Backcountry Super Cubs (BCSC / SQ2 / Rev 3)

Backcountry Super Cubs (BCSC) of Douglas, Wyoming is a specialist kit manufacturer producing experimental amateur-built Super Cub derivatives optimized for serious backcountry and bush flying. The company traces its roots to Smith Aviation (founded 1998 near London, Ontario), was acquired and relocated to Wyoming in January 2006 as Turbine Cubs of Wyoming LLC, and rebranded in 2009 as Backcountry Super Cubs LLC when turbine engines proved impractical for the design. Current ownership: Bruce Reed, Jason Sanchez, and Joe Trujillo, with Bob Lutz as manager.

BCSC builds what are essentially improved, beefed-up, experimental clones of the Piper PA-18 Super Cub (see piper-pa18-super-cub), with higher gross weights, stronger structures, bigger flaps, modern landing gear, and — crucially — the Mackey articulating leading-edge slats that give these airplanes their signature helicopter-slow approach speeds. By 2011, BCSC reported 138 Super Cubs, 140 Supercruisers, and 7 Mackey SQ2s built. The current flagship is the Super Cub Rev 3, powered by the 210 hp Lycoming IO-390 and considered by many Alaskan and Idaho backcountry pilots to be the benchmark for real-world loaded STOL performance. BCSC occupies the same niche as cubcrafters-carbon-cub and dakota-cub but leans more toward the hardcore bush end of the spectrum, with heavier, stronger airframes rather than Carbon Cub's weight-optimized approach.

Owners are almost exclusively serious backcountry pilots — Idaho/Utah dirt strip operators, Alaska bush flyers, and mountain hunters. BCSC aircraft are rarely bought as first airplanes; they are usually a step up from an older PA-18 after the owner has decided they want more useful load, better gear, and modern slat-equipped handling without the certified-airplane maintenance burden.

Rev 3 is the page's primary reference data point; SQ2 is the prior-generation flagship still in production for builders wanting the O-360 economy path.

BCSC's advertised numbers — 47 ft takeoff roll, 28 ft landing roll, 18 mph flaps-down stall — are demo-pilot, solo, light-fuel, into-wind numbers on smooth surfaces. Real-world loaded backcountry performance with two pax, camping gear, and half fuel on a rough strip is closer to 150-250 ft ground rolls, which is still best-in-class and materially better than a stock piper-pa18-super-cub in the same mission.

Cruise speed is the Achilles heel common to all big-tire Super Cub derivatives: 35" Alaskan Bushwheels cost roughly 10-15 KTAS vs clean wheels, so a Rev 3 that could theoretically do 110-115 KTAS in a clean config settles to about 95-100 KTAS in typical backcountry trim. Fuel burn with the IO-390 runs 9-11 GPH at cruise. The 58 usable gallons give roughly 5+ hours endurance and 500-520 NM no-reserve range — better than most PA-18s thanks to the larger tanks.

The Mackey slats are the feature that differentiates a BCSC from most other Super Cub kits: they extend automatically at high angle of attack, delaying the stall and allowing a genuinely useful approach speed in the 30-35 mph indicated range at typical backcountry weights. Density altitude performance is exceptional — 2,000 fpm climb at sea level solo is not unusual, and even at 8,000 ft DA the airplane maintains climb rates a stock PA-18 cannot match.

With 1,000 lb useful load on a Rev 3 and 58 gal / 348 lb usable fuel:

• Full fuel (348 lb) + 2 standard pax (380 lb) = 728 lb — leaves 272 lb for camping gear, survival kit, rifles, tent, coolers. This is genuine two-person multi-day backcountry capability that the stock PA-18 simply cannot match.
• Half fuel (174 lb) + 2 heavy pax in winter gear (440 lb) = 614 lb — leaves 386 lb for gear, which is enormous for a 2-seat airplane, with ~2.5 hours endurance (~240 NM).
• Solo pilot (220 lb) + full fuel (348 lb) = 568 lb — leaves 432 lb cargo, 5+ hour endurance, 500 NM range. This is the classic "solo hunting trip with a bull elk coming back" scenario BCSC markets to.
• Max fuel (48 gal SQ2 version) + 2 pax + gear — SQ2 runs tighter margins at 2,200 lb gross, about 200 lb less useful load than Rev 3 in comparable trim.

The Rev 3's 1,000 lb useful load at 2,400 lb gross is the single number that justifies its existence — it turns a Super Cub from "pilot + copilot + toothbrush" into "pilot + copilot + a week of gear" territory, approaching cubcrafters-carbon-cub Carbon Cub FX-3 and dakota-cub Super 18-180 in the same bracket, while beating both on slat-equipped slow-flight handling.

• Backcountry (10/10) — This is the entire reason BCSC exists. Extreme STOL, huge useful load on a 2-seat airframe, rugged landing gear, simple fabric-and-steel structure that field-repairs with basic tools, and a cabin sized for two big pilots in winter gear. Few airplanes beat a Rev 3 on a rough 400-foot strip at 7,000 ft elevation. See backcountry-bush.
• Cargo Hauling (6/10) — 1,000 lb useful load is excellent for a 2-seater, but the tandem 2-seat cabin with no real cargo door limits practical hauling vs a cessna-185 or Beaver.
• Local Fun Flying (8/10) — Tailwheel, slow flight capability, great visibility, aerobatic-adjacent handling make it tremendously fun. Penalized only by operating cost and hangar demand.
• Surveying (6/10) — Slow cruise and excellent low-speed loiter are ideal, but single engine over remote terrain and limited endurance compared to purpose-built platforms cap the score.
• Cross-Country (3/10) — 95-100 KTAS cruise with big tires and no IFR capability makes it a poor cross-country platform. Owners routinely accept 4-5 hour legs at speeds a 172 beats.
• Flight Training (3/10) — Not a primary trainer; useful for tailwheel transition and advanced STOL/backcountry instruction only. Insurance for dual-given is prohibitive.
• Aerobatics (2/10) — Not aerobatic-rated; wings are strong but the airframe is not stressed or certified for sustained aerobatics.
• Business Travel (1/10) — Completely unsuitable. Slow, loud, no IFR, no weather, no baggage.

Most BCSC builds are VFR-only experimental panels optimized for backcountry. Typical configurations by tier:

• Entry ($8-15K): Single Garmin G5 or uAvionix AV-30-E, Garmin GTR 200 radio, Garmin GTX 335 transponder with ADS-B out, simple fuel flow, iPad with ForeFlight. Many builds stop here.
• Mid ($20-35K): Dynon Skyview HDX 7" or Garmin G3X Touch 7", GTN 650Xi or GPS 175, Dynon autopilot servos, AoA indicator, engine monitoring. Common for owners who actually cross-country the airplane.
• Full ($40-60K): Dual G3X Touch 10.6" displays, GTN 750Xi, GFC 500 autopilot, synthetic vision, backup battery — rare in this airframe but appears in higher-end builds.

IFR capability is theoretically possible on experimental panels but rarely pursued given the airframe's mission. See avionics-pricing.

Because BCSC aircraft are experimental, STCs do not apply — builders can modify freely. Common mod decisions during the build:

• Engine choice: O-360 180 hp (economy, SQ2 standard) vs IO-360 200 hp vs IO-390 210 hp (Rev 3 standard) vs Lycoming IO-390-EXP119 215 hp (Edge Performance-tuned, higher cost). Engine upgrade delta from O-360 to IO-390: ~$25-35K.
• Propeller: Hartzell Trailblazer composite (~$12K) vs MT 3-blade composite (~$15K) vs Catto ground-adjustable (~$6K). Composite constant-speed props dominate on Rev 3 builds.
• Landing gear: Standard BCSC shock gear vs Acme Black Ops vs Airframes Alaska extended gear. Rev 3 ships with Pilatus Porter-style shock mains as standard.
• Tires: 31" Alaskan Bushwheels (~$4K/pair) vs 35" (~$5.5K/pair) vs 29" Tundra or Goodyear (cheap). 35" is the iconic Rev 3 look and costs ~10 KTAS in cruise.
• Fuel system: 48 gal standard wings vs 58 gal (Rev 3 standard) vs optional 24 gal aux tank (82 gal total).
• Interior/heat: Cabin heat boxes, door systems (Atlee Dodge clamshell, Crosswinds), skylight kits.

A fully optioned Rev 3 build typically runs $220-280K all-in including kit, engine, prop, paint, panel, and build labor if hired out.

• Parts availability (good): BCSC supports builders and owners directly out of Douglas, WY. Airframe parts are available factory-direct. PA-18 commonality means many parts cross-reference to Piper certified parts via Univair, Wag-Aero, and dakota-cub.
• Mechanic familiarity (specialist): Condition inspections must be signed by an A&P (not necessarily IA for experimental), but finding one who understands Mackey slats, BCSC-specific gear, and Rev 3 systems is regional. Idaho, Alaska, Wyoming, and Utah have specialists; most other regions require an owner to become their own maintenance lead.
• Annual costs: Condition inspection runs $1,500-3,000 at a shop, or builder-performed if the builder holds repairman certificate. Add ~$3,000-6,000/year for routine items (oil changes, tires, plugs, minor repairs) and $2,000-3,000/year engine reserve. Typical all-in annual: ~$9,000-12,000 excluding fuel and insurance.
• Expensive items: Alaskan Bushwheels (~$5K/pair for 35"), IO-390 overhaul ($38-45K), composite prop overhaul ($3-5K), fabric re-cover ($25-40K every 20+ years), Mackey slat rebuild/replacement if damaged.

See maintenance-ecosystem.

Pricing tiers observed in the market:

• $180-210K — Earlier BCSC builds (2008-2014), O-360 power, basic panels, older landing gear revisions, well-used 800-1,500 hour airframes with honest logs.
• $210-250K — Mid-era SQ2 builds, 180-200 hp, Mackey slats, modern VFR glass, 31" tires, 200-800 hour airframes in good condition.
• $250-290K — Recent Rev 2 or early Rev 3 builds, IO-390, full glass panel, 35" bushwheels, low hours (<300), premium paint/interior.
• $290-340K — New or near-new Rev 3 builds, IO-390 or IO-390 tuned, top-tier avionics, composite prop, all options. Current BCSC demonstrator Rev 3 (N629JH) has listed around $329K.

Key valuation drivers: engine time SMOH (IO-390 overhaul ~$38-45K), airframe hours, slat condition, gear revision, avionics tier, paint/fabric age, and crucially builder reputation and log quality. A well-documented build by a known Super Cub builder carries a 15-25% premium over an anonymous build. See valuation-methodology.

Experimental aircraft are not subject to ADs in the certified sense, but builders and owners track manufacturer service bulletins and the broader PA-18 community knowledge base. Common issues:

• Engine-related ADs apply to the certified engine core — IO-390 cylinder issues, crankshaft service bulletins from Lycoming, and magneto 500-hour inspections all apply because the engine is certified even if the airframe is not.
• Slat rigging — Mackey slats must be rigged correctly; incorrect tension or stops can mask stall warning or cause asymmetric extension. Pre-purchase inspections should verify slat operation in detail.
• Gear leg cracking — Early BCSC gear (pre-Rev 2) had reports of cracking at weld junctions under extreme use; Rev 2/3 gear redesign addressed this but inspectors still look closely.
• Tail spring / tailwheel assembly wear — Heavy use on rough terrain wears Scott 3200 or Alaska Bushwheels ABI tailwheels quickly; expect to replace/rebuild every 200-400 hours.
• Fabric condition — Poly-Fiber or Stewart Systems covering typically lasts 15-25 years; sun exposure and hangar quality matter enormously.
• Builder quality variance — The single biggest pre-buy risk. Amateur-built quality varies from exceptional to marginal; a professional pre-buy by a Super Cub specialist is mandatory.

See maintenance-ecosystem for broader experimental considerations.

Experimental tailwheel STOL is one of the hardest insurance categories in GA. Underwriting realities:

• Hull insurance: Typically 2.0-3.5% of hull value annually for in-motion coverage. A $250K Rev 3 runs ~$5,000-8,000/year in hull premium alone.
• Liability: $1M smooth is achievable but $2M+ is rare; most policies top out at $1M/$100K passenger sub-limit.
• Experience requirements: Underwriters typically demand 500+ total time, 100+ tailwheel, 25+ make-and-model, and often a formal BCSC or PA-18 transition course. Low-time pilots are effectively uninsurable in the Rev 3.
• Geographic restrictions: Some policies exclude or surcharge off-airport operations, which defeats the point of owning one.
• Carrier pool: Small — Avemco, USAIG, BWI, and specialty experimental underwriters. Renewals can be non-trivial after any incident.

Total annual insurance for a typical Rev 3 owner: $4,500-8,000. See insurance-underwriting.