Yakima, Washington – December 19, 2018: CubCrafters will celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the Carbon Cub, the company’s most popular airframe series, during 2019. Milestones from the Carbon Cub history will be commemorated throughout the year and will culminate in an open-invitation fly-in & reception in October, dubbed Cubfest 2019, at the company’s factory headquarters in Yakima, Washington.
The original Carbon Cub SS, first sold in 2009 as a Light Sport Aircraft (LSA), was known for its jaw-dropping performance resulting from an all-new lightweight design incorporating a 180 horsepower engine under the cowl. The model has proven so desirable that the SS became the best-selling LSA in America, and is now the benchmark by which other STOL aircraft are judged.
From the time of its launch, the Carbon Cub was a lightning rod for controversy. “The industry, the media, and even the FAA told us all that an LSA could produce no more than 100 horsepower and fly at a maximum speed of 120 miles per hour”, says Jim Richmond, CubCrafters Founder & CEO. “I didn’t see those limitations when I read the rule, and I knew that we could use a much more powerful engine and qualify for LSA”. Carbon Cub LSAs were thus equipped with the newly developed CC340 powerplant, producing 180 horsepower.
That sort of independent thinking has inspired CubCrafters’ continued advancement of the Carbon Cub product line, now in its 3rd generation. But the prevalent theme has remained “less weight, more power” since inception. “The rapid development cycle at CubCrafters is ambitious compared to many GA manufacturers”, comments Pat Horgan, President & COO of CubCrafters. “The Carbon Cub now has more thrust, carries heavier loads, and gets there more quickly. The newest Experimental Carbon Cubs, equipped with constant speed props and more powerful engines, produce higher thrust-to-weight ratios than any airplane in their class. The aircraft is now offered in six different versions that allow more pilots than ever to build or fly the dream Carbon Cub that perfectly fits their adventure”.
Celebrating a full decade of Carbon Cub adventures, Cubfest 2019 will be hosted by CubCrafters from October 11th through 13th, 2019 at McAllister Field Airport (KYKM) in Yakima, Washington. All are welcome and full program details will be announced prior to the event. Pilots, tailwheel enthusiasts, and anyone who loves aviation is encouraged to mark their calendar.
Readers can view a short video about how the Carbon Cub story began HERE.
ABOUT THE CARBON CUB
The Carbon Cub is a two-seat (tandem) single-engine, piston, high-wing aircraft intended for on and off-airport operations. The Carbon Cub is both lightweight and powerful so, like all CubCrafters aircraft, the Carbon Cub delivers superb short takeoff and landing (STOL) performance. The airframe is available in Light Sport and Experimental variants. The Experimental Carbon Cubs also feature larger payloads, higher speed and greater range. For more information about the Carbon Cub, visit cubcrafters.com/carboncub. For information about purchasing the Carbon Cub, visit cubcrafters.com/contact
ABOUT CUBCRAFTERS
CubCrafters was founded in 1980 by current owner and CEO, Jim Richmond. CubCrafters’ roots are in the 70-year history of classic taildragger aviation, but the company’s products and services are innovative and completely modern.
CubCrafters designs and manufactures Experimental, LSA, and Part 23 Certified aircraft. The Carbon Cub family has redefined expectations of “backcountry aircraft” with its light weight, powerful engines, and breathtaking performance. The company’s newest introductions, the Carbon Cub EX-3, an E-AB kit, and FX-3, an addition to CubCrafters’ clever Factory eXperimental builder assist program, further advance Carbon Cub performance. The flagship XCub substantially expands the mission profile of sport utility aircraft with its higher speed, longer range and larger payload.
