Chocks away for a Piper Cub flight out of historic Shoreham airfield in West Sussex! Aviation fans will instantly recognise this famous and much-loved vintage training aircraft and it’s a real pleasure to be able to offer flights in this fully restored Piper Cub aircraft.
The Piper Cub you will be flying in is actually an L18C Supercub that’s to say the military version of the civil PA-Cub that enjoyed a long and very significant career in training pilots worldwide. This particular plane was built in 1952 and rumour has it that she served as an aerial reconnaissance aircraft during the D-Day operation of World War Two.
After being released from active duty this Piper Supercub remained in the same private ownership for over 30 years before arriving at this flying club in Shoreham. Now newly and fully restored Piper Cub G-AXLZ is available for flight experiences of 20 30 40 and 60 minute durations.
This wonderful ‘grass roots’ style flight will see you being swept you into the air with aplomb and you will love the fabulous panoramic coastline views from the large tandem configuration cockpit including Brighton’s beaches and pier. As well as having plenty of time to gaze at the vistas you will also be fully involved in the whole flying experience even before you step into the plane.
Indeed each session starts with a ground flight briefing from your pilot. As you are led out to the Cub sitting on the apron just in front of the club house you will accompany your instructor as they perform all the necessary physical pre-flight checks on this Piper such as verifying fuel quality and levels tyre condition the correct operation of the control systems and condition of the flying surfaces.
All this done you will hop inside the Piper’s cockpit ready for your flight and listen as radio calls are made to prepare for take-off from Shoreham which is a busy little airfield and actually the oldest licensed public serving airport in the UK having opened to air traffic in 1910. Then before you know it you will be taxiing along and pulling up to get airborne.
This experience is indeed called a Piper Cub flight but you won’t just be a passenger you will actually fly the ex-military Piper Supercub. Your pilot will show you the basic manoeuvres of climbing descending and banked turns so that you can then have a go yourself midway through the flight as you zoom through the West Sussex skyline. Of course the Piper Cub is a tailwheel aircraft and this requires extra skills and airmanship from the pilot as they handle very differently from modern day light aircraft with nose-wheels. We think after you have flown the Cub you will feel a sense of achievement – and deservedly so!
