CubCrafters Secures Department of Agriculture Contract

The Yakima, Washington-based aircraft manufacturer will build the XCub for the agency’s fleet.

Wednesday, December 07, 2022 at 05:07 PM ET

Verified

The XCub will be used in place of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's fleet of 30-plus-year-old legacy Piper PA-18 Super Cubs that are currently in service. [Courtesy: CubCrafters]

Key Takeaways:

CubCrafters secured its first fleet contract for the CC19 XCub aircraft with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
The new XCubs will replace the USDA's aging fleet of 30-plus-year-old Piper PA-18 Super Cubs, offering significantly lower operational costs (approximately $250/hour compared to $2,500/hour for helicopters).
The aircraft will be customized for USDA missions, featuring an experimental FLIR camera integrated with the Garmin G3X to enhance pilot situational awareness, a technology CubCrafters hopes to introduce to the civilian market.

See a mistake? Contact us.

CubCrafters will soon be providing aircraft for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. According to a media release from the Yakima, Washington-based aircraft manufacturer, this is the company’s first fleet contract for the modern, certified, CC19 XCub.

CubCrafters is known for its Part 23 certified “Cub-inspired but improved upon” designs as well as its light sport and experimental aircraft. The company was founded in 1980 by Jim Richmond, a backcountry pilot who made it his mission to build Cubs with more modern materials and manufacturing techniques.