Super Cub vs. Pawnee
FBCO...@aol.com
I'm ready to purchase a towplane. I've been towed by both the Pawnee and
Cub and flown the Super Cub with 180 HP Lycoming engine.
I would like to hear comparisons and opinions about towplanes on the
market: initial cost / maintenance / insurance / reliability /
performance at high density altitude.
Thanks in advance, Burt Compton - Florida/USA
FBCO...@aol.com
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Rick Lafford
FBCO...@aol.com wrote:
Our Pawnee PA-25B has shown the same cost to operate as our Citabria.
Insurance is based on hull value and again comparable to other ships.
Reliability is higher - the ship is used to hauling a greater payload
and the gear was built to take lots of abuse. The 235 Lyc. is stone
simple and has always been one of the most reliable engines out there.
Maintenance - Cowlings and covers all over the place. Enginer very
easy to get to with loads of room in the cowling. The complete belly
pan can be removed for access.
Give a choice, I'd fly the Pawnee anytime. Visibility is great with no
wing above. Roll forces are very light but pitch trim is solid. With a
long nose in front, it makes precision airspeed control a breeze.
Landing visibility over the nose is exceptional. A full flap, power
off approach looks like a dive bomber attack. Very easy aircraft to
land and rapidly turn around. Crosswind handling is very good both on
the ground and in the air.
Performance - engine choices range from 235 - 265 hp, all with fixed
pitch props.
In case you can't tell, I really like the Pawnee. If you get one and
have noise sensitive neighbors, be sure to get a stock exhaust system
- very quiet.
Rick
Rick Lafford CFIG, Discus B (HS)
Finger Lakes Soaring
Dansville, NY.
F. L. Whiteley
Edward Colver <eco...@cix.co.uk> wrote in article
<memo.19971029...@ecolver.compulink.co.uk>...
> In article <8780970...@dejanews.com>, FBCO...@aol.com () wrote:
>
> > I'm ready to purchase a towplane. I've been towed by both the Pawnee
> > and
> > Cub and flown the Super Cub with 180 HP Lycoming engine.
> >
<snip>
> > -------------------==== Posted via Deja News
====-----------------------
> > http://www.dejanews.com/ Search, Read, Post to Usenet
> >
> At Deeside Gliding Club in Scotland we use both the Super Cub and Pawnee.
> Both have their good and bad points.
>
> The Pawnee is basically a flying tractor. It is extremely strong and has
> good crosswind landing ability. Mechanically it is very reliable. However
> it uses considerably more fuel than a Super Cub but does climb faster.
> Whilst we use 235hp engines I believe some clubs are now getting the
> 260hp engine since the weight of gliders is continually increasing. In
the
> UK the Pawnee is probably considered the best towplane.
>
> The Super Cub has good and bad points. The two seats mean that it is not
> limited to towing. It can be used for touring or, more importantly, can
be
> used to check out other towpilots. It is fuel efficient. However it is
not
> as robust as the Pawnee. The Super Cub was not designed for a 180 engine
> and the airframe does take a shaking from the extra power which will mean
> extra maintenance. The Super Cub is not as good at landing in cross
winds
> and is not as good with very heavy gliders.
>
Our club recently purchased a Pawnee so we have accumulated no expenses
records. We are replacing a Scout. Performance at 5500MSL was our major
concern and incentive. During our search I did glean a couple of
interesting comments about Pawnees from Jim Indrebo of Crazy Creek Soaring.
Jim has been operating Pawnees for over 22 years in addition to a
SuperCub.
1. Jim reports getting 8000 heat up/cool down cycles before jugs start
cracking. This equates to about 1000 hours at the altitudes he tows from.
Replace with yellow tags until TBO then run new again.
2. Replace undercarriage bolts every 500 hours.
Number 1 has a lot of theories and practices among operators. Number 2 is
interesting and it might save someone a lot of time, effort, and expense.
F. Whiteley
Jean Richard
Toulson017 wrote:
> The Pawnee, has far superior visibility to the Super Cub, an important
> requirement when towing gliders oin a busy site./
>
> Barney
Except downward. The position of the pilot behind the wing ask to be
careful when going down in the landing pattern.
As so long the visibility is concerned, the worst tug plane is the Cessna
150/150 (very poor visibility) and the best is the Robin DR400 (that one
is also very fast considering it's only a 180 hp).
J. Richard
Gary O'Neill
Rick Lafford <laf...@cldx.com> wrote in article
<638cnb$li$1...@newsserver.cldx.com>...
> FBCO...@aol.com wrote:
>
> >I'm ready to purchase a towplane. I've been towed by both the Pawnee
and
> >Cub and flown the Super Cub with 180 HP Lycoming engine.
>
> >I would like to hear comparisons and opinions about towplanes on the
> >market: initial cost / maintenance / insurance / reliability /
> >performance at high density altitude.
>
> >Thanks in advance, Burt Compton - Florida/USA
> >FBCO...@aol.com
>
> >-------------------==== Posted via Deja News ====-----------------------
> > http://www.dejanews.com/ Search, Read, Post to Usenet
>
> Our Pawnee PA-25B has shown the same cost to operate as our Citabria.
> Insurance is based on hull value and again comparable to other ships.
> Reliability is higher - the ship is used to hauling a greater payload
> and the gear was built to take lots of abuse. The 235 Lyc. is stone
> simple and has always been one of the most reliable engines out there.
>
> Maintenance - Cowlings and covers all over the place. Enginer very
> easy to get to with loads of room in the cowling. The complete belly
> pan can be removed for access.
>
> Give a choice, I'd fly the Pawnee anytime. Visibility is great with no
> wing above. Roll forces are very light but pitch trim is solid. With a
> long nose in front, it makes precision airspeed control a breeze.
> Landing visibility over the nose is exceptional. A full flap, power
> off approach looks like a dive bomber attack. Very easy aircraft to
> land and rapidly turn around. Crosswind handling is very good both on
> the ground and in the air.
>
> Performance - engine choices range from 235 - 265 hp, all with fixed
> pitch props.
>
> In case you can't tell, I really like the Pawnee. If you get one and
> have noise sensitive neighbors, be sure to get a stock exhaust system
> - very quiet.
If noise is a problem our club fitted a four blade prop which improved
the situation greatly.
If you need long term details on running a pawnee (20yrs) I think i
can persuade our club treasurer to give you chapter and verse
on the expected costs and maintenance