PIPER J-3 CUB: TRUSTED TRAINER

When the Civilian Pilot Training (CPT) programme was established in anticipation of US involvement in World War II, the Piper J-3 Cub was chosen as the primary training aircraft. Ultimately, 75 per cent of all CPT pilots trained on a Cub

-  JOSEPH NORONHA

THE PIPER J-3 CUB WAS AN AMERICAN LIGHT AIRCRAFT, originally designed as a trainer and sports plane. It turned out to be one of the most influential light aircraft ever manufactured. In fact, 85 years after it first appeared, it remains practically synonymous with general aviation in the United States. The qualities that contributed to its sterling reputation were its simple, lightweight design, good low-speed handling, and excellent short-field performance. Its affordability and popularity gave it the tag of “the Ford Model T of the air”.

The Cub’s ancestry goes back to the Taylor E-2 model manufactured by Taylor Aircraft Company in 1930. A few years following the E-2’s introduction, it was redesigned as the Taylor J-2 Cub. In 1937, the company passed into the hands of William Piper and became the Piper Aircraft Corporation. The Piper J-3 Cub was introduced the same year.