Airplane Showcase  -  Wednesday, September 01

We'll feature a “homegrown” product Saturday (Sept. 4) during the ninth in our series of airplane showcases. The Carbon Cub is manufactured by CubCrafters, located next door to the museum. The Carbon Cub, a light sport aircraft (LSA), is one of four aircraft produced by CubCrafters. Its sibling, the Sport Cub, also is an LSA. The Top Cub and Carbon Cub EX kit complete the roster.

Light sport aircraft, as defined by the Federal Aviation Administration are those whose characteristics, such as gross weight and air speed, are under a certain limit. Requirements for obtaining a sport pilot license are less than those for a private pilot license.

Although the Carbon Cub is smaller than many “regular” airplanes, its performance is greater than some. With a 180-horsepower engine, the Carbon Cub can climb at a rate of 2,100 feet per minute, compared with 650 fpm for a Cessna 172, according to CubCrafters’ website.

Randy Lervold, CubCrafters general manager, will make the Carbon Cub presentation. Lervold, who came to Yakima about a year ago, has a private pilot’s license with glider and seaplane ratings. He said he got into aviation in the 1980s by going to Boeing Field in Seattle. After owning a couple of airplanes in the 1990s, he got involved in kit planes. He built an RV-8, then an RV-3B soon after moving to the Portland area.

Saturday’s presentation will start at 2 p.m. with Lervold talking about the Cub. A brief flying demonstration will follow, after which spectators will be allowed to get close to the plane. The presentation will last about one hour.