78 Vol. 10 / No. 5 / May 2018 Global Aviator
Amateur built aircraft
Light aircraft manufacturer
CubCrafters introduced
two new Carbon Cub
versions. The EX-3 is an
experimental amateur built
aircraft and the FX-3 is
the factory experimental
builder assist model. Both
aircraft will be equipped
with a fuel-injected
engine, a constant-speed
propeller, and a 2,000
pound gross weight limit.The new 186-horsepower CC363i
fuel-injected, four-cylinder engine
from Superior Air Parts and Aero
Sport Power provides more than
enough muscle to launch either
version of the adventure aircraft
into the air in less than 100 feet. The
extra power will allow increased
utility for backcountry aviators and
seaplane pilots taking advantage
of the aircraft’s 2,000-pound gross
weight, 132-mph cruise, and 765-mile
range. "The thrust generated by the
new aircraft is 20% higher than any
previous Carbon Cub!” exclaimed
CubCrafters President Randy Lervold.
The performance increase over the
company’s EX–2 and FX–2 is largely
afforded by the new engine, along
with an 80-inch Hartzell Trailblazer
composite constant-speed propeller,
redesigned carbon fiber manifold, and
additional structural strengthening
and lightweight components
scattered throughout the airframe.
A number of design elements
developed for the company’s flagship
XCub are shared among the Carbon Cub
EX–3/FX–3 versions, including G-Seriesailerons and flaps, aerodynamic carbon
composite cowl, and composite engine
cooling baffles. Myriad improvements
allow an increased useful load of up
to 977 pounds, “which is greater than
any previous Carbon Cub,” the Yakima,
Washington-based manufacturer noted.
Attention to pilot ergonomics
is evident in the two new models as
well. Both variants boast a “high-
output triple-zone cabin heater with
windshield defrost” and a control
stick with “improved positioning and
multifunction grip,” the company added.
“Pilots who have flown the
new prototype universally report
that it climbs aggressively, handles
beautifully, and is even more refined
than the current models,” Randy
Lervold, president of CubCrafters,
explained in the news release.
Carbon Cub EX–3 kits are designed
for completion in 800 to 1,000 hours
and priced at $180,000 (depending on
options) with the CC363i engine and a
ready-to-install VFR instrument panel.
The FX–3 aircraft can be assembled
in seven days with factory help,
and its base price is $249,900. Both
aircraft are “already being deliveredto customers,” the company noted.
The Carbon Cub EX-3 is an
experimental amateur built (E-AB)
kit, and the Carbon Cub FX-3 is the
company’s FX (Factory eXperimental)
builder assist version. Both feature a
more powerful, fuel-injected engine,
constant-speed propeller, and higher
2,000 pound gross weight limit.
The new airframes are similar in
appearance and dimension to existing
Carbon Cubs, but the new fuselage
and wings are designed and tested
for the 2,000-pound increased gross
weight and higher speed (130+ mph
cruise), company officials said.
The EX-3 and FX-3 sport a
composite Trailblazer constant-speed
prop and spinner from Hartzell, plus
the aerodynamic carbon cowl from
CubCrafters’ flagship, the XCub.
Hidden beneath the cowl’s
distinctive cooling fins is an entirely
new fuel-injected powerplant
created by the combined design
resources at Superior Air Parts, Aero
Sport Power, and CubCrafters.CubCrafters
EX
- 3
&
FX- 3