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Cub sim: Redbird Flight Simulations goes low tech

Redbird

In honor of the Piper J-3 Cub’s seventy-fifth anniversary this year, Redbird Flight Simulations has come up with—you guessed it—a realistic, full-motion, Cub simulator.

Redbird

The sophisticated, computer-controlled, electronic box with a 180-degree wrap-around view mimics the low-tech Cub’s flight characteristics, and some of its ground mannerisms, too. To start the simulation, for example, someone needs to spin the propeller manually on the outside of the box. Contact!

“We built this as a fun, one-off project in honor of the Cub and we wanted to have it at Oshkosh to celebrate the anniversary,” said Todd Willinger, Redbird CEO. “If someone wants to buy it, we’ll be glad to make more. But this was something we are doing to mark an aviation milestone.”

The yellow-painted Cub sim is based on Redbird’s MX2 model which typically sells for about $50,000.

“I don’t know exactly what the price for a Cub sim would be,” he said. “But I’m guessing it would be a lot less than a new Super Cub.”

Dave Hirschman
Dave Hirschman
AOPA Pilot Editor at Large
AOPA Pilot Editor at Large Dave Hirschman joined AOPA in 2008. He has an airline transport pilot certificate and instrument and multiengine flight instructor certificates. Dave flies vintage, historical, and Experimental airplanes and specializes in tailwheel and aerobatic instruction.

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