The American Legend AL3, AL11, and AL18 are a series of American light-sport aircraft inspired by the Piper Cub family.[1][2]

AL3 / AL11 / AL18
AL3C-100 Legend Cub on display
Role Sport aircraft
National origin United States of America
Manufacturer American Legend Aircraft Company
Status In production

Design

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The Legend Cub is built closely along the lines of the original Piper Cub with modern materials, engines and instruments. The aircraft is a high-wing, tandem seat monoplane with conventional landing gear. The fuselage is constructed with welded steel tubing with doped Superflite aircraft fabric.[2]

In April 2015 the Super Legend design was further developed with the addition of a greater number of carbon fibre components, including doors, floorboards, the propeller spinner and the wingtip bows. Avionic upgrades include Garmin G3X avionics and a FreeFlight Systems 1201 WAAS GPS sensor, Trig Mode S and 1090ES ADS-B Out transponder.[3]

Variants

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Diesel Engine
In July 2015, American Legend Aircraft and Superior Air Parts (makers of the Gemini engine) announced that the 100-horsepower Gemini turbo-charged diesel engine would be available in 2016 as an option throughout the American Legend product line. The engine burns widely available Jet A and/or diesel fuel; an important consideration as normal aviation 100LL gasoline is expensive or unavailable in many remote areas. Power, price and weight are said to be comparable to the existing Continental O-200 avgas engine, but with a 20% lower fuel burn.[4][5]
AL11C-100
Designed to resemble a Piper PA-11 Cub Special with an enclosed cowling.
AL3C-100
Designed to resemble a Piper J-3 Cub with cylinders exposed through the cowling.
AL11J-120
Powered with a 120 hp (89 kW) Jabiru 3300 engine.
 
American Legend Super Legend
AL18 Super Legend
Lycoming IO-233 powered variant designed to resemble a Piper PA-18 Super Cub.[6] Kevlar and carbon fiber floats certified for aircraft in 2015.[7] 2015 Super Legend re-engined with Lycoming YO-233 115hp variant accepting 100LL AvGas and Automotive Fuel.[8]
 
Texas Sport Cub
 
American Legend AL3C on floats at Sun-N-Fun
MOAC
The Mother of all Cubs model is a modification of the AL18 for back country flying and off-airport operations, with shock absorbing landing gear and a Continental Titan O-340 engine of 180 hp (134 kW). Introduced in July 2020, it features large flaps that deploy to 40°, leading-edge slats and square wingtips all intended to improve low-speed handling. The variant is available as a light-sport aircraft or homebuilt aircraft kit.[9]
Texas Sport Cub
Homebuilt kit.[10]

Specifications (AL3C-100)

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Data from Manufacturer

General characteristics

  • Crew: 1
  • Capacity: 1
  • Length: 22 ft 5 in (6.83 m)
  • Wingspan: 35 ft 6 in (10.82 m)
  • Height: 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
  • Empty weight: 835 lb (379 kg) For American Light Sport Aircraft
  • Gross weight: 1,320 lb (599 kg)
  • Fuel capacity: 22 U.S. gallons (83 L; 18 imp gal)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Continental O-200 4-cylinder horiz. opposed, 100 hp (75 kW)

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 94 kn (108 mph, 174 km/h)
  • Cruise speed: 84 kn (97 mph, 156 km/h)
  • Stall speed: 30 kn (35 mph, 56 km/h)
  • Range: 274 nmi (315 mi, 507 km)
  • Service ceiling: 15,000 ft (4,600 m)
  • Rate of climb: 700 ft/min (3.6 m/s)

See also

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Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

References

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  1. ^ "American Legend Cub". Archived from the original on 2012-07-12. Retrieved 5 August 2012.
  2. ^ a b Tacke, Willi; Marino Boric; et al: World Directory of Light Aviation 2015-16, page 28. Flying Pages Europe SARL, 2015. ISSN 1368-485X
  3. ^ "Super Legend Gets Upgrades In Airframe, Avionics". AVweb. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  4. ^ "Superior Air Parts Announces American Legend Aircraft to use Gemini Diesel Engine". Legend Aero. American Legend Aircraft. Archived from the original on 26 September 2015. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
  5. ^ Pope, Stephen. "Superior's Gemini Diesel Coming to Legend Cub". Flying Magazine. Flying. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
  6. ^ "New Super Legend Super Cub introduced". Retrieved 5 August 2012.
  7. ^ "Super Legend Gets Upgrades In Airframe, Avionics". Retrieved 24 April 2015.
  8. ^ "Super Legend Specs". American Legend Aircraft. Retrieved 28 July 2015.
  9. ^ Cook, Marc (7 July 2020). "Kitmaker Introduces "Mother of All Cubs"". AVweb. Archived from the original on 8 July 2020. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  10. ^ "Texas cub". Archived from the original on 18 December 2012. Retrieved 5 August 2012.
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