Comparing the J3 Cub to the L16 Champ

Mark illuminates the very minor differences between these two 70 year old aircraft.
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[@innovativeintelligence4172]

Love the simplicity of these older warrior airplanes... both in good shape..

[@kevinmurphy3464]

“Farewell to Arms”, great line…

[@Orvillehuit33]

You have in my opinion the best videos on various airplanes on the internet that I have found. When a guy is to think of getting an airplane his first mission is getting his pilots license.. but as you progress as a pilot your mission can change and planes are a expensive item to guess about what’s your Mission .. I guess I’m tryin to say thank you so very much for the quality of video and information that you give, it helps us newer pilots make more informed decisions on what type of aircraft we need or can afford.. especially the stuff about the Gotcha factors like the expensive AD’s or things that your average pilot may not know when looking at what he thinks is a cheap aircraft.. Invaluable information sir.. great videos, top notch stuff I hope you keep them coming

[@skywagonuniversity5023]

Thank you very much. I hope to pass on some info so that buyers are educated when they buy a plane and not when they sell it.

[@Bill-NBfarming]

I first soloed a J3 cub 46 years ago. It was my Dads. I still have it and fly it regularly. I’ve flown for a living for over 40 years. I’ve never flown anything that I enjoy more than the J3. It still teaches me something almost every time.

[@rlsmith6904]

I soloed in a J-3 around 1981. I screwed up the stabilator trim somewhere between take off and downwind, and landed it anyway. They’re very friendly airplanes. And I flew a Champ in Snohomish, WA in the 1990’s. I love them both and love the video. Thank you.

[@skywagonuniversity5023]

Thank you.

[@kevinmurphy3464]

I didn’t know these were so cost effective to purchase. 2 fun classics.

[@skywagonuniversity5023]

Discounts for bulk purchases....

[@glennmullis1477]

I love both of these airplanes so much. They're my favorites. My grandfather owned a 1947 J3. Sadly, it was destroyed in a massive thunderstorm with high winds, which ripped several planes from their tie downs. His cub was one of the planes lost 😢

[@pi.actual]

The Cub I learned to fly in was destroyed in the same fashion in 1970 when a tornado passed nearby. However I recently typed it's N-number into the FAA database and it's still flying even though I have a picture of it wrapped up into a ball of twisted metal and fabric. Somebody rebuilt it.

[@FINSuojeluskunta]

I used to have to do the wooden wing AD inspections on some Citabrias

[@blakechinn5792]

This a cool video .

[@stevespra1]

The cub taught me A LOT. I flew for several thousand hours in nose daggers only to have the J3 teach me that I didn't know how to fly an airplane. What a great airplane. The Champ is much more comfortable for big footed people for sure. The Citabria takes it to a whole new level!

[@skywagonuniversity5023]

Very true. Give a nose wheeler pilot a taildragger to taxi and they veer off the taxiway. It's like learning to fly again.

[@jerrysmith5782]

I prefer the J-3 when the door is open, and the Champ when the door is closed.

[@bjs2022]

My 1940 Piper J3 Cub was on floats in the summer and skis in the winter. It had wood spars that allegedly were preferable for floatplanes because there was no metal corrosion and no cracking from flexing. But, I suspect there was a weight penalty.

[@FlyingNDriving]

Desperately trying to fill the void that the s21 left behind

[@skywagonuniversity5023]

Don't,......I'll cry.

[@ronboe6325]

Way back in the day when I was a kid; dad was in a partnership with several other guys on a Aeronca Chief. Slow, noisy and damn cold in the winter. We had cars passing on the road (not the freeway either!). Then I'd check out his Trade-A-Plane - those guys were around $2k.......sigh.

[@zombieapocalipse2020]

❤

[@DeereX748]

Both planes have wooden main spars and aluminum ribs in the wings. I've seen a couple restorations of a J-3 and an L-4 (military version) with the old wing skins gone and they are definitely wooden spars.

[@skywagonuniversity5023]

Looks metal to me. www.skywagons.com/airplane-for-sale/1942-piper-j3-cob-with-lycoming-65hp-dollar32000-here-at-placerville-n51503

[@itlodot]

J-3s started getting metal spars in early 1946.

[@SVSky]

Amazing how much of the Citabria and Decathlon's DNA is from the Champ.

[@skywagonuniversity5023]

Very similar.

[@ph5915]

All things being equal, I consider the Champ to be slightly better, solo'ing in the front seat is better. I had about 9 hours in a J5-A with a 75 HP engine and electrical system. It was a hoot with the owner/instrctor in the back seat, we would just get up to pattern altitude and about 85 mph when we were "abeam the numbers" LOL.and then power to idle. At first, I had a heck of the time with the heel brakes, but then I just put my feel flat on the floorboard and pushed my toes into them. Only used them to actually stop during run up and back at the hangar. LOL. The 1st landing I did, gosh, it made such noises, creaks and groans, I was sure I broke something, CFI was like "nah, that's how they land..." haha, it was such fun. Didn't quite get my tailwheel rating but was really close.

[@skywagonuniversity5023]

I prefer toe brakes too. I never use heel brakes unless It's to park it.

[@ph5915]

@@skywagonuniversity5023 Another thing that was interesting was controlling the airspeed after going to idle abeam the numbers was all about pitch control. too fast? pitch up, too slow, pitch down. I think it was supposed to be either 55 or 50 mph until over the runway...It was fun, but after an hour you definitely wanted to get out of it for a bit. the noise-cancelling headphones wouldn't work, had to use plain original Dick Clarks...

[@Neil_]

J3 for the flying experience, Champ for better ergonomics, speed and range. That said I actually prefer the J3. There is a magic to the Cub the Champ just doesn't have.

[@SafetyThirdRC]

Spot on.

[@FlightSimDude]

👍

[@klrmoto]

I think my step father would of been riding in the back of the L16 in ww2. He was in the 607th tank destroyer battalion. He was a 1st Lieutenant and I have seen the daily reports that he was doing observations that I assume was their next target as the army marched across Germany.

[@skywagonuniversity5023]

They seem so flimsy to be a reconnaissance plane. So easy to shoot down. Brave people flew them in war zones.

[@cinnamanstera6388]

Love these little old warriors! Both look to be in great shape. Question for you gentlemen: have you felt an impact on the broker business as a result of your KZbin traffic?

[@skywagonuniversity5023]

One thing is for sure is that I get a lot of calls for advice, which I do not mind at all unless I'm busy and cannot spend the time that I need to.

[@cinnamanstera6388]

@skywagonuniversity5023 I'm sure their call for "advice" is just a thinly veiled excuse to tell their hangar neighbours they had a conversation with THE Mark Pilkington.

[@skywagonuniversity5023]

@@cinnamanstera6388 ha ha I'm not that famous.

[@looneytunes47]

id take the Aronca Champ over the J3 landing gear are far better on the champ and it looks cooler as well

[@Iflyagrasshopper]

I have an L2-b would be a good comparison to a J3

[@skywagonuniversity5023]

Yes it would.