CubCrafters · 2004+

CubCrafters Top Cub

cubcrafterstailwheelhigh-wingSTOLBackcountrybush-planefabric-coveredtandem-seatingtundra-tiresfloats-availablestill-in-productionsuper-cub-derivativemosaic-eligible

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Specifications

MOSAIC eligible

Performance

Cruise

110KTAS

Range

495nm

Climb

800fpm

Ceiling

14,600ft

Fuel Burn

Not verified

Fuel Cap.

44gal

MPG

—mpg

Stall (Vs0)

42KIAS

T/O roll

—ft

Ldg roll

—ft

Size & weight

Seats

Useful Load

1,100lbs

Full-fuel payload

836lbs

Max gross

2,300lbs

Wingspan

35.3ft

Length

23.5ft

Engine

Lycoming O-360-C4P

Power

180hp

TBO

2,000hrs

Overhaul

$45k

Owning it

Hull insurance

$5k/yr

Parts

good

Mechanics

specialist

Gear

Fixed

IFR

Yes

V-speeds

Vne132 KIAS

Vno116 KIAS

Va89 KIAS

Airframe

Empty weight: 1,200 lbs
Max fuel weight: 264 lbs
Height: 8.4 ft
Wing position: high

Paperwork

Type certificate: A00006SE
Certification basis: Part 23

These figures are typical for the model, not a specification for any individual aircraft. Real-world numbers vary with year, installed equipment, weight, modifications and engine condition — often by more than you would expect. Use them to compare types, and confirm anything you would act on against the Pilot's Operating Handbook for that specific airframe and a prebuy inspection.

Pricing

Typical

$250k

Range

$180k – $320k

Annual all-in

~$18k/yr

All-in at ~100 flying hours a year, using the midpoint of each range — the same figures broken out under “Cost to own” below. Your number will differ, and mostly for two reasons. Experience sets your insurance: a 2,000-hour pilot with recent training pays 30–40% less than a 200-hour owner, and student owners pay 20–40% more — on the same aircraft that is often a doubling. Location sets your hangar: a T-hangar runs $200–400 a month in the Midwest against $400–1,500 in a coastal metro, and an outside tie-down is less again. Engine reserves move too — a local shop reusing your serviceable cylinders can come in 30–50% under the national specialty-shop pricing we quote, though you trade the warranty and turnaround that comes with it. Reserves are money set aside toward a future overhaul, not a bill this year, and the annual inspection figure is the shop’s labor to look — whatever they find is separate.

Cost to own — fixed costs only

No handbook figures for this airplane give a fuel burn, so the fuel, per-hour and per-mile estimates cannot be computed. What follows is what ownership costs before you fly it — these do not change with hours.

Insurance

$2,250–$6,250

Hangar

$4,977–$12,443

Annual inspection (labor only)

$1,200

Fixed costs per year$8,827–$20,293

Fuel, maintenance and the engine reserve are on top of this and rise with every hour flown — on a comparable airplane they typically exceed the fixed costs at around 100 hours a year. The page above says which document would supply the missing figures.

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Strengths

Purpose-built backcountry performer with proven long service history
Strong useful load (~1,100 lb) for a two-seat tailwheel airplane
Versatile landing gear options (wheels, tundra tires, skis, amphibious floats)
Well-established design with established support and parts availability

Weaknesses

Two tandem seats limit business travel and passenger capacity
110 KTAS cruise and ~495 nm range modest for cross-country flying
Not aerobatic certified
Pricing not independently re-verified; market data flagged as gap

Overview

CubCrafters introduced the Top Cub in 2004 as a Part 23-certified, 180 hp evolution of the 1949-vintage Piper PA-18 Super Cub, built from welded 4130 steel tubing under doped fabric. It received its FAA type certificate on 16 December 2004, Transport Canada certification in July 2008, and Australian certification in August 2008. In July 2015 CubCrafters sold the type certificate to the Liaoning Cub Aircraft Corporation of China, with the certificate itself transferred to a US holding company, Topcub Aircraft, Inc., on 13 August 2015 — CubCrafters continues to build the airplane for the non-Chinese market under a license-back arrangement. By February 2017, 74 examples had been registered in the United States and three in Canada.

The Top Cub can be flown on wheels, tundra tires, skis, or amphibious floats (the certificate names Wipaire 2100A/2100S float installations directly), and belly pods are available to add cargo and fuel capacity.

Mission Suitability

Flight Training (4): Tailwheel transition and backcountry instruction; not a primary trainer.
Backcountry (9): A proven, purpose-built backcountry airplane — slightly behind the XCub's certificated STOL numbers and cruise speed, but a well-established design with a long service history.
Business Travel (2): Two tandem seats limit this regardless of speed.
Aerobatics (1): Not aerobatic certified.
Cross-Country (4): 110 KTAS cruise and an estimated 495 nm range (single-sourced) are modest for cross-country work relative to the XCub.
Cargo Hauling (6): Estimated 1,100 lb useful load (2,300 lb gross minus 1,200 lb empty, per the certificate and Wikipedia respectively) is strong for a two-seat tailwheel airplane, and belly pods extend it further.
Local Fun Flying (8): A classic, well-proven backcountry tailwheel airplane.
Surveying (6): High wing and slow-flight manners suit observation work, though endurance and speed both trail the XCub.

Avionics Ecosystem

Standard equipment is a basic VFR panel; Garmin avionics upgrades are commonly fitted in the field. Unlike the XCub, CubCrafters does not prominently market a factory glass-panel option specifically for the Top Cub.

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STCs & Modifications

The certificate itself covers Wipaire 2100A/2100S amphibious and straight float installations directly (Note 3), so float operation is part of the approved type design rather than a bolt-on external modification. Tundra tires (up to 35" per prior-page prose, not independently re-confirmed this pass) and belly pods for added cargo/fuel are commonly fitted; no specific STC numbers were located in this research pass, and their absence from the certificate is not evidence against them (rule 32).

Valuation Factors

MARKET ASKING — price band retained from the prior combined page's Variants-table entry, NOT independently re-verified with a fresh, dated source and listing count in this research pass (no Vref/Bluebook entry exists for this type). Flagged as a gap rather than presented as freshly sourced.

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