​This 2016 CubCrafters XCub Is a Low-Time, Adventure-Ready ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick

Every day, the team at Aircraft For Sale chooses an airplane that catches our attention because it is unique, a good deal, or has other qualities we find interesting. You can read Aircraft For Sale: Today’s Top Pick at FLYINGMag.com daily.

Today’s Top Pick is a 2016 CubCrafters XCub.

While many backcountry aircraft are built to excel only in the “slow and short” category, the XCub represents a modern evolution of the classic Super Cub formula, offering a rare combination of STOL performance and respectable cross-country speed. This 2016 model is a factory-built, Part 23-certified example that bridges the gap between rugged utility and refined handling.

With only 200 hours total time since new, the airframe is essentially just getting started. It features a modified USA-35B airfoil and direct pushrod aileron controls, which replace traditional cables to provide a precise, well-connected feel that is often missing in older tube-and-fabric designs. A basic empty weight of 1,320 pounds and dual 24.5-gallon wing tanks makes it well suited for long-range adventures into remote strips.

The aircraft is fully equipped for the rough stuff, featuring steel spring landing gear and 26-inch Alaska Bushwheel tundra tires, with an additional pair included in the sale to ensure you are always ready for the terrain. Vortex generators further enhance low-speed handling, while a rear step and side-access baggage door make loading gear and passengers simple. 

Inside the cockpit, the panel blends classic taildragger utility with modern monitoring systems. A Garmin Aera 796 serves as the primary navigation hub, while an Electronics International CGR-30P provides precise, real-time data for the powerplant. Connectivity and communication are handled by a Trig TY91 comm, a Trig TT22 transponder, and a PS Engineering PM3000R stereo intercom.

Safety and situational awareness are significantly bolstered by a Garmin GDL 84 ADS-B package and a GDL 39 3D, which provides weather, traffic, and backup attitude information via Bluetooth directly to the pilot’s devices.

Finished in a striking white-and-smoke paint scheme with red-and-black accents, and featuring a premium black leather interior, this XCub looks as good on the ramp as it does on a gravel bar. It comes with a fresh condition inspection completed in March 2025, ensuring it is ready for immediate deployment. 

Listed at $289,900, this 2016 CubCrafters XCub offers a rare chance to skip the waitlist for a low-time, high-performance backcountry machine that is equally at home cruising at 120 knots or landing in a forest clearing.

If you’re exploring ownership options, FLYING Finance can help get you airborne. Use our airplane loan calculator to estimate your monthly payments, or connect with an aviation finance expert at flyingfinance.com.

• FLYING Magazine: The CubCrafters XCub Is an Ideal Backcountry Machine
• FLYING Magazine: CubCrafters Delivers 1,000th Aircraft
• Plane + Pilot: 145 mph! CubCrafters Unveils Its Fast and Rugged XCub
• Plane + Pilot: CubCrafters XCub: Way Beyond Super Cub
• The Aviation Consumer: Cub Crafters XCub: High Luxe, Real Speed