Ahem. This was to have been a story about the rugged utility of the 180-horsepower, tandem-seat Aviat Husky. The plan was to find one delivering hay (or whatever they eat) to the buffalo, flying fishermen into the rugged Alaskan bush, or conducting search and rescue missions in the wilderness. Apparently most of the buyers haven't gotten the message and are buying them only for fun. Shocking.
There are older Huskies out there doing the rougher jobs, but this story focuses on just the new model, the Husky A-1A with the 90-pound gross weight increase. At this writing only 28 have been Perhaps one of them will lead a tough life and prove its reputation as conqueror of the wilderness. (An A-1B model with a 110-pound gross weight increase was created recently for a government contract, and can be specially ordered by the public for about $10,000 more than the A model. It is most likely to be ordered by those intending to use it on skis or floats.)
The fun seekers include airline pilots who like flying with the right side open and the left window back, and farmers who get a kick out of steep turns over the space of an average backyard at 40 knots — just because they can.
Before you say that's not possible, you should know that North Carolina Aviat dealer Jerry Supple and I did exactly that. We got the airspeed down (along with the slotted circular-arc flaps that give the effect of Fowler flaps), and pivoted safely in a neat 60-foot circle at 45 kt. The flaps, of course, are the main reason the Husky outperforms a Piper Super Cub in many regimes. They work great in the air, but on the ground their hinges act as a magnet for a pilot's head during the preflight inspection.
The flaps provide a 200-foot takeoff roll and a 350-foot landing roll. Supple picked out a small grass airport called Swan Creek, located west of his Winston-Salem headquarters, as the place in which to prove that even pilots new to the aircraft — that would be me — can achieve the promised takeoff and landing performance.
At cruise power at low altitude, we averaged about 112 kt during the brief flight. (Cruise at 7,500 feet or better is 120 kt.)
With apologies in advance to those pilots — most of them glider enthusiasts — who use Swan Creek, Runway 2 has all the characteristics of a very tough golf course. It seemed that no matter where the takeoff roll began, it was a bad lie. There is a sand trap (the grass is apparently in repair), as well as humps, holes, and the rough. The Airport/Facility Directory indicates that the first half of Runway 2 slopes uphill. The second half goes wherever it wants to go.
Supple started by giving me the entire length of the 1,650-foot runway (perhaps clearing is a better word than runway). As confidence was gained we used a point farther down the runway to avoid an area where the propeller was picking up dirt and sand. Flaps were set at 30 degrees. Four seconds after the takeoff roll began I centered the stick (the run was begun with the stick fully aft) and the Husky began a hippity-hop over the rough terrain. After a few seconds the stick was eased back slightly, and the aircraft lifted off just above the stall speed. At 10 feet the nose was lowered to gain speed.
Since winds were calm, we turned around and landed on Runway 20, which features an uphill slope in the middle of the touchdown zone. Given the terrain, landings that ended with a couple of slight bounces on the oversize tires were considered to be as good as it gets. Only one of the landings ended with a large bounce, but a shot of power saved it. Once back at Winston-Salem's Smith Reynolds Airport, the aircraft easily handled a 90-degree, 10-kt crosswind. Our postflight discussion concerned some of the model improvements Aviat President Stu Horn has made.
The 90-pound gross-weight increase was achieved by beefing up the landing gear and strengthening the lower strut-attach point on the horizontal stabilizer. The double-puck brake system, the same used on older Huskys, provides more than adequate braking power. New seat cushions make the aircraft more comfortable.
For mechanics, there are several characteristics that make the aircraft a delight when in the shop. The method of attaching the throttle quadrant has been changed for easier maintenance. The fuel tanks can be removed from the bottom of the wing instead of having to come out of the top. And the nose bowl is split, making it easier to remove. There is easy access in the back of the fuselage to the battery, ELT, and the starter solenoid. Other features include a dynafocal engine mount, which was also on the older Husky, to reduce vibration. The aircraft is covered with metal back to the rear seat, including the belly, to reduce minor damage from rough landing surfaces. The tail and wings are tube-and-fabric construction.
A new electronic tachometer by Horizon Instruments simplifies the aircraft runup prior to takeoff. Magneto differentials are displayed automatically. In flight, colored lights alert the pilot to magneto failure, and to Caution and Danger RPM ranges.
I mentioned to Supple that I seemed to have less difficulty with landings this time, a change from my experience in 1994 (see " High-Country Husky," September 1995 Pilot). The 1994 aircraft had a base price of $78,785, about $25,800 less expensive than today's base price. A company official said that the increase in the base price is because of increases in materials costs since 1994, and to internal changes made to increase the max gross weight.
"To land it you have to be aggressive," Supple replied. "It requires more aggressive control than people are used to. You can't be a passenger. You have to be an active participant. It is almost like a kite, it lands so slowly. When it starts going up or sideways, you have to respond."
The aircraft is a plaything only to a point: Spins are prohibited as are aerobatics. Plans by a previous Aviat Aircraft company owner to make an aerobatic Husky have been shelved. Still, if you would like an aircraft that is tougher than it needs to be and more fun than it should be, join the ranks of those who think flying is just a lot of fun. Get a Husky.
E-mail the author at [email protected].
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