Newsletter of American Legend Aircraft Company

NEWS A 2020 Envisioned Super Cub

This dazzling Super Cub restoration, also mentioned in the last edition of Liaison Brief, has been completed and delivered. Customer Mark Stevens and co-owner Bill Edmonds are super pleased with the results. They picked up their resto-mod Piper Cub in Texas and took it on a meandering 20-something-hour trip to its new home in Pennsylvania. Stopping along the way in parts of Oklahoma, Kansas, Iowa, and Michigan including a deserted island in its great lake.

Co-owners of the newly restored Super Cub take delivery at American Legend Aircraft Company.

Mark stated plainly enough that although the Super Cub is tricked out for performance, "We fly it for pleasure, not competition." Most notable mods to the Super Cub restoration are its BIG tires, 35 inches on the front and a baby bushwheel inflatable on the back. In addition to a stunning paint job, the classic aircraft has a number of less obvious upgrades. Among these are two carbon fiber cargo doors, AOSS elastomeric shock-struts, LED lighting, custom leather seats, and high-performance Beringer alloy wheels and brakes.

This particular Super Cub has a bit of a history, and Mark and Bill are only its third owners, one might say "caretakers." Originally, it belonged to J. Dawson Ransome of Ransome Airlines, a commuter airline with Boston-Washington-Philly-New York connections, among others in the region. Though certified, the Super Cub was not operated under the airline banner. After Ransome sold the Super Cub to its second owner, the flivver suffered a minor ground loop and a clipped wing. It then sat in a hangar for 15-plus years when Mark set out to rescue it.

100% Restored Super Cub at American Legend Aircraft Company.

He claimed they wanted to do a 100-percent ground-up restoration with all new parts where appropriate. Darin at American Legend Aircraft Company has built a reputation on doing exactly that. Many of the restoration projects turned out from the Legend Cub factory have won awards throughout the country. While this example has yet to make it to Sun 'n Fun and AirVenture-Oshkosh, due to the shows not being held live in 2020, Mark is sure that his Super Cub is Grand Champion worthy.

1952 Super Cub following restoration at American Legend Aircraft Company.

For the cockpit, Mark said that was easy as he opted for the AOPA sweepstakes Cub panel. American Legend obliged and built a similar glass-panel arrangement that includes two Garmin G5s, an aera 660, radio and transponder. A digital engine monitor and a few round dials, for moxie's sake, complete the instrumentation. Were the new owners aware that its GPS has a "direct-to" feature (Sulphur Springs, TX to Erwinna, PA is about a 1000-nm straight shot)? Never mind... that's not the point of owning a Cub.

180-HP Super Cub fully restored and modified by American Legend Aircraft Company.

Their newly restored 1952 Super Cub will not be a lonely hangar queen as Mark and Bill plan to keep it with other aircraft. These include a C-185 and a Beaver on amphibs flown by Mark, and a C-180 and Cheyenne owned by Bill. Conscripted to be caretakers, Mark explained, "Now it's a go-anywhere, STOL Super Cub with 35 mph slow speed performance." He also admits that the 180-hp IO-360 is more power than it needs, but it's there on a whim and at lower power settings it's economical.

While originally built not far from its current home in Erwinna (just north of Philadelphia and approximately 150 miles east of Lock Haven), N523SC may be seen flying around PA-77, the 2700-foot turf strip Mark owns and maintains. In recent years it's been the location of a "grass roots" fly-in / campout / cookout. Is there no better active lifestyle "retirement" spot for a 68-year-old Piper... fields of green aplenty, visitors by air, and the putt-putt sounds of a four-cylinder reciprocating engine? Doubtful... but that's just an observation.

Photos by Jim Wilson Photography.

For more information on aircraft restorations and modifications, visit www.legend.aero or call 903-885-7000.

NEWS Get On Line (the assembly line) with MOAC

Having an in-depth knowledge of your airplane vastly improves the overall flying experience, and this concept goes beyond the cockpit. Watching a Legend Cub move down the assembly is a humbling experience for most, especially those whose experience is limited to turning knobs rather than wrenches. However, the Cub would not be where it is today if not for the beautifully simple manner in which it is constructed. Taking part in the build process is as dramatically reassuring as a pilot's first smooth landing.

Brian Steck of Mineola, Texas completed this Titan-powered beauty for when the work ends and the fun begins. Photo by Jim Wilson Photography.

A Cub by another name is not a Legend Cub. At the company's founding, what pilots wanted was something young and sexy. There were other options available and many looked to be beyond practical. But what Legend never sacrificed was simplicity. The same is true today, what makes a Legend Cub a legend is its back-to-basics philosophy. This equates to a much reduced part count, interchangeability and wide availability of components, and moreover, nothing overly complex to produce or support.

Bo Ellis of Chilcoot, California built his "Cub Wagon" in homage to the Cessna 180 he also flies.

Just as the Piper Cub was the finest tuned flyer in the age of "aviation for everyone," the Legend Cub follows in its tracks. J3s and Super Cubs were well-conceived and firmly established as state-of-the-art in their era. They were sexy and accessible, uncompromising and omnipresent. They were reassuring, fearless and resilient. And they were desirable, the most fetching and enviable of a generation. Each Legend Cub today is made just so, by the people employed and the customers they support. In fact, most customers have a hand in their aircraft's construction. This is never more true than with MOAC, the Mother Of All Cubs.

Greg Kirk of Livingston, Texas recently completed his version of MOAC with the build-assist program at American Legend Aircraft Company.

Practically everything you can conceive can be incorporated into MOAC. Custom options like window hold-open struts and motorized landing lights add a touch of elegance. Twice the horsepower with the 195 hp @ 2700 Titan powered MOAC, versus 115 hp @ 2800 Lycoming powered Super Legend, provides dynamic beyond belief. MOAC offers seating for three like the PA-12 Super Cruiser, except again with twice the horsepower. (MOAC gross weight is 2,000 lb while the 4-place PA-14 Family Cruiser was 1,859 lb). The Legend Cub airframe is designed and built in-house and tested using Part 23 methodology. Really, nothing compares.

MOAC featuring leading edge slats and squared wing tips.

A quote from Chilean-American novelist Isabel Allend:
You are the storyteller of your own life, and you can create your own legend, or not.

For more information on building your MOAC, the Mother Of All Cubs, contact American Legend Aircraft Company at www.legend.aero or call 903-885-7000.

NEWS The Cub is a Never-ending Lesson

Continuous flight learning (a.k.a. training) is forever the realm of the Cub. Flying one is forever a humbling and inspiring experience. Demo pilot John Wisdom gives transition training at American Legend Aircraft Company and reveals the magic of MOAC. Follow John on Instagram @aviationwisdom.

John Wisdom giving instruction in the Super Cub.

Whether it's mastering precision with STOL, slow and scenic flying, access to the mountains and backcountry, instruments, navigation, or formation practice, a Legend Cub will get you there.

The Legend Cub, departing from a nearby field. Photo by Jim Wilson Photography.

Your next adventure starts with a demonstration flight in what we, at American Legend, call the Mother Of All Cubs. Fly one and you'll see why.

For more information on flying a Legend Cub, visit www.legend.aero, or call 903-885-7000.

WATCH Video Highlight - Flying the MOAC

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For more information on American Legend Aircraft Company, go to www.legend.aero