We Fly: CubCrafters NXCub

Kitbuilt airplane offers performance and adventure at your fingertips.

Rick Durden

Monday, June 30, 2025 at 07:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

A nosewheel bushplane like the ClubCrafters NXCub safely opens the door to backcountry flying for more pilots. [Credit: Jon Bliss]

Key Takeaways:

The CubCrafters NXCub is highly praised for its exceptional backcountry performance, including impressive STOL capabilities with remarkably short takeoffs and landings, and delightful, responsive handling that instills pilot confidence.
The aircraft innovatively incorporates a robust nosewheel, which the review argues enhances safety and accessibility for a wider range of pilots, and surprisingly outperforms its tailwheel counterpart in short-field operations.
Equipped with a powerful 215 hp engine, a substantial useful load (requiring careful weight and balance management), and modern Garmin G3X Touch avionics, the NXCub combines advanced technology with rugged utility for extended backcountry adventures.

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It was too good to pass up. CubCrafters offered to bring FLYING the first of the kitbuilt NXCubs to north Idaho and turn us loose with it for two weeks to fly into the backcountry—introducing pilots of all experience and skill levels to the airplane. They told us to get it muddy and grass stained. We did.

The adventure began with a checkout with CubCrafters pilot David Blake, along with orientation around its STOL capabilities. Over the next two weeks we made one long cross-country, several short ones, and had some 19 pilots of all skill and experience levels fly it.