AOPA Sweepstakes: Perfect fit

Baker Air Service in eastern Montana spent about 2,500 hours restoring the 1954 PA–18, including creating custom cables and positioning the rudder pedals and heel brakes to fit any pilot’s frame, from petite to big and tall. The front seat is adjustable through three positions. Even in the full-forward position, the control stick can travel full aft and not hit the seat and go full forward without wedging under the instrument panel, explained Baker Air Service’s Darin Meggers. The rudder pedals are set three-quarters of the way forward “so that the brakes are more natural to get to,” he said. Heel brakes are a hallmark of Super Cubs, and adjusting the rudder cables with the factory link lets the feet and ankles rest at a more comfortable angle, so it is easier to slide the heels in for the brakes.

Precise rigging, cable tension, and control balancing allows the Super Cub to maintain hands-off coordinated straight-and-level flight in calm air, reducing workload and the fatigue of hand flying. A smooth-running Lycoming O-320 reduces vibration on the pilot and the noise-canceling Bose A20 headsets that come with the Sweepstakes Super Cub help combat the fatigue caused by vibration and noise.

A two-inch cushioned seat bottom from Airtex gives the pilot more visibility over the nose than the typical PA–18.It takes only a few minutes for long-time Super Cub pilots to adjust to the different sight picture. The traditional small Super Cub panel also offers extra knee room for long-legged pilots, something a 6 feet 1 inch tall Meggers particularly values.

More about those seats: Covered in buttery smooth black perforated leather from Perrone Aerospace, these seats make pilots and passengers feel like they are sitting in a luxury car. A pilot who typically starts squirming in seats about two hours into a flight didn’t get restless in the Super Cub until eight hours into a 10.5-hour flight because of the way Airtex built up the cushioning to support the body on Airframes Alaska’s sturdy seat. The front seatback features an F. Atlee Dodge modification to fold forward to make boarding the backseat easier. An additional comfort for the rear-seat passenger or pilot is that Airtex kept the width of the front seat to the seat frame without overstuffing it so it “keeps the knee room for the person in the back,” Meggers explained.

Climate control in the Super Cub is simple. The cabin heater puts out plenty of heat to keep the front pilot toasty while the rear-seat passenger or pilot is comfortable or just a tad chilly around the shoulders. The pilot also can open the fresh air vent on the top of the boot cowl between the top cowl and windscreen, Meggers noted, adding that this is useful when it’s hot outside or when it’s cold and the pilot wants to circulate the heat better. In addition, a twist-out front air vent directs air to the pilot. If more airflow is desired, fly with the photo window up or even with the entry door/window open. The tinted windscreen, windows, and skylight from L.P. Aero Plastics also block out harmful ultraviolet rays, keeping the cockpit a little cooler and protecting occupants from sunburn.

With all the enhancements and premium craftsmanship, this Super Cub is just as comfortable on short hops as it is on long hauls across the country, whether it’s summer, winter, or anything in between.

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