Super Cub
 

It's been ages since I posted in this forum, but...

Just saw this video and had to post it.

http://view.break.com/145576

Now THAT is a landing!

I think I flew with that guy back in '02.

Sweet! Gotta love the abilities of those bush pilots!!!!

Did you notice the finesse of the brakes versus full back stick? He "feathered" the brakes just enough to keep the tail up (bot not too much!) as the airspeed bled off, and balanced that with back stick.

Amazing.

Rocky, how do you suppose he got out of there again ?

I suspect he already had gotten out of there at least once - unless the photographer walked in!

There's no telling what's behind the camera. He might have made that spectacular landing just to show off, and the sand bar is long and level behind him.

It's also quite possible to get those Super Cubs off in very little distance by using ground effect. You can horse it off the ground below flying speed, then ride in the cushion of ground effect (particularly over a flat surface like water) no more than a foot or so above the ground. Without the rolling friction of the tires, speed then builds quickly until true flying speed.

I had a vid of a similar super cub taking off from a gravel bar in a similar area.

The last Cub ride I was in we took off on tundra that was almost too rough to walk on. We were loaded to capacity. The pilot pointed it into the wind and power braked it and from the time we moved it took 5 seconds to be airborn. I was counting.

Riding in those planes with an experienced pilot is an absolute thrill. Too bad they cost about $100k

In my Border Patrol days I flew a few times as an observer in Super Cubs. Our Border Patrol pilots were a very skilled (and colorful) lot. I never ceased to be amazed at their ability to set those planes down in the most unlikely spots and then somehow fly out of them.

wow.
 

I also liked the way he bled the speed off with the wheels in the water thing..unless that was gravel or sand with a little water on top. Had a 170 one time and it was a hoot to fly into small fields. Sold it to a guy near Clear Air Force station in Alaska. Ah...there was a really buxom lass at the Clear Sky Lodge!! Good food and fine spirits too...lots of fine spirits!!