Start here
A few places to begin, from the aircraft’s story to the people who fly it.
Aircraft and simulator background
The PA-11 developed the J-3 Cub before the later PA-18 Super Cub. Its changes included an enclosed engine cowling, a larger 18-gallon fuel tank moved into the left wing and revised seats. The first flight was in 1945.
Piper PA-11 Cub Special
Developer · Read more ↗Controls and a handbook conflict
The represented aircraft has manual stick controls, pitch trim and no flaps. The guide warns that controller-operated elevator trim is slow. Its speed references contain an unresolved conflict: page 7 prints Vne as 226 mph, while page 9 gives 122 mph maximum diving speed. Both remain identified by their source pages.
Piper PA-11 Cub Special
Developer · Read more ↗Modernised communications
Flight Replicas' PA-11 includes radio, transponder and electrical master switches as a present-day configuration.
Piper PA-11 Cub Special
Developer · Read more ↗Meet Piper PA-11 Cub Special
The PA-11 developed the J-3 Cub before the later PA-18 Super Cub. Its changes included an enclosed engine cowling, a larger 18-gallon fuel tank moved into the left wing and revised seats. The first flight was in 1945.
Flight Replicas represents a present-day aircraft with radio, transponder and electrical master switches. Its manual identifies a stick, pitch trim, fixed tailwheel gear and no flaps.
Piper PA-11 Cub Special
Piper → · Explore the family →
Piper PA-11 Cub Special
Developer · Piper PA-11 Cub Special — developer reference ↗Aircraft type designators
No type designator selected for this reference.
History & design
Developing the J-3 layout
The PA-11 first flew in 1945. Its enclosed cowling, wing-mounted fuel tank and revised seating developed the J-3 into the Cub Special. The manual places it between that earlier Cub and the PA-18, with solo flying commonly from the front seat.
Developer · Piper PA-11 Cub Special — developer reference ↗PA-11 manual; PDF p.2 History; pp.3–4 Controls; p.7 Vne table and p.9 diving-speed discrepancy
Systems & details
Controls and a handbook conflict
The represented aircraft has manual stick controls, pitch trim and no flaps. The guide warns that controller-operated elevator trim is slow. Its speed references contain an unresolved conflict: page 7 prints Vne as 226 mph, while page 9 gives 122 mph maximum diving speed. Both remain identified by their source pages.
Modernised communications
Flight Replicas' PA-11 includes radio, transponder and electrical master switches as a present-day configuration.
In your simulator
Systems, equipment and documentation for each developer’s aircraft.
MSFS 2020Flight Replicas PA-11 Cub Special
Flight Replicas · Released
Flight Replicas PA-11 Cub Special
Flight Replicas · Released
Manuals & resources
Find your next read
Choose a topic for a short introduction and a link to the original source. Simulator references identify the developer and edition they cover.
Developer documentation
Piper PA-11 Cub Special — developer referencePiper PA-11 Cub Special
Aircraft features and simulator package description
Developer · Read the source ↗Piper PA-11 Cub Special — developer referencePiper PA-11 Cub Special
MSFS collection, distinct from legacy hangar
Developer · Read the source ↗Developer manual
Piper PA-11 Cub Special — developer referencePiper PA-11 Cub Special
PA-11 manual; PDF p.2 History; pp.3–4 Controls; p.7 Vne table and p.9 diving-speed discrepancy
Developer · Read the source ↗Read the original documentation from the people who created it. Manuals open on their publisher’s website.
Developer documentation
Piper PA-11 Cub Special — developer referenceDeveloper · Aircraft features and simulator package description Piper PA-11 Cub Special — developer referenceDeveloper · MSFS collection, distinct from legacy hangarDeveloper manual
Piper PA-11 Cub Special — developer referenceDeveloper · PA-11 manual; PDF p.2 History; pp.3–4 Controls; p.7 Vne table and p.9 diving-speed discrepancyBuilt-in force-feedback profiles
Read the documentary basis, editable starting settings and remaining questions for the aircraft you fly. Each explanation refers to the exact profile revision shown.
Catalogue programme-20261011-v3 · 2 profile choices
Flight Replicas PA-11 Cub Special
Flight Replicas · Free and Pro · Revision 2 · Inherited starting point
MSFS 2020
The Cub development between the J-3 and PA-18, with an enclosed cowling and wing-mounted fuel tank.
Piper PA-11 Cub Special
Free and Pro · Revision 1 · Partial review
MSFS 2020 · MSFS 2024 · X-Plane 12
The Cub development between the J-3 and PA-18, with an enclosed cowling and wing-mounted fuel tank.
Flight Replicas PA-11 Cub Special
The Cub development between the J-3 and PA-18, with an enclosed cowling and wing-mounted fuel tank.
Aircraft and simulator scope
- Flight Replicas PA-11 Cub Special · Flight Replicas · MSFS 2020 · Add-on starting point
The simulator model and controls
Flight Replicas PA-11 Cub Special is the selected Flight Replicas configuration.
How this profile feels
Spring resistance builds with the selected airspeed response. A separate aerodynamic term adds speed-dependent control load.
Valid trim provides the configured pressure relief. Autopilot following is off.
Aircraft and configuration
The PA-11 developed the J-3 Cub before the later PA-18 Super Cub. Its changes included an enclosed engine cowling, a larger 18-gallon fuel tank moved into the left wing and revised seats. The first flight was in 1945.
Controls and a handbook conflict
The represented aircraft has manual stick controls, pitch trim and no flaps. The guide warns that controller-operated elevator trim is slow. Its speed references contain an unresolved conflict: page 7 prints Vne as 226 mph, while page 9 gives 122 mph maximum diving speed. Both remain identified by their source pages.
Modernised communications
Flight Replicas' PA-11 includes radio, transponder and electrical master switches as a present-day configuration.
About the values
Strengths are normalized hardware-feel settings. They set the effect balance; hand force depends on the device and its limits. The IAS reference is a tuning value.
Documentary review and sources
These decisions describe the documentary basis and remaining gaps for this revision. Aircraft documentation and a starting setting describe different kinds of evidence.
Aircraft and variant
InheritedFlight Replicas PA-11 Cub Special is the selected Flight Replicas configuration.
Flight controls
InheritedThe Cub development between the J-3 and PA-18, with an enclosed cowling and wing-mounted fuel tank.
Trim
InheritedThe represented aircraft has manual stick controls, pitch trim and no flaps. Pitch authority 0.3 provides load relief and permitted centre movement; roll authority is 0.
Autopilot and stability
InheritedAutopilot following is off; the configured spring and load retain the hardware feel.
Equipment
InheritedThe PA-11 developed the J-3 Cub before the later PA-18 Super Cub. Its changes included an enclosed engine cowling, a larger 18-gallon fuel tank moved into the left wing and revised seats. The first flight was in 1945.
Speeds and limits
InheritedThe indicated-speed references set the profile response scale; they are separate from aircraft operating limits.
Simulator integration
InheritedThe profile targets msfs2020. Add-on-specific controls use only the supported references configured by this profile.
Force-feedback settings
InheritedThe settings define the profile’s effect balance. Device output limits affect physical hand force.
Starting settings and their rationale
These configured values are starting estimates. The explanations describe what each setting controls; physical validation appears separately below.
| Setting | Starting value | What it controls and why |
|---|---|---|
| Spring strength | Starting value0.74 | What it controls and whyThe represented aircraft has manual stick controls, pitch trim and no flaps. The baseline spring is 0.74. Its low-speed blend reaches baseline strength at 45 KIAS. |
| Master force gain | Starting value0.85 | What it controls and whyScales overall profile strength while preserving effect balance, subject to device and output limits. |
| Profile force gain | Starting value0.8 | What it controls and whyThe aerodynamic-load gain is 0.8 with an indicated-speed reference of 75 KIAS. This supplies speed-dependent loading alongside the spring. |
| Force tuning speed/reference | Starting value75 kt | What it controls and whySets the IAS reference for aerodynamic loading. It is an estimate, not published cruise TAS or a flight limit. |
| Spring response reference speed | Starting value45 kt | What it controls and whySets the IAS where the low-speed blend reaches baseline strength; high-speed stiffening also uses it. |
| Aileron force scale | Starting value0.64 | What it controls and whyRoll and pitch aerodynamic scales are 0.64 and 0.78, respectively. They set the aerodynamic axis balance. No custom spring-travel curve is enabled. |
| Elevator force scale | Starting value0.78 | What it controls and whyScales pitch aerodynamic loading; pitch spring travel and trim responses are separate settings. |
| Trim feel | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyRetained for compatibility and group membership. Trim relief, rather than this flag, controls centre movement. |
| Trim relief | Starting valueEnabled | What it controls and whyAllows trim relief with supported control law and valid telemetry. Axis authorities set its amount. |
| Autopilot follow | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyAutopilot following is off; the configured spring and load retain the hardware feel. |
| Autopilot neutral hold | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyPermits centering hold during a supported AP state, separate from following a moving target. |
| Output force limit | Starting value0.55 | What it controls and whyCaps directed-force output. Native spring effects and device limits remain separate. |
All 44 starting settings and their rationale
The settings define the profile’s effect balance. Device output limits affect physical hand force.
| Setting | Starting value | What it controls and why |
|---|---|---|
| Spring strength | Starting value0.74 | What it controls and whyThe represented aircraft has manual stick controls, pitch trim and no flaps. The baseline spring is 0.74. Its low-speed blend reaches baseline strength at 45 KIAS. |
| Spring deadband | Starting value0.04 | What it controls and whySets travel around the centre before the baseline spring resists. Smaller values engage it sooner. |
| Profile force gain | Starting value0.8 | What it controls and whyThe aerodynamic-load gain is 0.8 with an indicated-speed reference of 75 KIAS. This supplies speed-dependent loading alongside the spring. |
| Master force gain | Starting value0.85 | What it controls and whyScales overall profile strength while preserving effect balance, subject to device and output limits. |
| QBlend Enabled | Starting valueEnabled | What it controls and whyAllows baseline spring strength to rise with indicated airspeed where the control law permits it. |
| QSpring Minimum Factor | Starting value0.55 | What it controls and whySets low-speed spring strength as a fraction of baseline when blending is enabled. One keeps full strength. |
| QSpring Start Knots | Starting value12 kt | What it controls and whySets the IAS where the low-speed spring blend starts rising. This is a feel threshold, not a flight limit. |
| Spring response reference speed | Starting value45 kt | What it controls and whySets the IAS where the low-speed blend reaches baseline strength; high-speed stiffening also uses it. |
| Force tuning speed/reference | Starting value75 kt | What it controls and whySets the IAS reference for aerodynamic loading. It is an estimate, not published cruise TAS or a flight limit. |
| Airspeed spring stiffening gain | Starting value0.15 | What it controls and whyThe high-speed spring-stiffening gain is 0.15. It strengthens the permitted spring response above 45 KIAS, with the squared-speed ratio capped at 5. |
| Airspeed spring stiffening limit | Starting value5 | What it controls and whyLimits the squared airspeed ratio used for high-speed spring stiffening; it is not a device-force cap. |
| Aileron force scale | Starting value0.64 | What it controls and whyRoll and pitch aerodynamic scales are 0.64 and 0.78, respectively. They set the aerodynamic axis balance. No custom spring-travel curve is enabled. |
| Elevator force scale | Starting value0.78 | What it controls and whyScales pitch aerodynamic loading; pitch spring travel and trim responses are separate settings. |
| Output force limit | Starting value0.55 | What it controls and whyCaps directed-force output. Native spring effects and device limits remain separate. |
| Trim feel | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyRetained for compatibility and group membership. Trim relief, rather than this flag, controls centre movement. |
| Trim relief | Starting valueEnabled | What it controls and whyAllows trim relief with supported control law and valid telemetry. Axis authorities set its amount. |
| Elevator Authority | Starting value0.3 | What it controls and whyThe represented aircraft has manual stick controls, pitch trim and no flaps. Pitch authority 0.3 provides load relief and permitted centre movement; roll authority is 0. |
| Aileron Authority | Starting value0 | What it controls and whyScales supported roll-trim relief and permitted centre movement. Zero removes roll response. |
| Force Trim Enabled | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyEnables local force trim, separate from aircraft-owned trim and add-on integration qualification. |
| GLoad Enabled | Starting valueEnabled | What it controls and whyAllows load-factor changes to modify permitted spring laws. Passive fly-by-wire feel can suppress it. |
| Rate Damping Enabled | Starting valueEnabled | What it controls and whyEnables rate damping with the configured coefficients and control law. |
| Autopilot follow | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyAutopilot following is off; the configured spring and load retain the hardware feel. |
| Autopilot follow authority | Starting value0.1 | What it controls and whySets admitted AP-follow gain, not a percentage of travel. Runtime ownership and input limits still apply. |
| Autopilot neutral hold | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyPermits centering hold during a supported AP state, separate from following a moving target. |
| Autopilot neutral hold strength | Starting value0.6 | What it controls and whySets admitted AP neutral-hold strength; inactive while neutral hold is disabled. |
| Enabled | Starting valueEnabled | What it controls and whyEnables aerodynamic cues; each still needs nonzero strength and its simulator conditions. |
| Gain | Starting value0.35 | What it controls and whySets stall-buffet strength. Zero removes the cue without changing simulator stalls or warnings. |
| Gain | Starting value0 | What it controls and whySets high-Mach buffet strength; onset and full-strength thresholds are separate. |
| Gain | Starting value0 | What it controls and whySets flap buffet at the configured position and speed gates. Flap movement texture is separate. |
| Maximum flap index | Starting value3 | What it controls and whySets the final flap index for detent normalization. UP plus three detents uses maximum index3. |
| Minimum flap index | Starting value2 | What it controls and whySets the first flap detent that admits buffet; this is a handle index, not degrees. |
| Gain | Starting value0 | What it controls and whySets gear aerodynamic buffet; movement and ground-contact cues are separate. |
| Shaker Enabled | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyPermits shaker at supported warning conditions; the switch does not establish aircraft equipment. |
| Stick shaker amplitude | Starting value0.5 | What it controls and whySets triggered shaker strength; inactive while the shaker feature is disabled. |
| Enabled | Starting valueEnabled | What it controls and whyEnables ground effects; each still needs its own strength and contact or motion telemetry. |
| Gain | Starting value0.4 | What it controls and whySets rolling texture strength, modified by speed, surface and undercarriage configuration. |
| Gain | Starting value0.25 | What it controls and whySets gear-bump texture during ground motion, separate from touchdown impact. |
| Gain | Starting value0.65 | What it controls and whySets landing-impact strength; landing telemetry and response shape determine the pulse. |
| Gain | Starting value0 | What it controls and whySets reverse-thrust vibration with valid reverser and engine conditions. Zero removes the cue. |
| Enabled | Starting valueEnabled | What it controls and whyEnables engine cues with nonzero settings and valid running-engine telemetry. |
| Gain | Starting value0.12 | What it controls and whySets estimated engine vibration using configured telemetry and response, not measured cockpit vibration. |
| Enabled | Starting valueEnabled | What it controls and whyEnables accessory cues with configured strengths and observed accessory movement. |
| Gain | Starting value0 | What it controls and whySets texture from observed flap movement; a command without movement does not establish the cue. |
| Gain | Starting value0 | What it controls and whySets texture from observed gear movement, separate from aerodynamic and touchdown effects. |
Limits and open questions
- Force magnitudes and speed references are engineering estimates. Installed telemetry and physical acceptance remain deferred.
- Only documented editions are targeted; a matching definition is not current package acceptance.
- Manual VNE226mph conflicts with122mph maximum dive; no hard speed/force limit is authored from either value.
Physical validation
No physical force validation is recorded in this public catalogue for this revision. Documentary review and software checks do not establish how a particular device feels.
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