FX3 newbuild - any advice ?

[Meconiates]

So I am about 3 months into ownership of a 2016 Carbon Cub SS and have flown it 85 hours. I love the plane but there are a bunch of "issues" I have which I think the FX3 would "solve". Let me walk you through my thought process:

1. I want IFR. I live in the Northeast and during the summer months, coastal fog layers are a nuisance and I don't want to be grounded. Not looking to mess with icing or difficult IFR conditions.... I have a TBM for that.
2. I want real cabin heat. I am currently freezing my ass off in the SS
3. I would like a constant speed prop and an extra 20mph
4. The 340cc engine has its short comings.... In warmer temps, if you leave the power in, your CHTs will shoot above 400 degrees and in level flight you can exceed the green arc at high power settings. At the end of the day this is an LSA engine that's not mean to run anywhere close to 180hp continuous.
5. I have 24 gallon tanks in my SS and it pains me that I don't have extended tanks. I don't do well with range anxiety.
6. I think I want BRS for 4 reasons: (i) engine failure while IFR; (ii) engine failure while Night VFR; (iii) engine failure over extended water flight; (iv) mid-air collision from drone

I also toyed with the idea of doing a UL EAB as I love the Rotax 916 engine, but I suspect I would be happier with the beefier FX3 airframe and there is a lot of stuff standard in the FX3 that becomes an option with a UL. So when I price them both out, the $400k FX3 looks like a $450k UL. I also seem to live in area with constant gusty winds, and wind shear, so I worry about getting tossed around more in the UL along with the lower VNE and lower green arc speeds. And I don't live in a high density altitude environment where the UL clearly shines...

Anyway, just looking for a sanity check here to make sure the FX3 is right solution for my problem. I don't want to make a second "mistake". Would also appreciate any advise on must have options. For example, fuel belly pod seems like a nice to have option but at $13k seems silly. Same with the $10k ACME Titanium gear. But how about a EarthX battery to save some weight and get me more Cold CCA.

Finally, any current FX3 owners looking to sell? The current wait time for FX3 newbuild is about a year so figure I would throw that out there...

 

[Neal]

I love the FX-3 and it remains my personal favorite. I didn't want the SS as I wanted a plane that is a blend for cross country and backcountry. The IFR panel is popular and a great layout. I think you learned what you like and want and I think you're on the right path. I will say you have to "follow the money" and be smart about your options, get what you want, not what someone is trying to sell you. The price can run up fast and much of it is over hyped. Do your own due diligence, research, and get what you want.

 

[Meconiates]

I love the FX-3 and it remains my personal favorite. I didn't want the SS as I wanted a plane that is a blend for cross country and backcountry. The IFR panel is popular and a great layout. I think you learned what you like and want and I think you're on the right path. I will say you have to "follow the money" and be smart about your options, get what you want, not what someone is trying to sell you. The price can run up fast and much of it is over hyped. Do your own due diligence, research, and get what you want.

Thanks Neal, I appreciate the feedback. Your YouTube channel has been immensely helpful and has been a big part of my research process !!

 

[Neal]

The BRS discussion is one that you'll meet a lot of resistance on, you have to make your own decision on this. It's only 35 lbs and it doesn't really take up much space in the aft cargo, i.e. it doesn't prevent me from taking anything I would want to take. The FX-3 is nose heavy so aft weight is needed anyways. It is double what I paid for mine now, so be it, it's like a life insurance policy. I've had too much experience with near misses and friends lost in mid-airs and now with drones prevalent, I want the last option of survival.

The UL is the craze but it's also heavily marketed that way. I didn't care for the broomstick flight controls or the very stiff controls but it's an SS with a Rotax. I don't know anything about Rotax or how hard they are to get service but I expect that's probably a non-issue. I would never own a UL with a 7 inch G3X, those that have those are probably going to have a tough time selling them when the time comes. But I see they now allow the 10 inch G3X which I know they had to do as the original UL wasn't selling. You can also opt for G series flight controls on and on and I think you can even opt for Oratex on non UL cubs now, which I personally don't care for but some do for weight, etc. To each their own. So the UL/SS is not for me.

The X/NX is crazy expensive, but faster and as you know higher in the luxury line up but is also louder from what I hear (no pun intended) and obviously insurance will step up for that as well as it's already a tough pill to swallow on my FX-3 with a 400K hull value. All depends how you're going to use your cub. Are you going to be okay with a 600K cub in the backcountry possibly tearing fabric like one recent xcub owner did flying with Trent Palmer (great guy, I met him (the xcub owner)).

I have zero remorse about my FX-3 and glad I made it exactly how I wanted it with my mods such as upgraded landing lights, added taxi light, BRS, forward looking camera, TK1 shocks and TK1 tailwheel with larger tailwheel tire (11x4-5). Cargo pod which if you are considering you must get the brackets installed precovering or it could be an ugly mod later. The cargo pod allows me to keep the CG forward with my hoarding habits but also survival stuff that stays in it (tent, water, etc.) tie downs, etc.

A lot of decisions, you'll make choices now and then when arriving at build week they'll likely show you more options available. What you don't want to happen is take delivery and learn there is something you could have done but didn't know was an option.

Order up, let's go flying

P.S. I also opted for the float plane kit or whatever it's called which is the reinforced fuselage structure.

 

[lrobichaux]

I love the FX-3 and it remains my personal favorite.

The comports with the opinion of my CC sales broker - who has a few thousand hours in all of the models that CC makes. He says that the FX-3/EX-3 is the sweet spot.

The IFR panel is popular and a great layout. I think you learned what you like and want and I think you're on the right path.

Agree - do not skimp on avionics. You only need to look at the significant pricing penalty that the used market applied to non-IFR CC planes. Everyone these days wants an IFR panel and AP.

The BRS discussion is one that you'll meet a lot of resistance on, you have to make your own decision on this. It's only 35 lbs and it doesn't really take up much space in the aft cargo, i.e. it doesn't prevent me from taking anything I would want to take. T

I'm in Neal's camp on this one. If CC offered a BRS retrofit for my NXCub, it would already be installed.

The X/NX is crazy expensive, but faster and as you know higher in the luxury line up

I friggin' love my NX, with the only regret being that BRS will never be an option. CC has confirmed that because of extremely limited demand for the BRS option, they will not invest in the R&D to engineer a system for the X/NX. I deal with the noise with excellent ANR headset inside of a sturdy flight helmet.

You absolutely cannot go wrong with the FX-3. But as Neal said, do not compromise from what you want - color, equipment, condition, etc.

 

[Cactus Charlie]

Decide on the mission and build for that mission. Buy the aircraft you want, not what you think someone will want to buy from you later.

I did lots of modifications to my FX-3 after delivery and ended up with the configuration I wanted at far lower cost than buying those options from CubCrafters. I also had the pleasure/challenge of making the changes myself.

I have an IFR capable FX-3 with empty weight of 1170 lb. It frequently visits rough dirt runways but has never landed where no aircraft has been before. It meets my mission requirements except perhaps for range. I've been thinking of a quickly removable aux fuel tank for a while.

 

[Meconiates]

Decide on the mission and build for that mission. Buy the aircraft you want, not what you think someone will want to buy from you later.

I did lots of modifications to my FX-3 after delivery and ended up with the configuration I wanted at far lower cost than buying those options from CubCrafters. I also had the pleasure/challenge of making the changes myself.

I have an IFR capable FX-3 with empty weight of 1170 lb. It frequently visits rough dirt runways but has never landed where no aircraft has been before. It meets my mission requirements except perhaps for range. I've been thinking of a quickly removable aux fuel tank for a while.

I already have a TBM and access to a Cirrus SR22 so this FX3 build is primarily a "fun" plane. To me that means being able to explore every dirt strip and grass runway in my neck of the woods. I would also like to plan a few trips out west (eg. Idaho, Utah), and as I gain experience, would also like to do off airport exploring, etc. So I am happy to slap on 31s with ACME Pro and Stingers. But is not going to be some hardcore STOL competition plane or live at a 8k elevation airport.

But I would also like it to be serve as back-up when needed. For example, I live in Stamford, CT and I am closing next month on a 2nd home in Nantucket, MA. When I am taking the family to Nantucket, I will obviously take the TBM. But if I need to shoot over by myself or maybe just go with one of my boys, I'll take the Cub. And I don't want some benign fog layer over the summer to ground me. And I don't want the fact that it got dark to ground me either. So if I am ordering a plane, I want full IFR + night VFR + BRS. Because if I am ditching in the water, I would prefer to landing under the canopy of BRS chute vs. getting flipped upside down when the mains hit the water.