have to agree that the cub is so common that anything yellow is deemed a "j3" :(
There was one of the nice eFlite platinum series Aeronca 7AC Champs that had a tag on in saying it was a J3 cub, which makes sense because lots of people don't realize the ultra micro champ is actually a model of the full scale Champ, and so really, the only planes the guy at the shop ever really saw were J3's. :p
 
Last edited:

wittpilot

Just Plane Crazy
Because people don't fly the thing right

I don't know if it is any worse than similar aircraft in size & weight. I can't help too much because since dad is just a recreational pilot, and a newer one at that, if its blowing anything over say 5 mph and not straight down the runway, then we don't go flying.
 

TTMR

A leaf on the wind
you see, that's the nice part about being 174 cm high (5 foot 8 in american units)

Grrr, 6'4" and I just don't fit in too many planes, I end up banging my head in anything smaller than (and a few things bigger) than a 182
 

AkimboGlueGuns

Biplane Guy
Mentor
As some one who has flown a cub, I can say without any hesitation that it is one of the most fun aircraft EVER to be designed.
 

Todd

New member
I have flown both. For getting around I would take a champ any day over a straight 65 hp J3. The cub is cramped, hard to get into and they typically have sloppy controls. The champ is roomier, usually has less slop in the controls and frankly flies nicer. Cubs and champs both are fine in crosswinds if you know how to fly a tail wheel. I usually angle my use of the runway to take out as much of the crosswind component that I can and then I typically wheel land them to maintain as much rudder control as possible for as long as possible.

Now if I had to buy one or the other I would actually buy a J3 and that is purely because of the history and nostalgia that I have for the cub. But I would prefer a PA-11 Cub Special and preferably with an 85 hp motor. Better yet would be a PA-18-95. But no matter what, none of them are as nice as a 7AC.
 

FAI-F1D

Free Flight Indoorist
Thats interesting, because the cub was known to be horrible in a crosswind.

I'm not a tailwheel pilot, but was on the way to getting my endorsement when work intervened. A friend of mine who is very experienced in tailwheel was flying front seat in his 75 Hp Cub so I could learn and thereby speed up the training. At first it was definitely challenging, but I'd say the Cub is quite manageable in a crosswind. With a little experience, the control process becomes automatic. I would agree, though, that the Cub is a little less friendly in ground handling than, say, a Cessna 120/140.

You want a plane that's a challenge in a crosswind? Try a Vagabond, or a Helio. Those are much less friendly airplanes.

Now to be truthful, when I do buy an airplane, it's probably going to be a Pacer. I can't justify the cost of a Cub. An ok one is at least $35k because everybody wants a Cub. There's no question that it's one of the easiest flying airplanes in history (although once you get it off the ground, the Vagabond is easier).

I'm convinced that the all around easiest flying airplane in history is the Tri-Pacer...Piper hit a home run with that bird.
 

wittpilot

Just Plane Crazy
I'm not a tailwheel pilot, but was on the way to getting my endorsement when work intervened. A friend of mine who is very experienced in tailwheel was flying front seat in his 75 Hp Cub so I could learn and thereby speed up the training. At first it was definitely challenging, but I'd say the Cub is quite manageable in a crosswind. With a little experience, the control process becomes automatic. I would agree, though, that the Cub is a little less friendly in ground handling than, say, a Cessna 120/140.

You want a plane that's a challenge in a crosswind? Try a Vagabond, or a Helio. Those are much less friendly airplanes.

Now to be truthful, when I do buy an airplane, it's probably going to be a Pacer. I can't justify the cost of a Cub. An ok one is at least $35k because everybody wants a Cub. There's no question that it's one of the easiest flying airplanes in history (although once you get it off the ground, the Vagabond is easier).

I'm convinced that the all around easiest flying airplane in history is the Tri-Pacer...Piper hit a home run with that bird.


The booming price in Cubs over the last decade has a lot to do with the nostalgia of having that classic airplane, but also has a lot to do with the creation of the Light Sport designation. That's what my dad ended up getting, and the Cub fits perfectly.
 

BC12D

Junior Member
I learned to fly in a Cub (an L4) and I was fortunate enough to restore antique airplanes after I got out of the Army so I ave some time in both. The Champ and the Cub are both fun airplanes but there is just something about flying with that big door open in a steep right turn that just makes it better than an open cockpit! Although I would take a Tcraft over a cub any day of the week...
 

Todd

New member
I learned to fly tailwheels in an L-2 which is a lovely Taylorcraft. The doors are wrong, but other than that I think Taylor took everything he didn't like about the Cub and fixed it when he built the L-2. Otherwise TCrafts are very hard for me to get into being over 6 feet and 250 pounds. The closest to any of them that meets the needs I have is the RANS S-7 that is nearing completion in my shop.

It is everything the Cub is and more.
 

DaveA

Super Duper Monocouper
I was checked out in the Airnocker and flew both the Continental version and the 2-cylinder Franklin version as well. Then I progressed to Citabrias and had Real Fun in those.

My last TriPacer I restored N3029Z is now up in the Northern Plains with a tail wheel. It had a 160 Lyc and it was fun to show 172 pilots that that silly little milk stool could out climb and outrun them.

Todd, no doubt you have seen Greg Swingle's videos on Vimeo and his S7 adventures as part of the Ohio Bush Planes gang...so much fun to watch. Too bad he's taken a hiatus.
 

Todd

New member
The TriPacer is a hugely undervalued airplane. I actually prefer the Pacer. But like all modern Pipers for some reason the company started putting the pilot's door on the wrong side and so getting into and out of the airplane is a pain.

I do know Greg pretty well and he has been down to my place many times in his S-7. In fact if you look up Ameskosh in the Google machine you can see what he did to me when I asked him to come down to look over my S-7...
 

wittpilot

Just Plane Crazy
Someone abandoned an old Colt at the airport many years ago... Airport manager told my dad to get it out of the hangar and take it to his and let his class tinker with it... Guy hadn't paid his hangar rent for many years... was kind of a neat little airplane.....
 

c172ae

Pro plane crasher
But like all modern Pipers for some reason the company started putting the pilot's door on the wrong side and so getting into and out of the airplane is a pain

I prefer to fly from the right seat :rolleyes:

oh wait... toebrakes...
 

DaveA

Super Duper Monocouper
The TriPacer is a hugely undervalued airplane. I actually prefer the Pacer. But like all modern Pipers for some reason the company started putting the pilot's door on the wrong side and so getting into and out of the airplane is a pain.

I do know Greg pretty well and he has been down to my place many times in his S-7. In fact if you look up Ameskosh in the Google machine you can see what he did to me when I asked him to come down to look over my S-7...

Hey cool....I've seen that episode. Went back and enjoyed it again. Seems to me what you had to do to him more than equals what he did to you....heh heh....

Agreed about the value of PA22's- I wanted to do the Univair conversion, but the guy I sold it to did it instead...then it was groundlooped when the next owner didn't maintain the brakes. I almost bought it back from the insurance company to have another go with it, but with demands of my business it was quickly out of the question. I did toss and turn about it for awhile, tho.

So how's your S7 coming along?