The Piper Cub has inspired myriad aircraft designs over the years—but think twice before you credit Piper for this Cub-like design. Clarence Gilbert Taylor designed the original Taylor Cub before oilman William T. Piper bought him out of Taylor Aircraft Company and renamed it Piper Aircraft. While Piper developed the Cub into the iconic J–3, Taylor vowed to build something better.
Taylorcraft designs never sold as widely as the Piper Cub, but they share the model’s simplicity and affordability. More than 1,500 Taylorcrafts remain on the FAA registry, and because these lightplanes qualify as Light Sport aircraft, they can be flown by sport pilots. Side-by-side seating, panel-mounted yokes, and automotive-style doors distinguish a Taylorcraft from its Piper cousin.
SPEC SHEET
Taylorcraft BC-12D
Powerplant: Continental C85 Seats
Length: 21 feet 10 inches Height 8 feet
Empty weight: 700 pounds
Useful load: 450 pounds
Max gross weight: 1,250 pounds
PERFORMANCE
Cruise speed: 105 miles per hour Range 375 miles
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