"Dishwasher Safe"

So it’s been over a month since I last flew the Cubby. I could’ve flown at least another 6 hours this last week, upping my total hours to 70 (not that much, but still; every bit counts!) Sadly, it’s still going to be a while until I can fly the yellow beast again.

However, on Saturday (1 May), I was offered a flight. Itching to be airborne again, I accepted the offer and before I knew it, I was gingerly lifting myself into a piece of Tupperware. Yup, I was going for a flight in ZU-IOO, a Jabiru.

As I settled myself into the seat I found that, while comfortable, it just didn’t feel right; my feet were practically on top of each other, the brakes are operated by hand and situated on the stick which is between the two occupants. But I wasn’t complaining; I’d been wanting to fly in a Jabiru for a while now.

I had a quick look around the cockpit to try and familiarize myself with the instruments. Nice and basic; good, that’s what I like. ‘Familiarization’ complete, I hunted for a spot to rest my arm, but was met by an uncomfortable plastic armrest-thing. Joy.

The take-off run was exceptionally long, and the Jabiru’s thin wheels felt rock-hard and made sure that you felt every little bump on the surface of the runway. The shaking and shuddering was somewhat ominous, but as soon as we were airborne everything settled and we climbed like a rocket (sort of).

I was given control, and if I’m honest, I didn’t enjoy it that much; it was different and I wasn’t used to it. Having a central stick was a new concept for me, and having to fly with my left hand was just weird. Rudder? What’s that? I barely used any of it and the ball stayed in the middle.

The upside of the Jabiru is that she’s kind of fast(er) [than the Cubby], and I enjoyed not having to crawl along at about 80mph (74kts). And it was relatively quiet, another bonus.

The landing was… abrupt. It’s not the pilot’s fault; I just wasn’t expecting it. One second we were flying, the next we bumped into the earth and were immediately met with the shakes and shudders I mentioned earlier. Flare? I didn’t notice anything.

So it was definitely a different experience. No, I wasn’t very comfortable, but things settled the longer we flew, and I’d definitely jump at the opportunity to get to know this little (plastic) machine better.

However, the Cubby is still the one for me!