Carbon Cub Pilot Takes STOL to The Extreme With Helipad Landing

The Red Bull event gave Luke Czepiela, Mike Patey, and CubCrafters a highly visible stage in Dubai.

Tuesday, March 14, 2023 at 01:49 PM ET

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Pilot Luke Czepiela nails the landing with a specially prepared Carbon Cub on the helipad atop the Burj Al Arab Hotel in Dubai. [Courtesy: CubCrafters-Red Bull]

Key Takeaways:

CubCrafters collaborated with Red Bull and XDubai to successfully land a modified Carbon Cub aircraft on the helipad of the 56-story Burj Al Arab Hotel in Dubai.
Red Bull Air Race pilot Luke Czepiela flew the aircraft, which underwent modifications like weight reduction, CG changes, and increased horsepower, into the 90-foot wide helipad 695 feet above sea level.
The two-year planning process culminated in an event that pushed the limits of short-takeoff-and-landing (STOL) aircraft capabilities and pilot skill, demonstrating CubCrafters' engineering prowess.

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For all of the pilots who enjoy the challenge of landing short enough to take the first turnoff from the runway, CubCrafters has raised the bar.

The aircraft maker collaborated with Red Bull and the extreme sports promoter XDubai to stage the landing of a Carbon Cub on the helipad atop the 56-story Burj Al Arab Hotel in Dubai, UAE. Luke Czepiela, a Red Bull Air Race pilot and Carbon Cub owner, flew a modified version of the aircraft onto the pad, which is about 90 feet wide and 695 feet above sea level.