fuselages – tail feathers – gear – struts – Alaska mods
* proudly shipped anywhere in the world
Now
accepting orders for winter restoration projects!
Visit our checklist of
fuselage modifications
...then call us to discuss your project...because,
once you have decided that you need a new fuselage, that is just the
beginning of the adventure...
Home of the Only FAA Certified Piper Super Cub Wide-body Fuselage
Why wouldn't you rebuild with a wide-body?
Question: Is this a common cub modification?
Answer: Yes. It is common and getting more common. Every
year, a greater percentage of our fuselages are ordered as wide-bodies.
In a given year, we can deliver about 50 fuselages, and more than half of
those are wide-bodies. We also have a growing number of repeat
customers who now swear by the wide-body.
Question: How much bigger is it?
Answer: The cabin is 4" wider at it's widest point,
yielding a 20% increase in interior space. This means a bigger instrument
panel for modern flight instruments, more room for your rifle right along
side your seat, more room for the flap handle and more room for
bigger pilots or pilots dressed for winter.
Question: How much more does it weigh?
Answer: Each customer gets different modifications on their fuselage but in
general, the wide-body frame is 12 lbs heavier than our standard fuselage.
In a recent comparison, we weighed an original piper fuselage at about
95lbs. A comparable standard fuselage from us with the basic modifications
for strength and safety, weighs about 109lbs*. A similarly equipped
wide-body frame with steel stringers weighs in at 125lbs*. A business
partner recently reported to us that a competing standard frame weighed
127lbs! *These weights include our recommended prime powder coat.
Question: Do I have to change out other components?
Answer: Wide-Body fuselage requires use of Airframes Alaska's Wide-Body
cabane vee and Wide-Body Shock Strut.
The boot cowl, floorboards, windshield, skylight, and headliner
must also be adapted to fit, and we can provide those for you as well.
Question: Does it fly differently?
Answer: Some say it is faster. But, honestly, it seems to depend on
the builder and the rest of the components in the build (i.e. engine).
Question: Any downside to using the Wide-body?
Answer: You have to replace the cabane vee, shock strut, boot cowl,
floorboards, windshield, skylight and headliner.
Question: How do you ship the frame? It must be complicated!
Answer: Not too difficult. We are worked with a number of
shipping companies to perfect the process and to get you the best price.
If the frame isn't powder-coated, we cover it with a layer of penetrating
oil and then bolt it in place on a wooden pallet. We then build
the box up as you can see in the picture here. Lately, Fedex Freight
has had the best prices on US shipments. For international orders, we
usually get three bids and look for the best price.
