The company was founded 1980 by the late Jim Richmond who, after noticing how the Piper Super Cub was used for backcountry operations while on a trip in Alaska, modified and refined the design for better safety and performance.

Richmond was an accomplished pilot and engineer, and was dedicated to making machines that enabled pilots to reach unimproved areas for recreation. He died in November 2021 at the age of 67.

• READ MORE: CubCrafters Founder Jim Richmond Dies

A newly formed nonprofit organization aims to honor the legacy of the founder of CubCrafters aircraft by expanding access to backcountry flying.

Jim Richmond Backcountry Aviation Foundation

“The new [Jim Richmond Backcountry Aviation Foundation (JRBAF)] is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) public charity dedicated to expanding public backcountry aviation access as a legacy project in honor of Jim Richmond, the late founder of CubCrafters,” said Brad Damm, vice president of CubCrafters.

The new foundation is completely separate from CubCrafters, said Damm, who serves as its volunteer executive director.

• READ MORE: Latest CubCrafters Design Looks Back and Ahead

According to Damm, the creation of the new charitable organization has been in the works for several years.

“We’ve organized a solid nonprofit corporate structure, established a great board of directors, and applied for and received tax-exempt status from the IRS,” he said.

The membership fee for the foundation is $100 a year, which, according to Damm, covers the federal tax on the grand prize aircraft in its annual fundraising raffle.

“So the winner doesn’t have to pay tens of thousands of dollars out of pocket just to accept the prize,” he said. “The grand prize aircraft itself is pretty special. It is a Carbon Cub S/N 001—an aircraft with a direct connection to Jim Richmond himself.” 

According to Damm, the foundation has been designed to complement the work that similar groups, such as the Recreational Aviation Foundation (RAF), Alaska Airmen, and Idaho Aviation Association do to support the backcountry pilot community.

“We are constantly blown away by the advocacy they accomplish, the volunteer hours they put in, and the overall scope of what those organizations do year in and year out,” he said. “[Our new foundation’s focus is on] expanding public aviation access to the backcountry by opening more high-quality destination locations for people to fly to, experience, and enjoy.”

Part of that is the foundation’s purchase of the historic 45 Ranch in Idaho and opening it to the public.

“The airstrip is on deeded land owned by the Jim Richmond Backcountry Aviation Foundation,” Damm said. “The new strip has always previously been closed to the public, but we’ve now changed that now and the public is welcome. Anyone is welcome to land and explore or enjoy the property. If you want to use the camp or rent one of the cabins, membership is required.”

Information about JRBAF membership may be found here.

The post New Organization Aims to Expand Backcountry Aviation Access appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

In October 2022, Stilson and his dad purchased 120 acres of land in southern Utah. From the outset, the intent was always to have a runway on the site.

“Location wise, we are about 10 minutes to the south of Beaver, Utah, up in the mountains [in the region of Fremont Indian State Park],” Stilson said. “We’ve named the land Fremont Ridge.”

The first priority for Stilson and his father—both pilots and joint owners of a Rans S-20 Raven—was establishing a place to land.

• READ MORE: Fort Worth Area Aviation Community Expands with Second Airpark

“This chunk of the property which we got had a flat, open area on top of this mesa,” Stilson said. “It was just big enough to be able to put a decent-sized runway, and it took about a month to clear all the sagebrush, cut out the runway, and put down [grass] seed. We started the process in late 2022, and the grass started sprouting up in the spring of 2023. The runway and base stuff have been ready to go for a little bit, but there’s still so much left to do.”

Stilson is hoping to put the grass strip on the map, both figuratively and literally. He said an upcoming priority is to get the runway noted on sectionals, in addition to finalizing plans to make the airport a bucket-list place for other pilots. 

“We put two small container cabins up there and plan to add more,” he said. “There are a lot of other amenities still on the way. We also plan to have a parking area, so people can park their plane once landing. Then we are going to be doing things like installing a pickleball court. The goal is to eventually…create a little pond and have some fishing up there,” and add a large grass field for soccer.

“Then we have 20 acres off the end of the runway that we may potentially turn into an airpark. People could either rent a cabin or just come park their plane and stay for a night. We would like to make it something special and a great pit stop for pilots who might be traveling through or looking to adventure in southern Utah.”

• READ MORE: New App Helps Pilots Connect, Find New Places to Explore

Stilson has slowly been letting the aviation community know about the airstrip. Even without amenities, the unique landing site has been eyed by a number of aviators as a place they want to visit. 

You may wonder: Can I fly into the airstrip? Once the airstrip is added to the sectional, Stilson plans to start allowing others to visit. 

According to Stilson, Utah’s laws make it an easier decision to open up the property for other pilots to enjoy.

“Utah has recreational laws that protect people who open their lands to people who want to recreate on them,” he said. “What I’ve been told is it’s almost smarter to rely on those laws than to try to create any sort of a liability waiver yourself, because these laws are already pretty bulletproof. The way to put it is, ‘land at your own discretion.’ If I put it on the pilot that they chose to land [here], then they take the liability.

“That doesn’t mean I’m not going to make it very clear what some of the risks that come along with landing at this strip. I think most backcountry pilots will have no issue at all,” he said. “The airstrip sits at roughly 7,000 feet, and it can get up to 95 degrees Fahrenheit up there. There’s a lot of risk with part of the runway that is essentially a no-go-around for most airplanes.”

• READ MORE: Development Underway for New 400-Acre Fort Smith Metro Area Airpark

Stilson has been intentional about making the roughly 2,300-foot airstrip as safe as he can. 

“If you don’t have climb performance, it’s going to be really hard,” he said. “I recommend people land the opposite way, which is also a little more challenging because it’s slightly downhill. But at least you have a go-around option. [When landing] you have to hug some mountains and your base-to-final [turn] can be a little interesting, since you have to clear a couple of trees. We are working on doing what we can to make it a little safer, just because it’s somewhat technical.”

The fact that the airstrip sits on a mesa presents another challenge.

“You get that aircraft carrier landing from the winds that can potentially drop you down very quickly if you’re not careful,” Stilson said. “There are definitely a few technicalities to consider. But I think they are not going to be a huge deal, especially because we installed a [SayWeather] system and a windsock. This was a no-brainer for me because I need pilots to be able to get the wind direction and speed, as well as the density altitude.” 

In an attempt to help keep backcountry aviation alive, Stilson said he created this runway to spark a sense of adventure.

“Southern Utah is perhaps one of the most magical places to explore as a backcountry pilot. I’m an avid member of the Utah Backcountry Pilots Association and strive to be a good steward of the beautiful state we live in,” he said. “I hope our small airstrip opens the door to pilots who want to experience the southwest in a unique way.”

The post Perfect Spot: Building an Airstrip on Fremont Ridge appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 2010 Aviat A-1C-180 Husky.

There is a reason the Aviat Husky reminds many people of a Piper PA-18 Super Cub. It is because the airplane’s designer, Frank Christensen, had the Cub in mind. He had tried to buy the Super Cub design from Piper with a plan to build an improved version. Piper declined the offer, however, leaving Christensen, who produced the Christen Eagle aerobatic biplane, to design his own STOL utility machine. He started with a list of improvements that, many pilots feel, make the Husky a more pleasant airplane to fly than the Super Cub.

Several versions of the Husky have rolled out of the factory since the first one flew in 1985. The 180 hp model for sale here hits a sweet spot for many pilots, combining strong short-field and load-carrying performance with decent cruising speed, comfort, and fuel efficiency. Wipline 2100 amphibian floats are included, as are standard wheels and oversize bush wheels and tires.  

This 2010 Husky has 1,129 hours on the airframe and 1,132 hours on the 180 hp Lycoming O-360-A1P engine and MT 3-blade propeller. The VFR panel includes a Garmin 696 GPS. The aircraft is equipped with vortex generators.

Pilots looking for a strong STOL performer with cruise speeds suitable for longer cross-country trips and the option for operating on water should consider this 2010 Aviat A-1C-180 Husky, which is available for $250,000 on AircraftForSale.

You can arrange financing of the aircraft through FLYING Finance. For more information, email info@flyingfinance.com.

• FLYING Magazine: Husky Experience Offers Backcountry Fun
• FLYING Magazine: Husky Gets Hartzell Trailblazer
• FLYING Magazine: Video: Reverse Taxi in a Husky
• Plane & Pilot: Aviat‘s Husky Adds New Tricks
• Plane & Pilot: Plane & Pilot Photo/Video of the Week: Autoland in a Husky?
• The Aviation Consumer: Aviat Husky
• AVweb: Buying Utility STOL: Ignore the Ad Hype

The post This 2010 Aviat A1-C-180 Husky Is a Short-Field Wiz and an ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 2004 Maule M-7-260C.

Maules stand out on the ramp for a number of reasons. Even people accustomed to spotting taildraggers might not recognize these Georgia-built backcountry airplanes. They do not look like Piper Super Cubs, Cessna 180s, or any of the usual suspects at your favorite grass strip. But for bush-flying enthusiasts and pilots whose travels take them regularly to short fields, Maules are objects of desire.

The M-7-260C for sale here combines Maule’s reputation for lifting heavy loads from short runways with a roomy, versatile cabin and cruising speeds that make longer trips more attractive. This rugged aircraft is at home whether traveling to paved runways or challenging off-airport destinations.

This 2004 Maule M-7-260C has 1,058 hours since new on the airframe, its 260 hp Lycoming IO-540 engine and Hartzell Scimitar propeller. The aircraft is equipped with 29-inch Alaskan Bushwheels, a Tundra Tailwheel assembly, and vortex generators.

The panel includes a Garmin GMA 340 audio panel, GNS 530W GPS/nav/com, SL40 nav/com, GTX 330 transponder, Electronics International CGR 30P engine monitor, dual Garmin G5s, GI-106 glide slope, S-TEC 30 autopilot with altitude hold, and dual USB ports.

Pilots looking for an over-the-counter bush airplane from a company that has specialized in backcountry flying for decades should consider this 2004 Maule M-7-260C, which is available for $320,000 on AircraftForSale.

You can arrange financing of the aircraft through FLYING Finance. For more information, email info@flyingfinance.com.

• FLYING Magazine: Choose Your Mount—The Maules Do it All
• FLYING Magazine: Maule Air Expands Its M-9 Series, Introduces M-4
• Plane & Pilot: Maule MX-7-180: Barebones With Big Tires For Big Fun
• Plane & Pilot: Going Direct: Ray Maule‘s Life Well Lived
• Plane & Pilot: Maule M-4 180V
• The Aviation Consumer: Used Aircraft Guide: Tailwheel Maules

The post This 2004 Maule M-7-260C Is a Direct Route to Adventure and an ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 2000 Aviat A-1B Husky.

Aviat’s A-1 Husky hit the market in 1988 after Frank Christensen of Christen Eagle fame tried unsuccessfully to buy the rights to the Piper Super Cub and other legacy taildragger designs. He decided that designing, building, and certifying a new aircraft would make more operational and financial sense. The aircraft progressed from concept to FAA certification in 18 months.

With a 180 hp Lycoming O-360, the Husky outmuscled the classic Cub. The new aircraft also improved over time, with increasing useful loads and better overall performance as the design evolved through A-1A, A-1B, and A-1C versions. The Husky has developed an enthusiastic following over its decades in production and remains popular on the used market. 

This 2000 A-1B Husky has 295 hours total time on the airframe and its Lycoming O-360-A1P engine and Hartzell propeller. The panel includes a Garmin GMA 340 audio panel, GNS 430W GPS/Nav/Com, GTX 345 transponder, GA 56 GPS antenna, ACK A30 encoder, and VM1000 digital engine monitor and fuel flow indicator.

Pilots who want to pursue backcountry adventure in a traditional taildragger with strong short-field capability and modern features and avionics should consider this 2000 Aviat A-1B Husky, which is available for $209,900 on AircraftForSale.

You can arrange financing of the aircraft through FLYING Finance. For more information, email info@flyingfinance.com.

• FLYING Magazine: Husky Experience Offers Backcountry Fun
• FLYING Magazine: Husky Gets Hartzell Trailblazer
• Plane & Pilot: Rocky Mountain High: The Aviat Husky
• Plane & Pilot: Aviat‘s Husky Adds New Tricks

The post This 2000 Aviat A-1B Husky Is a Short-Field-Shredding ‘AircraftForSale’ appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

They represent some of our most precious resources in aviation, and a collection of more than 11,000 volunteers coordinated by the RAF have helped maintain them and promote them to the flying community.

Join FLYING’s editor-in-chief Julie Boatman as she flies in with a work crew in a Daher Kodiak 100 to experience the camaraderie and satisfaction that participating in such an important effort can bring.

Look for the full story in our feature in the latest issue of FLYING, Issue 944 for December 2023/January 2024. Subscribers will receive it in their mailbox or inbox soon.

The post We Fly: The RAF at 20 Years Into Moose Creek appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Vanyo was killed in his amateur-built CubCrafters Carbon Cub near Twisp, Washington, last month. Twisp is 112 miles north of Moses Lake in an area popular for outdoor recreation.

What Happened

According to the NTSB, on the morning of October 1 Vanyo was taking a flight accompanied by a friend who also owned a Carbon Cub, a popular backcountry aircraft known for its STOL capability.

The two airplanes launched from a private airfield and flew directly to a hillside located about 2 nm away. The friend landed uphill on the slope of the hillside and positioned his airplane to the west of a tree.

Using a radio, the friend advised Vanyo that he should land in between the parked airplane and the tree. According to the friend, Vanyo made two low passes over the ridge, performing reconnaissance over the landing area, then the friend “observed the airplane touch down on the slope further to the east of his location (on the wrong side of the tree) and land upslope. After a short landing roll, the Vanyo appeared to abort the landing. During the attempt to take off, the airplane’s left wheel collided with a large rock, resulting in the left landing gear folding under the fuselage.

The damaged Cub continued over the ridge to the east, then the friend lost sight of the airplane. He radioed Vanyo to ask if he was OK, and Vanyo replied, “I’m flying, but I’m having problems.” The airplane collided with terrain shortly thereafter. Rescuers reported finding Vanyo dead at the scene.

The wreckage was strewn over approximately 90 feet, beginning with “points of contact consisting of disrupted dirt on the upslope of a hill.” Investigators found chips of silver paint and small pieces of fabric, along with numerous vortex generators in the dirt and outboard wingtip structure. A large portion of the forward left wingtip was found 25 feet from the main wreckage, along with pieces of plexiglass and splinters of propeller that led up to the main fuselage, which was found on its left side with the right wing folded forward over the engine.

The tires came to rest near the belly pod. The left tire was flat and had several gouges and scrapes on the rubber, and the metal hub was bent and folded over itself. The landing gear struts had collapsed, and the bottom of the left struts were separated and appeared to have been worn from being dragged across terrain.

The left wing was crushed and came to rest inverted. The left forward and aft lift wing struts had separated but remained attached to their respective fittings on the fuselage and wing.

The fuselage frame behind the left lift-strut fork and gear-strut connection fittings was deformed. The left-aileron pulley, located adjacent to the deformed frame, could not be moved, as the aileron cable was trapped between the frame and pulley. Free movement of the cable is essential for activation of the aileron and aircraft control.

An approximate 1.5-foot piece of the left aft-lift strut remained attached to the airframe, with the trailing edge of both portions of that strut exhibiting black marks consistent with tire rubber. The flaps appeared to be partially down, and the fuel selector was in the off position. However, it could not be determined if this action was performed by Vanyo or rescue personnel responding to the accident.

Investigators could not definitely determine the point of first impact but did find tracks in the dry grass on the slope consistent with the landing direction. In addition, a large rock with numerous impact marks was located on the saddle of the hill. In the surrounding area, several silver chips of paint and a zip tie were found that would have been on the landing gear

The NTSB is continuing its investigation, with the final report likely several months away.

The post NTSB Releases Preliminary Report on Vanyo Accident appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

If the airplane is equipped with a Garmin G3X avionics package, the owner has the option to add a wing-mounted, forward-looking IR camera that displays directly on the G3X main screen in real time. According to CubCrafters, it is the same field of view, at the same image scale, and with the same horizon as Garmin’s built-in synthetic vision but with much more detail, helping the pilot navigate when flying in smoke, shadow, dusk, or night.

The Details

Developed in collaboration with Hood Tech Aero for CubCrafters aircraft, the new camera system is fully integrated with the Garmin G3X avionics package used by a wide spectrum of backcountry pilots. According to CubCrafters, the camera features the smallest pixel pitch long wave infrared (LWIR) sensor available and is intended to augment the safety-enhancing features of Garmin’s synthetic vision display. 

With the simple turn of a knob, the wing-mounted camera easily penetrates smoke, haze, shadow, or even full darkness to show terrain, roads, buildings, bridges, antennas, and/or runways, giving the pilot better situational awareness.

“We’re really proud of what we’ve developed,” said Brian Prange, project manager for Hood Tech Aero. “We have an amazing amount of technology designed into a very small package. We’re only adding a few ounces to the aircraft and only using a very small amount of power, yet it’s a huge new capability that is always there and ready to go whenever the pilot needs it.”

According to Brad Damm, CubCrafters vice president, the camera system was originally developed as part of a government contract for Department of Agriculture predator-control aircraft, but the company was quick to see how it could be beneficial to backcountry pilots.

“Nearly every backcountry pilot has experienced the scenario of a late afternoon flight with the sun low on the horizon, haze in the air, and a remote mountain airstrip nearly impossible to see down in a valley and deep in shadow,” Damm said. “With this system you just quickly flip over to the IR camera, and you can see everything that’s going on.”

According to Damm, the camera weighs just a few ounces and can be installed into the leading edge of the wing in a few hours. “It comes with a special 3D-printed job that fits over the wing leading edge to help align everything properly,” he said.

CubCrafters president Patrick Horgan notes the camera represents the latest in a chain of flight safety developments from the Yakima, Washington-based company.

• READ MORE: We Fly: CubCrafters Carbon Cub EX-3 & FX-3 Made for Backcountry

“Our company has always been an innovative leader in flight safety,” Horgan said. “From toe brakes to whole aircraft parachutes, we’ve often adapted big aircraft technology to be smaller, lighter, and better for the backcountry. This system is yet another example of our ongoing commitment to give consumers the safest aircraft and best performing aircraft in our class.”

The camera system is available for new experimental category CubCrafters aircraft. Damm predicts factory installation will run about $16,000 on new aircraft. The cost of field retrofits has not been determined yet, and the company expects to have kits for retrofitting older designs and certified aircraft approvals by the end of the year.

The post CubCrafters Adds Camera Option appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

There may not be another airplane coming, honestly. And it’s all fine as long as you’re fine, and all goes well. And what if the flight goes perfectly, but you or one of your group suffers a cardiac event while you’re setting up camp? It feels like an outside possibility—until it happens to someone you care about, and you’re many rugged miles from medical help.

As part of its effort to place critical care medical devices within several wilderness areas, the Backcountry Aviation Defibrillator Project is positioning automated external defibrillators (AEDs) at high-traffic remote airstrips across Idaho. The Zoll 3 units communicate via Wi-Fi to display their operational status—and in the future are proposed to broadcast their availability and status through flight planning applications. 

The first of the missions to put these AEDs in place were conducted with the support of Daher using two of its Kodiak 100s, starting at Cavanaugh Bay Airport (66S) in Coolin near Daher’s Kodiak facility at Sandpoint in northern Idaho, and then going into other popular strips in the state: Big Creek Airport (U60) in Valley County and Johnson Creek (3U2) in Yellow Pine in the state’s central section; and to Smiley Creek (U87) about 35 miles north of Ketchum.

Nicolas Chabbert, senior vice president of Daher’s Aircraft Division and CEO of Kodiak Aircraft, flew the mission to Cavanaugh Bay. 

“At Daher, our philosophy is: ‘We support those who care for aviation,’ and the Backcountry Aviation Defibrillator Project flights are a continuation of this commitment,” said Chabbert, noting the project makes a fitting complement to the company’s support of the Recreational Aviation Foundation and other backcountry missions.

WATCH: We Fly: Kodiak 100 in Training

Sam Perez, organizer for the Backcountry Aviation Defibrillator Project, thanked Daher for its support with an airplane most capable for the mission.

“The Idaho Aviation Association is exceptionally grateful for Daher’s generosity and support of our mission to install these lifesaving defibrillators in Idaho’s remote backcountry airstrips,” Perez said. “We could not have done so without the help of Daher and our many donors who helped pay for defibrillator units. Now, aviators and general aviation enthusiasts who use these remote airstrips will have a fighting chance should a cardiovascular event occur.”  

Daher sponsored the AED in place at Cavanaugh Bay. Other donors included Lynn and Shirley McCullough (owners of a Daher TBM 910) at Big Creek; Dr. Jon Berman at Smiley Creek; and Rick Bosshardt at Johnson Creek.

The post Idaho Backcountry Airports Get Kodiak-Delivered Defibrillators appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1977 Cessna 185F Skywagon

Many of us learn to fly and buy our own aircraft so we can travel long distances and gain access to new places. When those places are out of the way and have only a short turf or gravel strip for arrivals and departures, a muscular taildragger like the Cessna 185F might be the only realistic way to go.

This is a far cry from the Cubs or Citabrias in which many of us got our tailwheel endorsements. The 185F generally is considered a more demanding and rewarding machine. Known for its short-field performance and useful load of around 1,400 pounds, the 185F has long been a favorite of wilderness guides for hauling hunting parties into the bush and carrying them out with any big game they have managed to bag.

Imagine yourself at the controls of this sharp 185, carrying family and friends to remote camps and resorts, often hundreds of miles from the nearest airline service.

This Cessna has 5,172 hours on the airframe and 535 hours on the 300-hp Continental IO-520D engine since new. The propeller is a three-blade McCauley with 1,288 hours since overhaul. The airplane has a factory float kit, long-range 84-gallon fuel tanks, stainless steel cables, a windshield V brace, Cleveland wheels and brakes and more.

Pilots seeking a rugged airplane for transporting people or heavy cargo to remote destinations—or simply a 300 hp ticket to aerial adventures—should look into this well-kept 185F, which is available for $295,000 on AircraftForSale. You can arrange financing of the airplane through FLYING Financial Group. For more information, email info@flyingfinancial.com.

• FLYING Magazine: Alaska Wild in a Cessna 185
• FLYING Magazine: Six Classic Utility Aircraft
• Plane & Pilot: The Cessna Buyer’s Guide
• Plane & Pilot: Cessna’s Big 185
• The Aviation Consumer: Used Aircraft Guide: Cessna 185 Skywagon

The post Today’s Top AircraftForSale Pick: 1977 Cessna 185F Skywagon appeared first on FLYING Magazine.