Piper PA-18 Super Cub
 Piper PA-18 Super Cub. Photo: Ansgar Walk, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
| |
| Make | Piper |
|---|---|
| Model | Piper PA-18 Super Cub |
| Type | Light utility aircraft |
| Country |  United States
|
| First flight | 1949 |
| Built | 1949–1983; 1988–1994 |
| Number built | 10,326 |
| Registered in the US | 3,629 (FAA register, October 30, 2026) |
| Seats | 1, 1 passenger |
| Engine | Lycoming O-320, 150 hp |
| Cruise speed | 115 mph (PA-18-150 landplane) |
| Range | 460 mi (PA-18-150 landplane) |
| Service ceiling | 19,000 ft (PA-18-150 landplane) |
| Max weight | 1,750 lb (PA-18-150 landplane) |
| Developed from | Piper PA-11 Cub Special |
| More aircraft · For sale | |
The Piper PA-18 Super Cub is a two-seat, single-engine high-wing airplane introduced by Piper Aircraft in 1949. It was developed from the PA-11 Cub Special and traces its line back through the Piper J-3 Cub to the Taylor E-2 Cub of the 1930s. More than 10,000 were built in close to 40 years of production.[1] In the U.S. there are 3,629 with a valid registration.[2]
Super Cubs are common in bush flying, banner towing and glider towing.[1]
History
The Super Cub kept the earlier Cubs' "rag and tube" build, fabric over a welded steel-tube frame, but added an electrical system, three-notch flaps and much more power, which made it a very different airplane to fly. The first true Super Cubs had flaps, two fuel tanks and a Lycoming O-235 of about 108 hp.[1]
Power grew through the 125 and 135 hp versions to the 1954 PA-18-150 with a 150 hp Lycoming O-320, the standard Super Cub and by far the most common on the U.S. register today. Owners often fit 160 hp or even 180 hp engines. The high-lift wing and strong engine make it a favorite for floats and skis, and Piper also built the PA-18A for spraying crops.[1][2]
Registered in the United States
The FAA register lists 3,629 of these airplanes with a valid U.S. registration. Here they are by the model name the FAA uses.[2]
| FAA model name | Registered |
|---|---|
| PA-18-150 | 2,090 |
| PA-18 | 468 |
| PA-18A 150 | 379 |
| PA-18-135 | 220 |
| PA-18A | 152 |
| PA-18-105 SPECIAL | 95 |
| PA-18-125 | 90 |
| PA-18 105 | 56 |
| PA-18A-135 | 50 |
| PA-18S-150 | 6 |
| PA-18AS-125 | 5 |
| PA-18S | 4 |
| PA-18S-135 | 3 |
| PA-18S-125 | 2 |
| PA18-160 | 2 |
| PA-18A RESTRICTED | 2 |
| PA-18-125 A1 | 1 |
| PA-18AS-135 | 1 |
| PA-18 150 | 1 |
| PA-18 SUPER CUB | 1 |
| 1 other model names | 1 |
Specifications (PA-18-150 landplane)
| Item | PA-18-150 landplane |
|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
| Passengers / capacity | 1 passenger |
| Length | 22 ft 7 in |
| Wingspan | 35 ft 2+1/2 in |
| Height | 6 ft 8+1/2 in |
| Wing area | 178.5 sq ft |
| Empty weight | 930 lb |
| Maximum takeoff weight | 1,750 lb |
| Fuel | 36 USgal |
| Engine | Lycoming O-320, 150 hp (air-cooled flat four engine) |
| Maximum speed | 130 mph |
| Cruise speed | 115 mph |
| Stall speed | 43 mph |
| Never-exceed speed | 153 mph |
| Range | 460 mi |
| Service ceiling | 19,000 ft |
| Rate of climb | 960 ft/min |
Figures as given in the Wikipedia article and its sources.[1]
Photos
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9A-DBS, a Piper Cub with no military history. Photo: Jerry Gunner, CC BY 2.0 -
Heather Bartlett USFWS. Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters, Public domain -
Japan 300316 Tokorozawa Piper L-21 01. Photo: Oren Rozen, CC BY-SA 4.0 -
Super Cub in Georgian Bay. Photo: MAS pilot, CC BY-SA 4.0 -
CC-KWC (PA-18 Super Cub). Photo: TRTPUWU, CC BY-SA 4.0
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All photos are from Wikimedia Commons; click a photo for its full credit and license.
Buying a Piper PA-18 Super Cub
Sources
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Wikipedia, "Piper PA-18 Super Cub", read November 1, 2026. Airplane Wiki's text is written in its own words; facts are checked against this article and its sources.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Federal Aviation Administration, Releasable Aircraft Database, file dated October 30, 2026. Valid registrations of fixed-wing airplanes whose FAA maker and model names belong to this family. Airplane Wiki uses only counts from this file, never owner names or addresses.