Super Cub Sweepstakes: Not your grandfather’s Levi’s

Polyester fabric is lightweight, yet strong and durable. “It’s still the lightest covering you can put on an airplane,” Goldenbaum said. About 45 yards of fabric plus eight gallons of protectant, six gallons of paint, and tape weigh only about 60 pounds, he said. “That’s why Super Cubs perform unbelievably on lower horsepower.”

The covering’s durability solves the bad reputation that Grade A cotton and Irish silk gave fabric aircraft during the early days, requiring replacement every five or six years. Cotton was susceptible to mold and rot. Poly-Fiber isn’t damaged by mold or avgas, but UV rays are its kryptonite, which is why every inch of the fabric will be protected with a silver coating called poly-spray. With the protectant coating and paint applied properly, the covering should last beyond 35 years in any temperature extreme (more than 25 if kept outside), Goldenbaum said. The covering’s tensile strength is much higher than cotton: A one-inch strip of Poly-Fiber can withstand 115 pounds of force, but cotton only 80. A person could walk on the wings and not break through the covering, Goldenbaum explained—just don’t try it at home; that would damage the ribs underneath the covering.

Repairing fabric is simpler than repairing aluminum or carbon fiber, making fabric aircraft such as Super Cubs particularly popular in Alaska. If fabric is damaged in the bush, a pilot could fly home after repairing it with duct tape, Goldenbaum said, noting that duct tape is not an official repair but an emergency tool to get back to civilization.

The craftsmen at Baker Air Service in Baker, Montana, will spend 350 to 400 hours meticulously applying the fabric to AOPA’s Sweepstakes Super Cub, said Baker Air Service Owner Roger Meggers. Baker Air Service will rib stitch the flight control surfaces but will use fabric rivets on the wings, thanks to Univair’s redesigned ribs made specifically to fit the rivets, which are a little bigger than pop rivets.

These experts keep their restorations looking new for years. AOPA President Mark Baker’s own Super Cub toured the association’s final three regional fly-ins of 2017 as a stand-in, and attendees were astonished that Baker Air Service had restored Baker's Super Cub 18 years and more than 1,000 flight hours ago—yet it still shines like new.

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