Many people can't afford to purchase even a used airworthy LSA. Certainly the C is a bit cramped if you are a large or tall person and so are many LSAs!
Legacy Light Sport: Cub vs. Champ
Fly the according to the POH. It's not a pig, it's an airplane and a darn good one, particularly for training. The more airplanes we have available to fly, the better and, IMO, safer it will be for everyone. You've made the choice to purchase a LSA that fits your needs and that you enjoy flying. Good for you and I mean that! What is that to you? Why not be happy for those of us who stand to benefit from a weight limit increase? Stanley Blank September 2, 9: I agree with Stanley.
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I have been flying LSA for quite some time, including the C Now, in my rather large metropolitan area, there are none. I have to drive out of town to lease a plane for a hour of enjoyment. Right now, no one in my area can earn the Light Sport certificate without traveling an hour out of town. And, if that one plane goes down, then no one is flying.
Pilots flying with light sport certiificates have proven theselves to be safe and effective pilots. Charles Lamb November 17, Another factor to consider is how often you will be able to fly.
If you can't fly frequently you won't be a safe pilot. Fly safely and often. Not-for-profit lying clubs are an excellent alternative Some back digital copies of member newsletters might be one good place to start, since that's where the 'stories' will be. If you just ask the Club secretary your Q, you'll probably get a pretty general answer.
The service intervals for non commercial use LSA are not hours. I put hours a year on my plane. The Rotax service interval is hours but Rotax allows the ECU dump to take place on an annual basis too. If you run the iS you do not have carb synching issues or carb ice issues. I just got my first annual. I have no interest cost since I own the plane outright.
We used the plane to train and get our two pilots certs. Rezaf, I don't think we're getting to your question. This offers a safer alternative to propping, but the airplane will remain grandfathered as having no electrical system. He says a battery charge is good for dozens of starts. The champ solos from the front, no S-turns needed. Other choices for both airplanes include wind-turbine generators, which produce sufficient power for a radio or transponder.
But increasingly, with high-quality lightweight starters and alternators available, many owners are converting both of these aircraft to C engines that can accommodate both on accessory pads. Both aircraft are approved for these engines.
Legacy Light Sport: Cub vs. Champ - AVweb Features Article
Whether the electrical upgrade is worth the investment depends on how comfortable—or uncomfortable—you are with hand propping. Brakes in these vintage aircraft are adequate, but hardly impressive. Original Cubs had hydraulic heel brakes with rubber expander tubes bearing against friction pads inside the drums. One upgrade that considerably improves performance is the Grove disc brake conversion described here. Early Champs had two types of brakes, both mechanically actuated via cable. The Goodyear system used discs while the Cleveland, which many prefer, has shoes and drums. Either way, the cables have enough slack to require a little anticipatory footwork before braking is needed.
Later Champs had conventional hydraulic brakes and those conversions are available for older models.
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The heater is so-so. J-3 ingress and egress is awkward at best, but helped along with good upper body strength to use the ceiling tubes as support when getting in and out.
The Champ is better, but not great. That translates to more legroom and even space to place something on the floor without losing it. The Cub's rear solo puts the pilot in a dark hole.
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The J-3 is definitely more kite like, with slightly lower wing loading. Visibility from the rear seat is fairly terrible and S-turns or leaning out the open door is a must during taxi. If you needed an adverse yaw demonstrator, the Cub would be your first pick; rudder use is a must and pilots with dead feet will soon wake them up. Land too fast or force it on and those two gear bungees will give you what for.
Contrast that to the Champ, which is quite easy to three point and tends to be less fussy about the speed. Further, soloing from the front, visibility is far better during both taxi and touchdown. Takeoffs, however, require more attention than the Cub does. The tail is slow to rise, perhaps because the fuselage is a foot shorter and the center of mass is somewhat higher. Where the Cub requires a light touch to lift the tail, the Champ needs a more forceful push all the while minding the rudder.