After many hours in the KAVU Cub, we decided that for best performance, we'd need to make more power by changing the engine and propeller. And in doing so, it seemed like the best and most sensible time to go ahead and make other "convenient upgrades". Installing more modern avionics that I'd already had... but hadn't changed out yet... while the plane was already "grounded" seemed to make a lot of sense. Problem was... when we got neck deep in the project, we found more things that needed to be addressed, and it simply made sense to go for it... Before we knew it, the fabric was off and we were stripping the airplane to it's bones.
Most of the work is being done at BackCountry SuperCubs' shop in Douglas, Wyoming by a crew of great folks, and I've been traveling there when I can to put in some hours and be helpful in the rebuild. BCSC is the origin of my airplane, and the owner and crew are top-shelf.
Fast forward 8 months and now the plane has been recovered, repainted, and all the parts are going back on quickly. The KAVU Cub 2.0 is taking form and I was excited to get back to Wyoming to see the progress.
One of my best friends, Alex McCulloch lives and works out of Denver. He's a Captain for United Airlines and also owns an Aviat Husky. He's a flight instructor and teaches other Captains and First Officers in United's Airbus 320 SIM. Needless to say, he's a busy dude. But, being that he's one of my favorite dudes to fly with... going all the way back to our hang gliding days... I asked if he'd be around while I was in Wyoming and a plan quickly came together. I'd fly to Denver, jump in the Husky with him and together, we'd fly up to BackCountry SuperCubs to check out the Cub's progress while getting a chance to have a couple of KAVU days together. Stoked!
We loaded up the Husky after an early morning commercial flight in from Eugene to Denver. I'd never flown the Husky and although it's "just an airplane", I'd fly it from the back seat for the first leg. The forecast was for potentially gusty crosswinds in Wyoming and flying someone else's beautiful airplane for the first time is always a bit of a nervous thing in less than ideal conditions. It ended up being a super nice 2 hour flight with only minor storm dodging. Alex is fond of saying "if your head isn't hitting the ceiling, the turbulence is moderate". Ha ha ha.
Opening the hanger doors when we rolled up to the shop, I was impressed with the new paint job. It's hard to see in the light within the hanger, but the gray base color actually has a slight blueish tint that helps the red and black really pop off the wings and fuselage! The tail's a completely new shape, and it's horizontal was about to go on. The skylights and top deck were also being installed (along with the gas tank lids on the wings), and things were moving fast toward pulling wires for the avionics through the new panel... before hanging the engine! Ha ha ha.... Seems like a lot, but it's crazy how fast things start to roll when parts are done and sitting next to the plane. The guys at BCSC are also really good at what they do... building badass bushplanes!
I will say, the plane looked pretty funny on the tiny wheels and tires. They put them on to make working on the engine and cowling far easier than it would be on it's giant 35" Alaska Bushwheels...
The scene in "Tommy Boy", with Chris Farley singing "fat guy in a little coat" definitely came to mind;-) Ha ha...
The new seats also came out amazing, and along with the carbon floorboards that I made during last time I was at BCSC, the interior will not only look sharp, but will also be a huge weight savings.
Having a lighter weight Cub makes a big difference in performance, and we've gone to great lengths to cut a lot of weight out of this airplane during the upgrade and repair process.
Overall, I'm so pleased with how things are coming together. I'll be heading back to Wyoming in the middle of May to hopefully get close to finishing her up and to the test flying phase.
One step at a time, but it's hard to be patient. I miss having this fun wagon in the air, where she belongs!
Many, many KAVU days ahead!!
The following day's forecast showed late-afternoon thunderstorms were approaching, followed by another day of unsettled weather. So, we jumped back in Alex's Husky and headed toward Denver.
This time, I sat in the front seat and I have to admit, it was so good to be back in the cockpit after several months of down time. I was so appreciative of Alex to allow me to get some currency back and it was super fun to fly his plane. I can see why he likes it so much...
I'm going to be posting more updates soon, and will be starting the KAVU Cub YouTube series back up.... with regular content of the adventures that thing is made for.
Stay tuned! Life is an amazing journey and opportunity... and getting to use every second to appreciate the world and people in my life sure feels like a lucky thing, and something I hope to share.
Jeff Shapiro
IG
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© 2026 KAVU
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