Aviat Husky, a computer-designed bush plane a different Super Cub

The Aviat company – of Spitz aerobatic biplane fame – set out to make a better Piper Super Cub.

On sight, the general public will find a Super Cub and a Husky practically indistinguishable.

Benefits of Computer Design

But the Husky flies half again as fast, and gets half again the fuel mileage, doing it. On the computer, it was possible to identify many sources of drag that could be easily fixed.

Yet, the Husky flies “almost” as slow, and will land and take in “almost” as short a distance as the Super Cub. According to some, the word will be “practically” or “essentially”, rather than “almost”.

The two planes fly differently enough, particularly at the expert levels sufficient to split the hairs, that the time & familiarity in one (the Piper) will be in the way of getting the best performance out of the other.

 

Rivalry in Alaska

There is a fairly conspicuous rivalry in Alaska, between Super Cub and Husky owners.

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