CubCrafters Debuts Turboprop Powered Carbon Cub ULT at Oshkosh

According to KITPLANES, the aircraft debuted at Oshkosh. Based in Yakima, Washington, CubCrafters stated that the ULT is the first U.S.-manufactured turboprop aircraft eligible for flight under MOSAIC rules. The model is also available for builders through the factory-assist program.

Patrick Horgan, president and chief executive officer of CubCrafters, stated that the project involved some of the most advanced engineering work the company has ever undertaken. The airframe utilizes a chromoly-and-carbon two-seat taildragger design equipped with STOL characteristics, fitted with a turbine engine instead of a traditional piston powerplant. Pilots can fly the aircraft under sport pilot limitations, requiring a valid United States driver's license instead of a medical certificate, and operating under day VFR unless holding additional endorsements.

The aircraft features the TurboTech TP-R90, a regenerative turboprop engine built by French aerospace firm TurboTech. The engine design incorporates a recuperator that preheats incoming air by capturing heat energy usually lost through the exhaust. Both companies reported that this setup provides fuel consumption similar to the gasoline-powered Carbon Cub UL, while maintaining the smoothness, durability, and simplified moving parts typical of a turbine. TurboTech equipped the engine with full-authority digital engine control, and the partnership marks TurboTech's initial production aircraft collaboration in the United States.

Derived from the Carbon Cub UL, the designation incorporates the letter T to denote the turbine powerplant while representing an evolution of the backcountry platform. Small turbine engines have historically suffered from poor efficiency at low power requirements, but TurboTech's recuperated cycle addresses fuel burn issues for light aircraft. The TP-R90 engine features push-button starting, a single power lever, and simplified maintenance.

Inside the cockpit, the engine features push-button starting without traditional turbine-management rituals or monitoring ITT during starts. A dual-channel FADEC automatically oversees fuel delivery, ignition, engine temperatures, and propeller performance across all flight phases. A dedicated turbine-engine display is integrated alongside the Garmin avionics suite on the instrument panel.

Sources: KITPLANES