When Flying a 'Little Yellow Bird' Became a White-Knuckle Affair

Delivering a former Civil Air Patrol Piper J-4 Cub provides a journey back in time.

Gary Figgins

Wednesday, September 18, 2024 at 11:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By: tccjeremy

[Courtesy: Garry Figgins]

Key Takeaways:

Pilots completed a challenging, multi-stop flight in a 1940 Piper J-4 Cub, battling 20-knot headwinds and navigating military airspace, to deliver the vintage aircraft to an airshow at Little Rock Air Force Base.
The J-4 Cub boasts a significant WWII history, having been flown by Frances Nolde, one of the first female Civil Air Patrol colonels, for vital courier missions; its storied past was rediscovered following a full restoration after hurricane damage.
At the "Thunder Over the Rock" airshow, the restored Cub proudly served as a connection to aviation history, inspiring attendees, especially young girls, with the story of female pioneers like Frances Nolde.

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The windsock whipped back and forth above us as we completed the external preflight and checked the cowl fasteners one last time. Climbing into the bright yellow 1940 Piper J-4 Cub, one of my longtime flying friends, David Wilkins, and I fastened our seat belts and purposely made our way down the preignition checklist. With the “before start” list out of the way, we continued through the “engine start” portion, then inched forward to check the heel brakes and flight controls before moving on to the run-up.

The weather briefing we had reviewed a half hour earlier promised a 20-knot headwind that would require two fuel stops on the 130-mile trip from our home airport in Kennett, Missouri (KTKX), to Little Rock Air Force Base (KLRF) in Arkansas. The windsock promised that getting the little yellow bird into the air would be a white-knuckle affair. We knew the flight would be anything but smooth.