Bush iCub
Engine make/model:	100hp Rotax 912 ULS
TBO (hrs.):	2000
Max takeoff weight (lbs.):	1295
Empty weight (lbs.):	770
Useful load (lbs.):	525
Fuel capacity (gals.):	18 (24 optional)
Wingspan:	30 ft. 10 in.
Cabin width (in.):	26.3
PERFORMANCE
Vne (mph):	128
Vso (mph):	38
Max speed (mph):	115
Service ceiling (ft.):	14,400
Best rate of climb (fpm):	884
Best rate of climb, climb prop (fpm):	1060
Takeoff run, concrete (ft.):	280
Landing run (ft.):	265
Max crosswind (mph):	18
Maximum range (nm @ 65%):	434
Contact: SportairUSA (www.sportair-aero)

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SIRIUS TL-3000
Engine make/model:	Rotax 912 UL-S
Horsepower:	100
Max takeoff weight (lbs.):	1320
Empty weight, std. (lbs.):	767 (varies)
Useful load, std. (lbs.):	553
Wing tank capacity (gals.):	34
Wingspan (ft.):	30.8
Wing area (sq. ft.):	121.6
Cargo volume (cu. ft.):	14.66
Load limit (G’s):	+4/-2
Cabin width (in.):	46
PERFORMANCE
Vne (kts.):	142
Vso (kts.):	34
Max cruise speed (kts.):	120
Best rate of climb, SL (fpm):	1100
Source: SportairUSA

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The prime factor in the S3’s visceral in-flight magic is the big, clear bubble canopy: Its horizontal and overhead view is spectacular. The one-piece canopy is like a big goldfish bowl over your head. The “rails” of the bubble are almost below your elbows. The clear top runs all the way behind your head, so you can look straight up or crane your neck left and right and see what’s above and behind. There’s also a generous rear window. In fact, but for the single painted stripe where the roll cage spans the canopy, you’d swear you’re looking through a jet-fighter canopy—and a roomy canopy (44 inches) at that.

And in front, the low panel top and slope-down cowl that wraps the Rotax 912 ULS engine gives you a forward view at cruise that enhances the sense of sitting almost on top of the airplane, a bit like a seat in the opera house balcony.

So here we are, Bill Canino, president of SportairUSA, and me, just before sunset over an expansive Florida landscape of dark green foliage, jewel-like lakes reflecting burnt orange, and the towns and cities waking up for the night, spread before us like Christmas ornaments on a vast carpet.

Canino demonstrates the inherent stability of the S3 by accelerating in a dive, then pulling us up and over, strong and sharp, into a gentle wingover to the right, then taking his hands off the controls as it slows, hangs, then slips…smoothly, exhilaratingly…down into a dive.

The Sting S3’s 100 hp Rotax 912 ULS can be monitored via the optional GreenLine engine monitoring system.

Hands On Or Off
“These falling-leaf turns demonstrate the inherent stability and aerodynamic qualities of the airplane,” Canino says. “Watch now, I’ll keep hands off.” As the bird slips down and rolls out into a dive and the ASI shows 100 knots, he gently pulls out, and we round out the bottom. He pulls back on the stick, rolling smoothly in the opposite direction, and back up the hill we go.

We recover and he turns the airplane over to me. Already completely comfy in the airplane a couple minutes after takeoff, impressed by how nominal takeoff and cruise were, I find the S3 solid and tight, like a new car fresh off the showroom. Control pressures are light and responsive. Feedback is constant and true: You always know where you are with the bird. Smooth or snappy turns are effortless without requiring muscular input.

Likewise, pitch is quick but not twitchy. Rudder is effective, but you don’t need much; the net effect is familiarity. It’s a friendly, responsive airplane that’s immediately enjoyable to fly.

Now it’s my turn to do falling leaves. Up and up into the deepening oranges, golds and slate-gray blues of the cloud-filtered sunset, rotating like a big, glorious ball around the unobstructed canopy. Fabulous! The S3 is velvety—precise when you need it to be, forgiving when you’re lazy or a mite clumsy.

Okay, enough blue-sky flying, let’s look closer at this latest evolution of successful light-sport aircraft.

The low-wing Sting S3 offers unrestricted panoramic views through its bubble canopy. Among other features, the LSA comes standard with Galaxy’s whole-plane ballistic recovery system and Garmin’s NAV/COM stack.

Carbon Neutral
The Sting S3 is a carbon-composite, low-wing, tricycle-gear “fun ship” descended from a successful line of light-sport aircraft, including more than 500 production models of the StingSport, Sting Carbon and Star. The StingSport was the fifth LSA to receive ASTM certification in the United States and has consistently been in the top 10 in U.S. sales.

Maximizing the speed envelope of the light-sport category was a goal of designer/producers Miroslav and Petr Kábrt of the Czech Republic. Split flaps, structural stiffness and effective control surfaces deliver excellent slow flight and the light and effective control feel I mentioned.

Creature comforts include effective air vents to keep things cool and a surprisingly quiet noise level in flight. Toe brakes and steerable nosewheel afford excellent ground handling.

A typical S3 instrument configuration uses the Leading Edge Six Pack, a tasty setup that includes a TruTrak attitude direction indicator (ADI). The ADI has several functions: artificial horizon, roll/pitch/yaw and direction indicators, GPS direction, low-airspeed alert and extreme bank-angle alert—all in one round display. Cool!

TruTrak EFIS/Flight Director and other glass cockpit setups are also available as options. The version I flew was decked out nicely with a TruTrak EFIS, Garmin GPSMAP 496 and GreenLine engine monitoring system.

A Deluxe Standard
Two distinguishing safety-centric (and standard) features of the S3 are the Straight/Level safety system button and the Galaxy ballistic recovery system. In a crisis, a pilot or passenger can push the big blue S/L button mounted on the panel, and the airplane goes to straight-and-level flight automatically. The Galaxy system is a whole-plane ballistic parachute system with some impressive features, including a sleeved deployment system and a long-burning solid-fuel rocket that draws the canopy 60 feet away from the aircraft before it deploys, reducing the chance of fouling on the airplane. The parachute company claims the system can be successfully deployed from as low as 100 to 500 feet above the ground, depending on position, speed and trajectory.

Soapbox moment: The airplane parachute is a life-saving concept that was, historically, suppressed for marketing reasons in the early evolution of general aviation. SportairUSA is to be commended for making it standard on the Sting S3. A paradigm shift toward ‘chute use on all aircraft could play a significant role in growing pilot numbers and recreational aviation acceptance in the future.

The low-wing Sting S3 has no gel-coat finish, saving 50 pounds of nonstructural weight, and is propelled by a wood-cored, carbon-fiber-composite Woodcomp propeller.

Other noteworthy Sting S3 features include the Woodcomp, a wood-cored, carbon-fiber-composite prop. It’s a three-blade, ground-adjustable fan with a wear-resistant plastic leading edge.

As noted on the company’s website (www.sting.aero), there’s no gel-coat finish on the Sting. That saves about 50 pounds of nonstructural weight, which contributes to a decent 540 pounds of useful load.

My overall impression was of a nicely finished, quality airplane, representative of a maturing industry that now takes fit and finish as seriously as performance specs.

To whit, the company claims the S3 is the most complete, best-equipped S-LSA on the market. Backing up that claim are the rest of a splendid list of standard features:
• Full-time carb body heat
• Garmin NAV/COM stack
• Moving-map GPS with TAWS and XM satellite weather capability
• Zaon MRX PCAS air-to-air collision-avoidance system
• Four-point inertia-reel safety harnesses
• Removable copilot stick
• Full carpeting and upholstery
• Strobes and position lights
• Adjustable rudder pedals
• Toe brakes
• Nosewheel steering
• VHF radio and Mode C transponder
• 406 MHz ELT

Not too shabby. That list of goodies gives you some idea of how serious this company is about attracting, and supporting, buyers.

The roomy 44-inch-wide cockpit can comfortably seat two beneath the one-piece canopy.

A Dream Of Ease
Back to the fun stuff: flying. Well, let’s taxi first.

At idle, the S3 moves along at a fast walk, so you don’t need to jockey the throttle, then stomp the brakes. The steerable nosewheel makes it easy to stay on track.

Climbing out at 60 knots gives a thrill-ride deck angle, and you’ll see 1,000 fpm or more. Rudder control is right there almost as soon as you get moving. Demonstrated crosswind capability is cited at 17 knots, though I didn’t get to verify that on my calm-air flight.

Touch up the speed to 70, suck up flaps and climb out. Then trim up to cruise and enjoy the clean aerodynamics: cruise at 75% (or around 5,000 rpm) is an excellent 116 knots.

The airplane stalls straight ahead and requires nothing more than relaxing the stick or adding the slightest touch of power to keep it hanging on the prop or recovering flight.

Landing procedure is typical for the type: Approach to pattern altitude at 75 knots, drop the split flaps at 70, pitch to 60 knots and set up a standard descent around 500 fpm. Over the fence at 50, flaps to full, flare just above the runway and let it settle. Sweet.

In summary, the airplane is stable yet responsive. Control pressures aren’t too light, but are rather firm and crisply effective. You can get aggressive roll rates without twanging a bicep tendon, and pitch is well balanced to roll.

Coda
In more sensual terms, it wraps up something like this: During our sunset flight over Florida, Bill Canino points out a little house far below.

“Look at that house, and imagine the people inside,” he implores. “They may never ever see a view like this in their entire lifetime.”

That makes me think, reveling in the ease and ballet-like grace of one falling leaf after another, smiling in the glorious fire glow of clouds and sundown sky that wheel and flow around that wonderful big clear canopy, that when I’m flying, I’m flying for those people down there, too.

I wish they, and everybody, could be up here with me now, enjoying life sweet as a dream in a Sting S3.

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2009 STING S3
Engine make/model:	Rotax 912 ULS
Horsepower:	100@SL
Propeller:	3-blade, carbon-composite Woodcomp
Gross weight (lbs.):	1320
Empty weight, std. (lbs.):	780
Useful load, std. (lbs.):	540
Usable fuel, std. (gals./lbs.):	20.5
Usable fuel with wing tanks (gals.)	32.5
PERFORMANCE
Cruise speed, 75% power (kts.):	116
Vne (kts.):	164
Best rate of climb, two people (fpm):	1000+
Glide ratio:	12:1
Range at cruise (nm):	495*
Range with wing tanks (nm):	790*
Takeoff ground roll at MTOW (ft.):	295
Landing over 50 ft. obstacle (ft.):	1020
*With 30-minute reserve
Source: SportairUSA

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When I think of my recent flights in Sportair USA’s Bush iCub, they’re soaked in rich, golden yellow—Cub Yellow to be precise. Inside and out, the fabric-covered, balloon-tire-riding, classic-looking taildragger—with an Apple iPad in the front panel, no less—is one colorful, beautifully built variant of the Piper J3/SuperCub ethos that dominates S-LSA sales in America. Clearly there’s a thread of Cub Love stitched into almost every pilot’s heart.

Bill Canino, head honcho of Sportair USA and former Air Force jet jockey, wanted another airplane to gap-fill his stable of light-sport offerings. But he didn’t want just another Cub clone. “Our aircraft line,” says Bill, “fits a variety of missions. For cross-country, in comfort, with some baggage, we’ve got the Sirius. For something fast, lively and very maneuverable—with a great view—we’ve got the Sting S4. For amphibious hull flying, there’s the SeaRey.”

“But we wanted a plane for hanging around the airport or for backcountry landings, with a door or window to open for the breeze, float-capable too, all at a more affordable price than what’s out there. We didn’t feel the other Cub makers had fully addressed the ’off-road’ market niche.”

Since Zlin Aviation already made a Cub-like airplane (the Savage), Sportair worked with the Czech Republic maker to craft the design into a fun line of four Cubbies: the iCub, Bush iCub, Cruiser and Classic.

He envisioned the line of fun flyers ($77,900-$99,900, all fully equipped) for the “Walter Mitty” crowd: people seeking a Super Cub-like experience, whether it’s local grass or dirt-strip flying, landing on the edge of a favorite lake for camping or flights evoking a simpler time in aviation.

The iCub and Bush iCub from Sportair USA come standard with a 64 GB dockable iPad for the pilot in the front panel and an iPhone for the copilot in the back seat.

To help burnish a 21st-century image rather than be a slave to the original J3, the iCub and Bush iCub come standard with a 64 GB 3G dockable iPad in the front panel and an iPhone for the rear “copilot.” All four models solo from the front seat, too, unlike the nose-heavy J3. There’s tons to say, for which I invite you to check out www.cub-aero. For our purposes of introduction, let’s take some hops in the Bush iCub.

Tight, Solid, And…
One can only visit the thesaurus so many times for alternatives to describe the iCub’s chief appeal, so let’s just cut to the chase: It’s fun. It’s really, really fun.

I put nearly three hours on Bill’s demo plane. It’s his own doggone fault. He so loves trolling around above the landscape, that all I had to do was walk within 50 feet of the iCub, and he was dragging me toward the cockpit.

Climbing aboard is typical of the breed. Once you’re accustomed to pretzel-bending limb and spine, it’s a breeze. The iCub makes it easier with a big, one-piece, five-foot-wide door rather than the J3’s clamshell style. It latches up in flight (below 60 knots) for open-air flying—a big part of what the Cub is all about.

The cockpit feels just right for new and seasoned tandem pilots alike: The dual throttle levers; the big, scalloped pitch trim wheel; and the flap handle all live on the left side, below the window. Seats are cushy and nicely upholstered, too. Toe pads for the hydraulic brakes sit atop the metal tube-style rudder pedals. I prefer them over heel brakes.

Fit and finish? Top-notch.

Bill folded his lankiness into the back so I could have the catbird seat. Riding the Bush iCub gives a truck-driving view, thanks to the higher deck angle afforded by the standard 26-inch balloon tires and shorter-than-J3 mains-to-tailwheel distance. Visibility is no sweat though: Tandem cockpits are narrow. You can use whatever combo of S-turns and head-in-propwash moves you favor to get to the starting line.

Patterns On The Grass
Move the snug, smooth Rotax 912 ULS throttle forward, and raise the tail, and the broad world rises into view over the cowl. Tailwheel airplanes are fun to fly—once you get basic rudder flying down: This isn’t flatfoot flying, brothers and sisters!

My first few launches show me how responsive iCub’s rudder is. Overcontrol, especially on the hard deck with balloon tires, and you’ll yaw-wobble all over the place. Ease up on the pedal action to enjoy quick and smooth response. Everything calms down, of course, on grass, which is what those cartoon-sized wheels are for anyway.

On launch, fly the tail up, roll on the mains and you’re up and away before you know it. Do a short-field, tail-low launch, and you pop off in under 300 feet (book is 280 feet). Once up, the view is classic Cub-fabulous, thanks to the side windows and one-piece windscreen that runs from engine to aft turtledeck. Crank a high-bank turn and you’ve got a great panorama view through the top.

$37.83 Per Landing
Bush tires are pricey. Bill likes to say every paved-runway landing costs $20 in scrubbed-off rubber. My first misaligned attempts surely cost more, judging by the expensive-sounding “Scriiitch!” and the airplane’s sudden bolt for the sidelines. Once we switch to grass, my acumen magically improves. Those “boingy” tires really smooth out rough ground. We shoot a bunch of landings into shortish sections of infield grass and have a ball.

The Bush iCub has a beefier airframe and landing gear than its nonbush siblings. All four Zlin models benefit from Rotax’s lighter weight. “You don’t need longer coupling with an engine mass that’s 100 pounds lighter,” says Bill. “You’re less likely to ground-loop and can recover easier.”

Sportair’s customer service philosophy includes transition training for all customers. “Even if you buy a used airplane from us, that training is free.”

Sportair linked up with Loni Habersetzer, a noted Alaskan Cub driver, (www.cubdriver749er.com), to help develop the Bush iCub and create an advanced bush-flying program that will take taildragger skills further. “You’ll land on the runway, grass, then the same spot every time, then do that with the same precision whether downwind, crosswind, on sand, at the edge of a lake, on rocks, at high altitude, on…” Hey, you had me at “same spot.”

That Engine Thing
Sportair’s choice of the Rotax over a “traditional” aircraft engine was deliberate. “People committed to ’traditional’ aviation engines simply because that’s how it always was may miss the many advantages of modern engine design. I’m committed to a reliable powerplant, whatever name it has. I want the one that performs the best, has the best fuel economy and gives me the best performance per weight. I trust the Rotax design. It’s proven itself to us for over 15 years, has a 2,000-hour TBO behind it, and is an efficient, true aeronautical engine.”

A Galaxy airframe reserve parachute or seatbelt airbags from Amsafe are being evaluated. “Whatever best increases the safety factor. A lot of bush flying never gets above 1,000 feet. Neither our Sting nor the Sirius are in the NTSB accident database. We want the same thing for the iCub.”

High Points
Impressions from my iBushwhacking: I like the four-point harness. Throttle to idle, turn the ignition key to start, and the Rotax fires right up—no hand-propping this baby. It’s hot: water bottles stowed in the wing root above? Check.

Ease in throttle and we’re rolling on the grass: very little rudder needed. Full power, 5,700 rpm, tail flies right up—great view—and easy on the rudder, boy, easy…The grass falls away smartly with pitch up to a steep Vx at 55 knots. Yowsah, yowsah, yowsah! Little rudder needed during climb. Love the trim wheel: intuitive, smooth and effective. The first few turns reveal firm but moderate-force harmony in pitch and roll. Overall, less rudder required than a J3—that’s the shorter tail coupling. At cruise settings (5,000-5,200 rpm), I’m seeing 87 knots.

We level at 3,000 to pull some turns. The iCub is so tight, solid, smooth. While doing stalls at idle and full power, Bill explained that the leading-edge vortex generators hold laminar flow to the wing at higher angles of attack. Indeed, the mini nose-breaks come with only a gentle burble of warning. Feed in power, and we’re flying, pronto.

During my first approach, Bill chooses to say this is his first flight with anyone except the Zlin instructor. Brave man! Landings with balloon tires on the runway, in addition to costing Bill that $37.83 each in burned rubber, take me some getting used to. Grass makes it much easier to develop some touch.

Any J3 pilot should feel right at home in this cockpit. I love the extra power and performance. Newcomers to tailwheel flight will appreciate the fine job Zlin and Sportair USA have done with construction quality, excellent performance and easy handling. The iCub and Savage models provide, as Bill Canino says, “an airplane for people who want real bush flying, and also allow experienced pilots to scale back to something fun, something that brings emotion back into their flying.” Speaking purely from that emotional point of view, iCub delivers on the fun factor—big time.

The “i” In iCub
Larry Martin, Sportair’s marketing director, wondered how to present the Zlin Savage as “more than just another Cub.” To enhance the appeal of lower price and off-airport ops, he and Bill Canino chose Apple’s iPad. “We told our local FSDO that the iPad would not be wired to the aircraft, and used only in airplane mode. They were happy with it.” The standard-equipment iPad (with 10-hour battery) dominates the center of the front panel, which also sports standard ASI, compass, inclinometer, altimeter, tach, engine gauges, Hobbs meter, PS Engineering PM1000II intercom and ELT. The iPad’s internal accelerometer makes for a cheaper GPS alternative. Although its “assisted GPS” isn’t true satellite navigation, as a preflight/inflight weather and airspace-planning tool, it’s absolutely crackerjack. Here are a few great apps, and visit www.planeandpilotmag.com for an even larger selection: • ForeFlight’s Mobile HD has moving maps depicting radar, satellite, VFR and IFR charts, fuel prices, lightning and lots more. • Garmin My-Cast displays route and weather information graphically along with airport information. • WingX’s moving map has terrain depiction, groundspeed and altitude readouts and en route flight plan updates. • SkyRadar displays in-flight weather and some traffic (when coupled with optional ADS-B receiver). • iHUD: Can you say glass cockpit and $5.99 in the same sentence? Info: www.i-hud.com. Expect an onslaught of future aviation apps for the iPad. And when you land, just undock and take it to the hotel or tent to web-surf, watch movies or, as Bill Canino suggests, “Look at survival info: iTriage, First Aid, animal track identification, knot tying, etc. And the guy in the back seat can do the same stuff with his iPhone 4.” If the iPad helps Sportair carve out marketing contrast between itself and its primary competitors, well, just consider that iGravy.

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